UnrealSense
Smart Unreal Engine support for Visual Studio 2022 (17.14+) and Visual Studio 2026.
UnrealSense connects your C++ code to your Blueprints and gives Visual Studio a C++ engine built from scratch for Unreal code. Completion, navigation and colorization are fast and don't wait for IntelliSense.
Blueprints, right next to your C++
- Blueprint usage hints: end-of-line hints such as "12 derived Blueprints" or "3 Blueprint usages" on every reflected class, function and property. They come from an offline index of your
.uasset/.umap files, so the Unreal Editor doesn't need to be open.
- Blueprint Usages window (
Alt+Shift+B): lists derived Blueprints, function calls, implemented events, type references and property usages. It follows Blueprint-to-Blueprint and C++-subclass inheritance, config redirects and renamed modules.
- Search Text in Blueprints: finds any text in your Blueprints and data assets, including comments, pin values, variable defaults, tooltips, widget texts, DataTable rows and string tables. Each result shows exactly where the text is (
EventGraph › Call PrintString › pin In String).
- Open in Unreal Editor: double-click a result to open the asset in the running Unreal Editor.
Reflection that understands Unreal
- Specifier completion inside
UCLASS, USTRUCT, UENUM, UPROPERTY, UFUNCTION, UPARAM and UMETA. It covers specifiers, meta=(...) keys and values such as Category, ReplicatedUsing, EditCondition and AllowedClasses. The list and its documentation are read from your installed engine, so they always match your engine version.
- UHT inspections with quick fixes: missing or misplaced
.generated.h and GENERATED_BODY(), wrong A/U/F/E/I prefixes, missing _Implementation/_Validate (the stub is generated for you), ReplicatedUsing pointing at a function that doesn't exist, UObject pointers the garbage collector can't see, raw pointers that should be TObjectPtr, and more.
- False IntelliSense errors hidden: squiggles that aren't real in Unreal code are removed. Real errors stay.
C++ editing on its own index
- Member and name completion that appears instantly, includes unsaved edits, and works in engine and plugin code. It shows private members with a lock, handles smart pointers (
TObjectPtr, TWeakObjectPtr...) and adds the missing #include when you pick a symbol.
- Go to Definition (
F12, Ctrl+click, Alt+G): goes from a call to its implementation, from a declaration to its definition and back, and from a BlueprintNativeEvent or RPC to its _Implementation/_Validate.
- Find Usages: includes uses inside macros (
UE_LOG, AddDynamic, ReplicatedUsing...).
- Go to Symbol / File / Symbol in File (
Alt+Shift+T, Ctrl+Shift+T, Alt+M): fuzzy search across the project, its plugins and the engine. For example, GAL finds GetActorLocation.
- Switch Header/Source (
Alt+O): follows the Public ⇄ Private layout of Unreal modules.
- Class Hierarchy and Base and Overrides: show base and derived classes as a tree, along with the Blueprints that implement a native event.
- Semantic colorization: UObject types, value types, enums, members, locals and parameters each get their own color. Reflection macros and Blueprint-exposed members are highlighted.
Write Unreal code faster
- New Unreal Class: creates the
.h/.cpp pair the way the Unreal Editor does, in any module of the project, its plugins or the engine. It uses the engine's own templates and offers to update .Build.cs.
- Override Virtual Functions (
Alt+Shift+V): pick from everything inherited from engine, plugin and project bases.
- Create Implementation (
Alt+Shift+D): writes the .cpp body using Unreal naming rules and a Super:: call when the parent implements the function.
- Declare Delegate: a visual builder for every
DECLARE_..._DELEGATE kind, with a live preview and usage examples.
- Add #include / Forward Declaration, plus module-name completion in
.Build.cs and .Target.cs.
- Quick Menu (
Alt+Shift+Q): every command in one searchable popup at the mouse pointer.
- Unreal Explorer: modules with their dependencies and reflected types, plugins, Blueprints grouped by C++ parent, and config files.
- Two UI themes: Unreal (the Unreal Editor 5 look) or Classic (follows your Visual Studio theme).
Requirements
- Visual Studio 2022 17.14+ or Visual Studio 2026 (Community, Professional, Enterprise)
- An Unreal Engine 5 project (launcher or source-built engine)
Links
License
UnrealSense is currently free to use. The license agreement allows a paid license key to be required in the future. About every 12 hours the extension downloads a small signed public file to check whether a key is needed. The request sends nothing about you, your PC or your projects. If no check succeeds for 48 hours, the extension's features turn off until one does.
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