Unreal Engine 5 · Blueprint → C++
Destroy Actor in Unreal Engine 5 C++
The Blueprint Destroy Actor node maps to the Destroy() function in C++. Call Destroy() on an AActor* to mark the actor for removal from the world.
Blueprint node & C++ equivalent
AActor* ExampleActor;
ExampleActor->Destroy();What does the Destroy Actor node do?
Destroy Actor removes an actor from the level, marking it pending kill so it is no longer rendered, ticked, or collidable. The memory is reclaimed later by garbage collection. In C++ the equivalent is the AActor::Destroy function.
How to use it in C++
With an AActor* ExampleActor, call ExampleActor->Destroy();. After this, the actor is scheduled for removal. The pointer is no longer safe to dereference, so set references to it to nullptr or check IsValid before using them again.
Destroy does not free memory immediately; Unreal's garbage collector cleans up the object on a later pass. For timed removal, use SetLifeSpan or SetTimer instead of calling Destroy directly.
Frequently asked questions
What is the C++ equivalent of the Destroy Actor node in UE5?+
It is AActor::Destroy(). Call Destroy() on the actor pointer to mark it for removal from the world.
Is it safe to use an actor pointer after calling Destroy in UE5?+
No. Once destroyed the actor is pending kill. Set the pointer to nullptr or check IsValid before dereferencing it again.