Add an Existing Project

If you already have a Godot project, you can bring it into Godot Launcher instead of starting fresh.

You can add projects in two ways:

• Add button: Click Add in the Projects screen and select the folder containing your project's project.godot file.

• Drag and drop: Open the Projects screen and drag one or more project.godot files onto the window. Each project imports automatically, and a progress indicator shows how many remain when adding multiple items.

The launcher does not move or copy your project files. It links to your existing folder and sets up the launcher metadata it needs.

How the launcher selects an editor version

When importing an existing project, Godot Launcher reads project.godot and looks for a compatible editor.

1. Match the requested version
   The launcher looks for an installed or registered editor that matches the requested Godot version.

2. Check for .NET projects
   If the project folder contains sibling .csproj or .sln files, choose a .NET editor build. Godot Launcher will not silently fall back to a GDScript build for a C# project.

3. Use the best compatible option
   If there is no exact match, the launcher can offer compatible installed editors as fallback choices.

Missing editor resolution

If the project requests an editor that is not installed, Godot Launcher may show an Editor version required dialog.

The dialog can show the requested version, channel, flavor, and base version, then offer recovery choices.

Depending on the project and available editors, you can:

• Download the requested editor.
• Use a compatible installed editor as a fallback.
• Add the project with the editor marked missing.

Adding a project with a missing editor is an escape hatch. The project remains in the launcher, but it cannot launch until you install, register, or select a compatible editor.

warning

Not every requested editor can be downloaded automatically. Custom builds and unavailable releases may need to be registered manually or replaced with a compatible installed editor.

Editor integrations

• Visual Studio Code
  If your project includes a .vscode folder, the launcher can configure Godot to use Visual Studio Code as the external editor and offers a toggle in the project overflow menu so you can manage the integration later. See the Visual Studio Code setup guide and Project Tool Toggles for details.

• Git
  Existing repositories are detected automatically. If your project does not already use Git, you can initialize it later from the overflow menu without reimporting. See the Git guide for more details.

Project rows

When metadata is available, the Projects table can show project icons. Recent project ordering also uses the launcher's last-opened timestamp so recently used projects are surfaced more predictably.

Next steps

• Create Your First Project if you prefer starting new.
• Install an Editor to ensure you always have the right versions available.
• Custom-Built Godot Editors if the project depends on a custom-built Godot editor.
• Review Launcher Settings to adjust default editor locations and behavior before importing more projects.