Height Map Generator

A height map is a grayscale image where each pixel stores elevation. White is the highest point, black the lowest. Terrain tools and landscape importers expect height maps; the same grayscale data can also drive material displacement in some engines.

Both export the same kind of 16-bit grayscale elevation. Use this height map generator for terrain and landscape workflows. Use our dedicated displacement map generator when you care about material vertex displacement and the mesh preview wording. Pick the page that matches how you search and how your engine labels the slot.

An 8-bit PNG has only 256 height steps. On smooth slopes those steps show up as visible terracing once the mesh or terrain is displaced. A 16-bit PNG stores 65,536 steps, which is why Unity, Unreal, Blender, and World Machine expect 16-bit height input.

Yes. Export at 16-bit and use a power-of-two square source image. Unity terrain imports 16-bit RAW or PNG heightmaps, and Unreal accepts 16-bit grayscale PNG in the Landscape import dialog.

They are the same kind of grayscale data used two different ways. A bump map only perturbs shading, so the silhouette stays flat. A height map drives real geometric elevation or parallax. Use our bump map generator if you only need cheap shading detail.

No. That slider only controls how far the 3D preview mesh is pushed so you can judge the map. The exported PNG always contains the full 0–1 height range produced by the contrast, smoothing and levels settings.