What It Means & How to Fix It in UE5

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🧠 Why You’re Seeing This Error

This error means Unreal Engine is trying to compile or run a shader using the Metal shader format (SF_METAL), but the current platform or engine configuration does not support Metal.

Metal is Apple’s graphics API used on macOS, iOS, and tvOS. If you’re on Windows or Linux, Metal is not supported.

This error often appears when:

• You migrate a project from macOS to Windows
• You’re trying to package or cook for iOS/macOS without enabling proper platform support
• A material or shader is set to compile for Metal but you’re not on a compatible platform
• You reference a shader permutation, material, or feature that only supports Metal

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💥 Example Error Message

Shader format 'SF_METAL' is not supported on this platform

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🛠️ Common Scenarios That Trigger This

❌ Cooking for iOS on Windows Without iOS Platform Support Enabled

Cook failed due to missing SF_METAL support in shader formats

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❌ Migrating Materials from Mac to Windows

- A custom shader or material graph is flagged to compile SF_METAL permutations
- But you're on a Windows machine with no Metal compiler

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❌ Trying to Compile a Shader with SF_METAL in C++ on a Non-Apple Platform

FShaderType::ShouldCompilePermutation()
{
    return Platform == SF_METAL; // ❌ Compiling for Metal on Windows
}

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✅ How to Fix SF_METAL Errors in UE5 – Step-by-Step

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✔️ 1. Only Target SF_METAL on macOS or iOS

If you’re on Windows or Linux, Unreal cannot compile Metal shaders.
Make sure Metal-related code is excluded:

#if PLATFORM_MAC || PLATFORM_IOS
// Metal shader logic here
#endif

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✔️ 2. Remove or Disable SF_METAL Shader Permutations in C++

If you’re explicitly targeting SF_METAL:

bool ShouldCompilePermutation(...) const
{
    return Platform == SF_METAL; // ❌ Remove this if not targeting Apple devices
}

Use:

return IsFeatureLevelSupported(Platform, ERHIFeatureLevel::SM5); // ✅ More flexible

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✔️ 3. Disable iOS/macOS Platform Targets in Project Settings (If Not Needed)

In UE5:

Edit → Project Settings → Platforms → iOS/macOS
→ Disable Metal preview or cook options

This stops Unreal from trying to compile SF_METAL shaders during build or cook.

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✔️ 4. If Packaging for iOS, Use a macOS Machine or Remote Build System

Metal shader compilation requires Apple’s toolchain, which only runs on macOS.

- Use a Mac with Xcode installed
- Or set up Remote Build from Windows → macOS

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✅ Summary: How to Fix “Shader format ‘SF_METAL’ is not supported on this platform” in UE5

Cause	Fix
Metal shaders compiled on Windows	Exclude SF_METAL logic from build if not on macOS
Packaging for Apple platforms	Use macOS or Remote Build to cook and compile for Metal
Unnecessary Metal permutations	Remove SF_METAL from custom shader logic
Platform misconfiguration	Disable iOS/macOS shader targets if not deploying to Apple