User Manual¶
Version: 1.2.0 Supported Unreal Engine versions: 5.5, 5.6, 5.7 Platforms: Windows, macOS, Linux Plugin type: Editor tool
Welcome¶
Screenshot Studio helps you capture clean screenshots, Steam store assets, GIFs, videos, turntables, and preview images directly inside Unreal Engine.
It is designed for developers who want better marketing images without constantly leaving the editor, resizing files manually, or guessing how their Steam assets will look on a real store page.
Use it for:
- Steam store capsules and library assets
- Fab marketplace images
- Gameplay screenshots
- GIFs and short videos
- Store page preview testing
- Social media images
- Turntable captures for characters, props, and assets
1. Installation¶
Copy the ScreenshotStudio folder into your project’s Plugins/ directory.
Your project should look like this:
YourProject/
Plugins/
ScreenshotStudio/
ScreenshotStudio.uplugin
Source/
Install the plugin¶
Copy the ScreenshotStudio folder into your project’s Plugins/ directory.
Regenerate project files¶
Right-click your .uproject file and select Generate Visual Studio Project Files.
Build the project¶
Build the project in Development Editor configuration.
Open Screenshot Studio¶
Open Unreal Engine and go to Tools > Screenshot Studio.
You can also open the window with:
Ctrl + Shift + S
The Screenshot Studio window is dockable, so you can place it anywhere in your editor layout.
Important
Your project path should not contain spaces.
Good:
C:\UnrealProjects\MyGame
Avoid:
C:\My Projects\My Game
Paths with spaces can cause Unreal Build Tool linker issues on Windows.
Blueprint-only projects¶
Blueprint-only projects usually do not have a C++ game module. Screenshot Studio needs one so the plugin can link correctly.
Open the New C++ Class wizard¶
Open Unreal Engine and go to Tools > New C++ Class.
Create an empty class¶
Choose None / Empty Class as the parent and create the class.
Restart and rebuild¶
Let Unreal restart and rebuild the project.
Install Screenshot Studio normally¶
Install Screenshot Studio normally.
You only need to do this once.
2. Quick Start¶
Take your first screenshot¶
- Open Tools > Screenshot Studio.
- Go to the Capture tab.
- Open the Standard sub-tab.
- Click Capture next to 1080p.
The screenshot is saved here:
[ProjectRoot]/Screenshots/ScreenshotStudio/
Generate Steam assets¶
- Frame your scene in the editor viewport.
- Keep important content near the center.
- Open the Steam Pack tab.
- Click Generate All Steam Assets.
The generated files are saved in a numbered folder:
Screenshots/ScreenshotStudio/SteamPack_001/
Each new run creates a new folder, so older Steam Packs are not overwritten.
Record a GIF¶
- Go to the GIF tab.
- Choose a preset.
- Enable Capture UI if you want HUD, UMG, or CommonUI included.
- Press Alt + P to enter Play In Editor.
- Press Ctrl + Shift + R to start recording.
- Press Ctrl + Shift + R again to stop and encode.
Record a video¶
- Go to the Video tab.
- Choose a preset.
- Select MP4, WebM, or Both.
- If FFmpeg is missing, click Download FFmpeg Automatically.
- Enter Play In Editor.
- Click Start Recording or press Ctrl + Shift + R.
Videos automatically stop at 12 seconds to match Steam description video requirements.
3. Capture Source¶
The Capture Source toggle controls where Screenshot Studio captures images from.
It affects:
- Single screenshots
- Steam Pack generation
- PIE captures
- UI/HUD captures
- Live gameplay captures
You can find it in the Capture tab, above the preset sub-tabs.
Auto¶
Auto is the recommended default.
When Play In Editor is running, Auto captures the PIE viewport, including UMG and HUD.
When Play In Editor is not running, Auto captures the editor viewport.
The status text tells you exactly what will happen:
Auto — using PIE viewport
or
Auto — using editor viewport
Editor Viewport¶
This mode always captures the clean editor scene.
It does not include:
- UMG
- HUD
- CommonUI
- Screen-space widgets
Use this mode when you want clean environment shots, asset shots, or marketing screenshots without gameplay UI.
PIE Viewport¶
This mode always captures the live gameplay viewport.
Play In Editor must be running. If PIE is not active, Screenshot Studio shows a warning.
Use this mode when you want:
- HUD captures
- Real gameplay screenshots
- Main menu screenshots
- UI-heavy images
- Live action frames
How PIE capture works¶
PIE capture uses Unreal’s Slate screenshot system to read the final composited game window. This means it can include screen-space UI such as UMG, CommonUI, and HUD elements.
The captured image is then cropped to the game viewport area and scaled to the requested output resolution.
This method is used because direct viewport pixel reading only captures the 3D render target and does not include screen-space UI.
4. Capture Tab¶
The Capture tab contains the main screenshot presets.
It includes these sub-tabs:
| Sub-tab | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Standard | Common resolutions like 1080p, 1440p, 4K, 8K, ultrawide, and Steam Deck |
| Steam Store | Steam store image sizes |
| Steam Library | Steam library image sizes |
| Steam Community | Steam community images |
| Steam Misc | Broadcast thumbnails, event headers, and about section banners |
| Social Media | Twitter/X, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, Discord, and Reddit sizes |
| Custom | Manual resolution input |
Each preset row shows:
- Preset name
- Resolution
- Short description
- Preview frame button
- Capture button
5. Resolution Preview Frame¶
The Resolution Preview Frame helps you see exactly what will be captured before taking the screenshot.
Click the square icon next to any preset to show the frame in the active Level Editor viewport.
The overlay shows:
- Capture border
- Dimmed outer area
- Corner markers
- Resolution label
- Coverage percentage
Click the icon again to hide the overlay.
The preview frame is editor-only and never appears in the exported image.
6. Steam Pack¶
Steam Pack generates a complete set of Steam store and library images from one source frame.
It creates all required assets using center-crop and resize rules.
Output folders¶
Every Steam Pack run creates a new numbered folder:
SteamPack_001
SteamPack_002
SteamPack_003
This keeps older versions safe and makes it easy to compare multiple attempts.
Source behavior¶
When using Editor Viewport, Screenshot Studio captures a 4K master image and saves it as:
_master_4K.png
When using PIE Viewport or Auto while PIE is running, Screenshot Studio captures the live gameplay frame and saves it as:
_master_source.png
Generated Steam assets¶
Store¶
| Asset | Size |
|---|---|
| Header Capsule | 920 × 430 |
| Small Capsule | 462 × 174 |
| Main Capsule | 1232 × 706 |
| Vertical Capsule | 748 × 869 |
| Page Background | 1438 × 810 |
| Screenshot | 1920 × 1080 |
Library¶
| Asset | Size |
|---|---|
| Library Header | 920 × 430 |
| Library Hero | 3840 × 1240 |
| Library Logo | 1280 × 720 |
| Library Capsule | 600 × 900 |
Community and Events¶
| Asset | Size |
|---|---|
| Community Header | 460 × 215 |
| Community Icon | 184 × 184 |
| Event Header | 800 × 450 |
| Event Cover | 1920 × 622 |
Framing tip¶
Keep your most important subject near the center of the viewport.
Steam Pack creates many different aspect ratios from one source image. Content close to the edges can be cropped in narrow formats like Library Hero or Vertical Capsule.
7. Turntable Capture¶
Turntable Capture orbits the editor camera around a selected actor and captures multiple frames.
It is useful for:
- Characters
- Props
- Weapons
- Environment assets
- Marketplace preview images
- Before and after comparisons
How to use it¶
- Select an actor in the Level Editor viewport.
- Open the Turntable tab.
- Adjust the capture settings.
- Start the turntable capture.
Settings¶
| Setting | Description |
|---|---|
| Distance | Camera distance from the selected actor |
| Height | Camera height above the actor origin |
| Frames | Number of images to capture |
| Arc | Total rotation angle |
| Start Angle | Starting yaw angle |
| Interval | Delay between captures |
| Output Width | Screenshot width |
| Output Height | Screenshot height |
The output folder opens once after all frames are captured.
8. Burst Capture¶
Burst Capture records a short series of screenshots during Play In Editor.
It is useful when you want to capture action moments without pressing the screenshot button at the perfect time.
Settings¶
| Setting | Range |
|---|---|
| Shots | 2 to 100 |
| Interval | 0.1 to 10 seconds |
Use Burst Capture for:
- Combat moments
- VFX timing
- Animation previews
- UI state changes
- Gameplay sequences
9. Batch Rename and Organize¶
The batch tools scan your output folder and rename files based on their pixel dimensions.
Files that match known Steam asset sizes are renamed to Steamworks-friendly names.
Files that do not match a known size are left untouched.
Rename Flat¶
Renames matching files in the current folder.
Rename and Organize¶
Renames files and sorts them into folders:
Store/
Library/
Community/
Events/
This is useful when preparing files for Steamworks upload.
10. GIF Recorder¶
The GIF Recorder captures PIE footage and encodes it as an animated GIF.
It uses a built-in C++ encoder and does not require external tools.
Features¶
- No FFmpeg required
- Background encoding
- Optional UI capture
- Median-cut color quantization
- Optional Floyd-Steinberg dithering
- LZW compression
- Hotkey support
Hotkey¶
Ctrl + Shift + R
This hotkey toggles recording.
It is registered before the game input system, so it can still work even if your game uses the same keys.
Capture UI¶
When Capture UI is enabled, the GIF includes:
- UMG
- CommonUI
- HUD
- Screen-space widgets
When Capture UI is disabled, the GIF captures only the 3D render target.
Disabling UI capture can be slightly faster, but it will not show HUD or menu widgets.
GIF presets¶
| Preset | Size | FPS | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steam About Section | 800 × 450 | 15 | Steam page feature blocks |
| Steam Large | 1600 × 900 | 12 | Large Steam visuals |
| Small Preview | 480 × 270 | 15 | Discord, forums, quick sharing |
| Medium | 640 × 360 | 15 | General use |
| Twitter/X | 640 × 360 | 12 | Social posts |
| Instagram Square | 480 × 480 | 12 | Square previews |
| HD Preview | 960 × 540 | 10 | Higher quality previews |
GIF tips¶
For Steam, try to keep GIFs under 15 MB.
A good starting point is:
800 × 450
15 FPS
Frame Skip 2
Floyd-Steinberg dithering can improve gradients, but it may increase encoding time.
11. Video Recorder¶
The Video Recorder captures PIE footage as MP4, WebM, or both.
It is designed for short Steam store page videos and marketing clips.
Steam description video limits¶
Steam description videos should stay within these limits:
| Requirement | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum length | 12 seconds |
| Maximum file size | 100 MB |
| Recommended width | 1170 px for HiDPI, 780 px for 1x displays |
| Formats | MP4/H.264 and WebM/VP9 |
Capture UI¶
The Capture UI option works the same way as the GIF Recorder.
Enabled:
- Captures UMG, CommonUI, HUD, and screen-space widgets
Disabled:
- Captures only the 3D render target
FFmpeg setup¶
The Video tab shows the current FFmpeg status.
If FFmpeg is missing, click:
Download FFmpeg Automatically
Screenshot Studio installs it into:
Saved/ScreenshotStudio/FFmpeg/
No editor restart is required.
Encoder fallback order¶
Screenshot Studio tries encoders in this order:
- Plugin-local FFmpeg install
- FFmpeg from system PATH
- Unreal Engine bundled FFmpeg
- Windows built-in H.264 encoder for MP4
- PNG frame sequence with
encode.batandencode.sh
Video presets¶
| Preset | Size | FPS | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steam Description SD | 780 × 438 | 30 | Standard Steam description clips |
| Steam Description HiDPI | 1170 × 658 | 30 | Higher DPI displays |
| Steam Description Square | 780 × 780 | 30 | Square feature highlights |
| Steam Description 24fps | 780 × 438 | 24 | More cinematic motion |
Video tips¶
MP4 has the widest compatibility.
WebM usually compresses better.
Using Both creates both formats from one recording session.
Steam auto-play is muted, so your clip should still make sense without audio.
12. Composition Guides¶
Composition Guides are editor-only overlays that help you frame better images.
Available guides:
| Guide | Use |
|---|---|
| Rule of Thirds | Balanced store screenshots and character framing |
| Golden Ratio | More cinematic composition |
| Crosshair | Centered framing and symmetrical shots |
| Safe Zone | Keeping important text and subjects away from edges |
Click a guide to enable it.
Click the same guide again, or choose None, to disable it.
Guides never appear in the exported image.
13. Steam Store Preview¶
The Steam Store Preview tab lets you test how your images look in Steam-style layouts.
It is an unofficial preview tool and is not affiliated with Valve.
The goal is simple: help you judge your capsule images, screenshots, library assets, and page composition before uploading anything to Steam.
Preview pages¶
| Page | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Store Page | Tests header capsule, screenshots, purchase area, and about section |
| Front Page | Tests how your game may look in a Steam-style discovery layout |
| Library Page | Tests library hero, capsule, header, and content rows |
Layout behavior¶
The preview uses fixed-size image slots.
Resizing the Screenshot Studio window does not stretch or distort your images.
Images are crop-filled into their slots, similar to how Steam handles store images.
Persistent image library¶
Every capture is automatically registered in:
Saved/ScreenshotStudio/ImageLibrary.json
When you close and reopen Unreal, your previous captures remain available in the Preview tab.
The library also scans the output folder on startup, so files that exist on disk can be recovered into the library if needed.
Click-to-assign image slots¶
Click any image slot to open the Assign Image picker.
The picker shows:
- Best Matches
- Other Sizes
- Thumbnail preview
- Filename
- Image dimensions
- Crop warning when needed
Best Matches are images close to the ideal size for that slot.
You can assign any image to any slot. If the image does not match perfectly, Screenshot Studio crops it to fit.
Assignments are saved and restored the next time you open Unreal.
Toolbar actions¶
| Button | What it does |
|---|---|
| Randomize | Rebuilds fake surrounding game content |
| Use Latest Set | Auto-fills slots with the most recent captures |
| Refresh | Reloads image brushes from disk |
| Show Fab Review Prompt | Adds a small review request line to preview text |
Randomize does not remove your manual image assignments.
Store Page preview¶
The Store Page preview includes:
- Main screenshot area
- Thumbnail strip using your real captures
- Header capsule card
- Short description
- Review summary
- Release information
- Developer and publisher fields
- Genre tags
- Purchase bar
- About This Game section
- Recent Updates card
- More Like This row
Front Page preview¶
The Front Page preview includes:
- Main hero carousel
- Recommendation strip
- Price display
- Right-side game cards
- Discounts and Events row
- Recommended For You row
- Top Sellers row
- New and Trending row
Library Page preview¶
The Library Page preview includes:
- Game list sidebar
- Selected game capsule
- Library hero image
- Install or Play action bar
- Library header slot
- Available Content row
- Activity card
- Achievements section
Generated fake covers¶
Surrounding game covers are generated by code.
They are not saved to disk and do not create textures in the Content Browser.
They exist only to make the preview feel closer to a real Steam layout.
14. File List¶
The File List shows captures from the current editor session.
Newest files appear first.
Each row shows:
- Filename
- Dimensions
- File size
- Open button
Click Open to reveal the file in Explorer or Finder.
Click Clear to remove entries from the session list.
Clear does not delete files from disk.
15. Settings¶
Output¶
| Setting | Description |
|---|---|
| Output Folder | Where captures are saved |
| File Prefix | Text added before saved filenames |
| Open Folder After Capture | Opens the output folder after capture |
| Add Timestamp | Adds date and time to filenames |
Relative output paths are resolved from the project root.
Default output folder:
Screenshots/ScreenshotStudio
Default prefix:
SS_
Format and Quality¶
| Format | Description |
|---|---|
| PNG | Lossless, recommended default |
| JPG | Smaller files, uses the quality slider |
| EXR | 32-bit HDR image |
The JPG quality slider is only shown when JPG is selected.
Watermark and Logo Overlay¶
Enable Watermark to apply an image overlay to captures.
Recommended watermark format:
PNG with transparency
Watermark options:
| Setting | Description |
|---|---|
| Image Path | Watermark image file |
| Position | Top Left, Top Right, Bottom Left, Bottom Right, or Center |
| Scale | Width as a percentage of the image |
| Opacity | Transparency from 0 to 100 percent |
When watermarking is disabled, the related controls are dimmed.
If watermarking is enabled but no image is selected, Screenshot Studio shows a warning.
16. Steam Asset Size Reference¶
Store assets¶
| Asset | Size |
|---|---|
| Header Capsule | 920 × 430 |
| Small Capsule | 462 × 174 |
| Main Capsule | 1232 × 706 |
| Vertical Capsule | 748 × 869 |
| Page Background | 1438 × 810 |
| Screenshot | 1920 × 1080 |
Library assets¶
| Asset | Size |
|---|---|
| Library Header | 920 × 430 |
| Library Hero | 3840 × 1240 |
| Library Logo | 1280 × 720 |
| Library Capsule | 600 × 900 |
Community and Events¶
| Asset | Size |
|---|---|
| Community Header | 460 × 215 |
| Community Icon | 184 × 184 |
| Event Header | 800 × 450 |
| Event Cover | 1920 × 622 |
Description video¶
| Requirement | Value |
|---|---|
| Formats | MP4/H.264, WebM/VP9 |
| Maximum file size | 100 MB |
| Maximum duration | 12 seconds |
| Recommended width | 1170 px or 780 px |
17. Compatibility and Technical Notes¶
Screenshot Studio targets Unreal Engine 5.5, 5.6, and 5.7.
It is an editor-only plugin and is excluded from packaged builds. It has no runtime impact on your shipped game.
Technical summary¶
- Plugin module type:
Editor - PIE capture uses Slate window screenshots
- UI capture supports UMG, CommonUI, and HUD
- Viewport overlays use Level Editor overlay widgets
- GIF encoding is handled in C++
- Video encoding uses FFmpeg when available
- Steam Pack folders are numbered to avoid overwrites
- Image library data is stored as JSON
- Fake Steam covers are generated with Slate draw elements
- No preview textures are added to the Content Browser
Image library location¶
Saved/ScreenshotStudio/ImageLibrary.json
Project path warning¶
Avoid spaces in the project path. This is especially important on Windows when compiling Unreal plugins.
18. Troubleshooting¶
Screenshot Studio does not appear in the editor.
Make sure the plugin is installed here:
YourProject/Plugins/ScreenshotStudio/ScreenshotStudio.uplugin
Then regenerate project files and rebuild the project in Development Editor configuration.
After rebuilding, open Unreal and check Tools > Screenshot Studio.
I get many linker errors, such as LNK2001 or LNK2019.
This is often caused by spaces in the project path.
Move the project to a path without spaces, for example:
C:\UnrealProjects\MyGame
Then delete these folders from both the project and plugin if they exist:
Binaries/
Intermediate/
Regenerate project files and rebuild.
My Blueprint-only project cannot build the plugin.
Add one empty C++ class to the project:
- Go to Tools > New C++ Class.
- Choose None / Empty Class.
- Create the class.
- Let Unreal restart and rebuild.
After that, install and build Screenshot Studio normally.
PIE capture does not show UMG, CommonUI, or HUD.
The Capture Source is probably set to Editor Viewport.
Switch it to:
Auto
or
PIE Viewport
Then enter Play In Editor and capture again.
PIE capture shows the frozen last editor frame.
Use Auto or PIE Viewport as the Capture Source.
Editor Viewport mode always captures the editor scene and does not read the active gameplay window.
Steam Pack images appear black or transparent.
This was fixed in version 1.2.0.
Make sure you are using the latest plugin files, especially:
SSCaptureCore.cpp
The fix forces the captured alpha channel to 255 before saving.
Steam Pack overwrites the previous run.
This was fixed in version 1.2.0.
Steam Pack now creates numbered folders automatically:
SteamPack_001
SteamPack_002
SteamPack_003
Make sure you are using the latest SSCaptureCore.cpp.
Video is upside down when Capture UI is off.
This was fixed in version 1.2.0.
Make sure you are using the latest:
SSVideoRecorder.cpp
WebM encoding fails with error -22.
VP9 and VP8 do not accept RGBA frames directly.
This was fixed by converting frames to yuv420p before WebM encoding.
Make sure you are using the latest SSVideoRecorder.cpp.
FFmpeg download fails.
Check your internet connection first.
The download is about 40 MB. If a firewall blocks the automatic download, install FFmpeg manually and add it to your system PATH.
After that, reopen the Video tab and check the FFmpeg status.
Video saves a VideoFrames_Temp folder instead of a video file.
No encoder was available.
Open the temporary folder and use one of the generated scripts:
encode.bat
encode.sh
These scripts contain ready-to-run FFmpeg commands for MP4 and WebM encoding.
The GIF or Video recording button is greyed out.
GIF and video recording only work during Play In Editor.
Press:
Alt + P
Then try recording again.
Steam Preview background is black instead of Steam dark blue.
Make sure you are using SSSteamPreview.cpp from version 1.2.0 or newer.
Version 1.2.0 uses corrected Steam-style color tokens.
Steam Preview images are stretched or distorted.
Make sure you are using SSSteamPreview.cpp from version 1.2.0 or newer.
The preview should use fixed-size slots with crop-to-fill scaling.
The image picker shows text but no thumbnails.
Make sure you are using the latest SSSteamPreview.cpp.
Thumbnails should load through the same brush system used by the main preview slots.
Previously captured images disappeared after reopening Unreal.
Make sure these version 1.2.0 files are included:
SSImageLibrary.cpp
ScreenshotStudioModule.cpp
The image library should load from:
Saved/ScreenshotStudio/ImageLibrary.json
The Store Page thumbnail strip or Library Available Content row shows fake covers instead of my images.
Make sure you are using SSSteamPreview.cpp from version 1.2.0 or newer.
The Store Page thumbnail strip and Library Available Content row should use your real captured images.
Resolution Preview Frame or Composition Guides do not appear.
These overlays only work in the Level Editor viewport.
They do not appear in:
- Material Preview
- Blueprint editor preview windows
- Static Mesh editor
- Skeletal Mesh editor
- Other non-level editor panels
Open a Level Editor viewport and try again.
19. File Structure¶
ScreenshotStudio/
ScreenshotStudio.uplugin
README.md
MANUAL.md
CHANGELOG.md
Source/ScreenshotStudio/
ScreenshotStudio.Build.cs
Public/
ScreenshotStudioModule.h
Private/
ScreenshotStudioModule.cpp
SSStyle.h
SSPresets.h
SSFakeContent.h
SSFakeContentGenerator.h/.cpp
SSFakeCoverWidget.h/.cpp
SSImageLibrary.h/.cpp
SSCaptureCore.h/.cpp
SSBatchProcessor.h/.cpp
SSBatchRename.h/.cpp
SSResolutionPreview.h/.cpp
SSGifEncoder.h/.cpp
SSGifRecorder.h/.cpp
SSVideoRecorder.h/.cpp
SSFFmpegDownloader.h/.cpp
SSSteamPreview.h/.cpp
SScreenshotStudioWindow.h/.cpp
Key files¶
| File | Purpose |
|---|---|
ScreenshotStudioModule.cpp |
Startup, menus, tab spawner, hotkeys, image library loading |
SSStyle.h |
Design system, colors, spacing, widget helpers |
SSPresets.h |
Resolution presets and Steam Pack targets |
SSCaptureCore.h/.cpp |
Capture engine, Capture Source, Steam Pack |
SSImageLibrary.h/.cpp |
Persistent image library |
SSSteamPreview.h/.cpp |
Steam-style preview pages and image picker |
SSGifRecorder.h/.cpp |
GIF recording |
SSVideoRecorder.h/.cpp |
Video recording |
SSFFmpegDownloader.h/.cpp |
FFmpeg download and setup |
SSResolutionPreview.h/.cpp |
Viewport frame overlay |
SSBatchProcessor.h/.cpp |
Turntable and burst capture |
SSBatchRename.h/.cpp |
Steamworks renaming and organization |
Final Notes¶
For the best results, use Screenshot Studio as part of your regular marketing workflow:
- Capture a few Steam Packs from different angles.
- Open the Steam Preview tab.
- Assign your strongest images manually.
- Check the Store Page, Front Page, and Library Page.
- Export the final files only when the composition looks good in context.
Good screenshots are not only about resolution. They are about framing, readability, contrast, and showing the player why the game is exciting.