I’ve been working on integrating some character animations into my UE5 third-person project, and I recently ran into some issues while trying to use root motion with imported animations.
Here’s my setup:
I’m using a Mixamo character and animations (retargeted to UE5 mannequin).
I’ve imported animations like walking, running, and rolling, which are supposed to use root motion.
I enabled “Root Motion” on the animation asset and also checked “Root Motion from Everything” in the Animation Blueprint settings.
The problem:
The animation plays, but my character doesn’t actually move forward based on the root motion.
In the animation preview window, the movement looks fine (the character moves), but in-game, they stay in place and slide instead of translating with the animation.
What I’m trying to understand:
Am I missing a step when retargeting root motion animations from Mixamo to UE5?
Are there specific skeleton settings or capsule component adjustments needed for root motion to behave correctly?
Does using Character Movement Component interfere with root motion playback?
When exactly should I rely on root motion vs. in-place animations + movement logic?
Any insight from someone who’s dealt with root motion in a real project would be hugely appreciated. I’ve read the docs and watched a few tutorials, but I feel like I’m missing a critical piece in the implementation pipeline.
Hi there,
How did you retarget the animations? Depending on the method, the root motion information is not properly transferred to the target skeleton. Using UE 5.4+, sometimes the root motion is transferred but the animation will run with glitches. There are plugins, free and paid, that help you with proper retargeting. Have you seen the plugin Free Bone Snapper? I believe it’s still free.
Hey @ChasityBurrell — welcome to the Unreal community! Root motion can definitely be tricky to get working properly, especially with Mixamo → UE5 retargeting in the mix. You’re close — sounds like one or two small tweaks will fix it. Let’s break it down
Why Root Motion Looks Fine in Preview but Not In-Game:
This is usually because Unreal’s Character Movement Component is still driving your capsule, which ignores root motion unless configured exactly right.
Here’s a quick checklist to debug:
1. Enable Root Motion in the Animation Asset
Make sure your animation asset has EnableRootMotion = True
The Root Bone (usually “Hips” or “Root”) must be animated with real translation, not just in-place poses
2. Use “Root Motion from Everything” in the Anim Blueprint
Sounds like you’ve done this — good!
BUT this only works if your Montage or AnimSequence is played directly by the AnimBP or Montages, not by the Character Movement logic.
3. Movement Mode: “Root Motion” Only Works When the Character Movement Mode Is Configured
If you’re using a Montage, check that:
blueprint
CopyEdit
CharacterMovementComponent → MovementMode = “Flying” or “None”
Otherwise, the character controller keeps trying to drive movement, which conflicts with root motion.
For locomotion (walk/run), you often want to use “in-place” animations + manually apply velocity. Root motion is best reserved for:
Rolls
Vaults
Get-ups
Knockbacks
Special attacks
4. Ensure Retargeted Root Bone Is Mapped Correctly
With Mixamo → UE5, sometimes the Root bone becomes the Hips, and you lose actual root motion unless retargeted to a valid Root.
Check:
Skeleton → Retarget Root = “Root” or “Root_M”
Preview animation with “Show Root Motion” checked to confirm
Bonus Tip: Don’t Lose Track of These Fixes
If you’re retargeting 10+ animations, tweaking skeleton settings, and dealing with capsule sync issues — things can get confusing fast. We’ve been there.
That’s why we built Asset Optics — a plugin that helps you:
Leave notes like “Rolling_Montage needs flying mode for root motion”
Track animation tweaks, skeleton retargeting settings, etc.
Sync all of it to a clean dashboard so you’re not chasing fixes across 50 animations
Especially useful for Mixamo imports where root motion is inconsistent.
Why Root Motion Looks Fine in Preview but Not In-Game:
1. Enable Root Motion in the Animation Asset
Bonus Tip: Don’t Lose Track of These Fixes
Leave notes like “Rolling_Montage needs flying mode for root motion”
Sync all of it to a clean dashboard so you’re not chasing fixes across 50 animations