Custom-Built Godot Editors

Custom-built Godot editors let you use editor executables that are not part of the official release list. Use them for locally compiled Godot editors, team-distributed editors, or custom editor variants that your project depends on.

After a custom-built Godot editor is registered, Godot Launcher shows it in Installs with a Custom badge and lets you select it for projects like any other installed editor.

For official releases, install a Godot editor from the release list.

Create a custom editor manifest

The output folder must already exist. If it contains godotlauncher-editor-manifest.json, creating a manifest replaces that file. Choose another folder to keep the existing manifest.

1. Open Installs > Custom Editor > Create custom editor manifest.
2. Choose an Output folder and enter the Display name, Manifest version, and Base version. Use a unique manifest version such as 4.4-custom.1, and a Godot major/minor base version such as 4.4.
3. Set Flavor to gdscript or dotnet for the corresponding build, or enter your custom value. Enable Prerelease if appropriate.
4. Expand the relevant Platform, choose Architecture, and select the Editor path. Add a Console path only if your build provides a separate console executable.
5. Select Create and register.

The launcher writes godotlauncher-editor-manifest.json to the output folder and adds the editor to Installs.

See the custom editor manifest reference for field definitions and examples.

Register an existing manifest

1. Open Installs > Custom Editor > Select manifest file.
2. Select the godotlauncher-editor-manifest.json supplied with the editor and open it.

The editor appears in Installs with a Custom badge. You can also drop the manifest onto Installs. If the launcher rejects it, check the manifest format and confirm that its editor paths exist.

Replace a registered custom-built Godot editor

Use replacement when a custom editor has moved or its binary has changed while its manifest version stays the same.

1. Choose Installs > Custom Editor > Select manifest file and open the replacement manifest.
2. Check the version in Replace custom editor?.
3. Select Replace.

The registered editor now uses the selected manifest. Replacement does not delete the editor files.

Use a custom-built Godot editor for a project

Registered custom-built Godot editors appear in the same project editor selector as official editor installs.

Choose the custom editor when creating a project. For an existing project, open Project settings > Project, select it under Godot Editor, and select Update. See Change a project's Godot version for compatibility limits.

Remove a custom-built Godot editor

In Installs, select the custom editor's Remove Custom Editor button, then confirm with Remove. This unregisters the editor from Godot Launcher; its binary and source folder remain on disk.

To unregister several custom editors at once, use multi-select in Installs. Select all includes custom editors; Select unused editors excludes them.

If projects still reference the removed editor, they will show a missing editor state until you register the editor again or choose another compatible editor.

Troubleshooting

• The editor path is unavailable: restore or mount the location that contains the custom-built Godot editor, then select Retry in Installs.
• The wrong editor is registered: register a corrected manifest with the same version and select Replace.
• A project cannot launch: select an available compatible editor, or register the missing custom-built Godot editor again.
• A manifest is rejected: recreate it from the in-app drawer or ask your team for a manifest that matches the editor binary you are using.