Space Engine Beginner Guide

1. What Space Engine is (and isn't)

Space Engine is a desktop space exploration simulator for Windows. It models the universe at real scale, combining catalogs of real stars, planets, nebulae and galaxies with procedurally generated objects that fill the regions astronomers haven't mapped. You fly freely: there are no missions, scores or loading screens between a planet's surface and deep intergalactic space.

It is not a browser game or a mobile app, and it is not free in its current form. The modern version is sold on Steam. An older 0.980 build from 2016 remains free on the developer's official website.

2. Check your computer first

Steam lists the following requirements for the current release:

To see what you have, press Windows + R, type dxdiag and press Enter. The System tab shows your Windows edition and memory, and the Display tab shows your graphics card and its memory. The graphics card matters most, because the simulator draws planets, atmospheres and galaxies on the GPU.

3. Download and install safely

1. Open our Download Center and choose Space Engine on Steam for the current version, or Official website for the free legacy build.
2. On Steam, add the program to your library and click Install. Pick a drive with plenty of free space, preferably an SSD.
3. Update your graphics driver directly from NVIDIA, AMD or Intel before the first launch.
4. If you install the legacy build, place it in a folder you own (for example inside Documents) so it can save settings and screenshots.

4. Your first launch

Before flying anywhere, open the settings:

• Set the resolution to your monitor's native resolution.
• Choose a medium quality preset for now. You can raise it later.
• Increase interface scale if text looks tiny on a high-resolution display.
• Open the controls screen and keep it handy. Key bindings can differ between versions, and this screen is always accurate for yours.

5. How to make your first flight

Every trip uses the same pattern: select an object (click it or use the search window), center the view on it, then go to it. The camera flies there automatically. Your speed scales with distance from the nearest object, so the same controls work near a moon and between galaxies.

Try this 20-minute route to learn every core skill:

1. Earth → the Moon: practise select, center and go to.
2. Mars → Jupiter → Saturn: compare sizes and read the info panel.
3. Speed up time near Jupiter and watch its large moons orbit.
4. Proxima Centauri: your first trip to another star.
5. The Orion Nebula: fly slowly through the glowing gas.
6. The Andromeda Galaxy: then turn around and look back at the Milky Way.

Save a location at any stop you love. Saved locations are the only reliable way to find a procedurally generated system again.

6. How to use our free planet tool

The Procedural Planet Previewer on our homepage runs entirely in your browser:

1. Type a name in the input field. The preview updates as you type, and the same name always creates the same world.
2. Adjust size and surface detail with the sliders. Detail adds layers of noise for rougher terrain or richer cloud bands.
3. Toggle atmosphere, rings and moon to change the look.
4. Click Download PNG to save the image, or Random for inspiration.

Below the previewer, the object library shows nine cards first. Use Show More to reveal the rest, filter by type, and click Download on any card for its ZIP pack, or Download All for every pack at once.

7. Using the downloaded files

• ZIP packs: right-click and choose Extract All on Windows, or double-click on macOS. Phones can open ZIPs in their Files app.
• SVG wallpapers: open in any browser. To use one as wallpaper where SVG isn't supported, export it to PNG in an image editor.
• CSV log: opens in Excel, Google Sheets, Numbers or LibreOffice.

8. Troubleshooting common problems

The program crashes at startup

Update your graphics driver, then verify the files in Steam (Properties → Installed Files → verify). If you added addons recently, move them out of the addons folder and test again.

Black screen or very low performance on a laptop

Windows may be running the simulator on integrated graphics. Assign it to your dedicated GPU in Windows graphics settings or your GPU control panel, and plug the laptop in.

Stuttering near planets

Lower volumetric clouds, nebula quality and landscape detail, in that order. Installing on an SSD reduces stutter while terrain loads.

A ZIP from this website won't download

Try another browser or turn off download-blocking extensions. If the problem continues, contact us with the pack name and your browser.

Our full troubleshooting article covers more cases.

9. Best practices

• Change one graphics setting at a time and test it on the same short route.
• Approach surfaces slowly so high-detail terrain has time to load.
• Name saved locations descriptively, such as "binary sunset, ocean moon".
• Back up your locations and settings before reinstalling or updating Windows.
• Download addons only from trusted community sources, and never run an .exe that claims to be an addon.
• Read the developer's terms before using screenshots or footage commercially.

10. Quick answers

Can I run Space Engine on a Mac?

Not natively. It is a Windows program, and virtual machines rarely provide enough graphics power.

Is the free 0.980 version worth trying?

Yes, as an introduction on an older PC. It lacks years of visual and performance improvements found in the Steam release.

Does the planet previewer use Space Engine code?

No. It is our own original browser tool that demonstrates the same idea of seed-based procedural generation.

Do I need an internet connection to explore?

You need one to download and update through Steam. Exploration itself happens on your PC.