Step-by-Step Guide

Open the plugin in Tools > MetaHuman > MetaHuman Optimizer and select the Face Optimizer tab (the first one).

1. Select your source face mesh(es)

In the content browser navigate to your MetaHuman face skeletal mesh, select it and click on Add Selected. Typically this asset is named SKM_<CharacterName>_FaceMesh and you will find it under /MetaHumans/Creator/<CharacterName>/Face/. You can also select and add multiple faces at once for batch processing.

2. Check the ARKit animation sequence

The ARKit animation field is pre-filled with the default path:
/Game/MetaHumans/Common/Face/ARKit/AS_MetaHuman_ARKit_Mapping

You normally never need to change this. If it shows as missing, check that the required MetaHuman plugins are enabled (see Requirements).

3. Set the output asset path

Type or browse to a Content Browser path where the output mesh asset will be saved. In our template file we use /Game/MetaHumans/Optimized/FaceMeshes/.

4. Select LODs

After adding a source mesh, the available LODs will show up as checkboxes. The LOD you want depends on how you assembled the character. If you followed our recommended assembly settings (Optimized/High) the sweet spot is LOD1.

5. Overwrite Existing

If an asset already exists at the output path, the Overwrite Existing toggle controls whether it gets replaced. When disabled, the tool will skip the build and log a warning instead.

6. Click "Build"

Hit the Build button. The editor will become unresponsive for a short time while the tool:

1. Spawns a temporary mesh
2. Runs through all 52 ARKit poses and captures vertex data
3. Bakes the deltas as morph targets
4. Strips the facial bones
5. Saves the new asset

Verifying the Output

By default, the Face Optimizer creates a new Skeletal Mesh asset named SKM_<CharacterName>_Optimized in /MetaHumans/Optimized/FaceMeshes/. Open it and check that it contains:

• The face geometry (LOD0 and any additional LODs you selected)
• 52 morph targets for each LOD (standard Apple ARKit52 poses)
• The stripped skeleton (root, spine, neck, head only)
• The original material slots, preserved in order

Open the Morph Targets tab at the top right, you should see all 52 poses (EyeBlinkLeft, JawOpen, MouthSmileLeft, etc.). Use the weight sliders to preview each pose directly in the viewport.

Switch to the Skeleton tab to confirm the bone strip worked correctly: you should see a short chain of bones (root, pelvis/spine, neck, head) with no facial_* bones.