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UDIM

Spreading UVs across numbered texture tiles for far more detail

Also called UDIM tiles

What is UDIM?

UDIM is a way of spreading a model’s UVs across many numbered texture tiles laid out in a grid, rather than squeezing everything into one square. Each tile gets its own full-resolution image, so a character or vehicle can carry far more detail. The first tile is numbered 1001.

Think of it like this

It is like a photo album with numbered pages: rather than cramming every photo onto one page, each part of the model gets a page of its own.

Where it fits in a 3D project

  1. Create
  2. Surface
  3. Rig
  4. Animate
  5. Render
  6. Export

Surface: Giving the shape its color and material: UVs, textures and shaders.

3D modelUnwrapFlat UV layoutSame face
Unwrapping lays each face of the model flat, so a 2D texture can wrap back on.

How UDIM works

  1. 01Unwrap the model, then move groups of UV islands into neighboring squares of the grid.
  2. 02Each square becomes a tile, numbered 1001, 1002 and onward.
  3. 03Paint or bake one image per tile, at full resolution.
  4. 04The renderer loads the right tile image for each part automatically.

UDIM vs single UV tile

PropertyUDIMSingle UV tile
LayoutMany numbered squaresOne square
DetailVery high, one image per tileLimited by one image
FilesMany images per mapOne image per map
SupportFilm and offline toolsEverywhere, including game engines

Use UDIMs for close-up film and hero assets; use a single tile for games and anything that must run in real time.

Where UDIM is used

  • Detailed film characters and creatures
  • Vehicles and props seen in extreme close-up
  • Keeping texel density high across a large model

Beginner tip

Give each tile a logical group, such as head, hands and body, so painters know where to look. Keep texel density similar across tiles unless a part needs extra detail.

Terms related to UDIM

UDIM FAQ

What are UDIMs used for?
Giving large or close-up models more texture detail than one image allows. Film characters, creatures and hero vehicles often use many tiles, each painted at full resolution.
How are UDIM tiles numbered?
The first tile is 1001. Numbers count up to the right across ten columns, 1001 to 1010, then the next row up starts at 1011.
What does UDIM stand for?
It is short for U-dimension, after the way each tile’s number is built from its position along the U and V directions of the UV grid.
Do games use UDIMs?
Rarely. Most game engines expect one texture set per material in a single UV square. UDIMs are standard in film, visual effects and high-end offline renders.

Updated October 29, 2026 · Browse all 3D terms