Invalid UID warning after re-importing meshes

Monday · November 21, 2025, 9:11am

Godot Version

4.5.1

Question

So I’m not sure how UIDs or any of this works exactly..

What I do is I create a mesh in Blender and import it to Godot. Then I modify the mesh in Blender and import it to Godot again, overwriting the already existing previously imported mesh.
And every MeshInstance3D that uses that mesh will use the new one automatically, which is what I want.

But then I get a warning like this:

WARNING: scene/resources/resource_format_text.cpp:444 - res://SpaceShip2.tscn:22 - ext_resource, invalid UID: uid://curkfqvtx0wmc - using text path instead: res://MESH/mesh_sh2_cargo_interior_walls_1.res

The way I understand it is the MeshInstance3D that uses the mesh will try to find the original one based on the UID, but it can’t find it (because I owerwritten it ?), so I keep getting these warnings at startup.

I can get rid of the warning by adding the new mesh to the MeshInstance3D, so it will know that the new mesh IS the one it supposed to use.
But the whole point of dumping the meshes into a folder is that I don’t have to update every MeshInstance3D one by one that uses the mesh.

Is there a way to re-import and overwrite meshes without breaking the UID references of nodes that use them..? Or something… I’m not even sure that’s the problem.

Edit:
It happens for updated animation files too.

I found this answer from @mrcdk: link
But I have no Upgrade UIDs option in the tools menu.

It was probably removed because it was a bug that is supposedly fixed in 4.5, but I still have it in 4.5.1:

github.com/godotengine/godot-proposals

Add button to refresh .uid files for missing and outdated files

opened 04:30PM - 26 Mar 25 UTC

closed 05:53PM - 26 Mar 25 UTC

verbess

archived topic:editor

### Describe the project you are working on A 2D game developed in C#. ### Des…cribe the problem or limitation you are having in your project Since `.uid` files cannot be generated outside the editor, which poses an inconvenience for someone like me who prefers working with C#. I’m accustomed to creating new files directly in VS Code, but upon returning to the Godot editor, there’s no way to manually generate `.uid` files for these newly created types, which feels quite frustrating. While the `Project -> Tools -> Upgrade UIDs` feature can address this, it requires restarting the Godot editor to take effect, making the workflow less seamless. I later discovered that dragging files between folders or renaming folders within the editor can trigger the automatic generation of `.uid` files. However, for files renamed outside the Godot editor (e.g., in VS Code), this approach doesn’t prompt Godot to automatically delete outdated `.uid` files, leaving this issue unresolved. ### Describe the feature / enhancement and how it helps to overcome the problem or limitation I propose a button that enables the Godot editor to automatically generate `.uid` files for files missing them and manage outdated `.uid` files no longer matching existing resources, **without requiring an editor restart**. ### Describe how your proposal will work, with code, pseudo-code, mock-ups, and/or diagrams Right-click the `FileSystem` panel and selecting a "Refresh UIDs" button or by using a configurable shortcut key (e.g., `Command+R`). ### If this enhancement will not be used often, can it be worked around with a few lines of script? While it’s technically possible to work around this issue with a script, I believe this "Refresh UIDs" feature should be a core functionality in Godot due to its frequent utility. ### Is there a reason why this should be core and not an add-on in the asset library? Since UIDs are a core part of Godot’s resource system, maintaining their integrity directly within the editor aligns with its design philosophy and benefits the broader user base, rather than leaving it as an optional enhancement.