Hytale Anchor UI Guide – Update 3 (2026) Master the Anchor System, Mini-Maps, Health Bars & Server Banners

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Hytale Update 3 (Feb 2026) introduces the Anchor UI system, a powerful tool for server owners and modders. With it, you can create responsive UI elements like mini-maps, health bars, and welcome banners that adjust to any screen resolution. In this beginner-friendly guide, we’ll walk you through everything you need to know — from .ui layout files to Diagnostic Mode testing.

What is the Anchor UI System in Hytale?

The Anchor UI system allows you to “stick” panels, labels, and other UI elements to specific parts of the screen:

  • Top, Bottom, Left, Right offsets control position.

  • Width and Height define the panel size.

  • Automatically scales for 1080p, 4K, and ultra-wide monitors.

  • Works with server plugins to dynamically display UI to players.

Pro Tip: Anchored UI is particularly useful for mini-maps, server banners, tamed animal stats, or RPG-style health bars.

Step 1: Preparing Your .ui Layout File

Hytale uses .ui files to define UI elements. These files are text-based and can be edited without coding experience. However:

Important: To display these elements in-game, you must use a server plugin (Java or C#). Tools like HytaleKit or MultipleHUD simplify this process.

Sample Banner File:

@BannerBg = PatchStyle(TexturePath: "custom_ui/banner_background.png");
@TitleFont = (FontSize: 36, Alignment: Center, TextColor: "#FFD700");

Group {
    Group #WelcomePanel {
        Background: @BannerBg;
        Anchor: (Top: 50, Width: 600, Height: 120);
        LayoutMode: Center;

        Label #ServerTitle {
            Style: @TitleFont;
            Text: "Welcome to Orbis Legends!";
            Anchor: (Top: 20);
        }

        Label #DiscordLink {
            Style: (FontSize: 18, Alignment: Center, TextColor: "#A0A0A0");
            Text: "Join us: discord.gg/orbis-legends";
            Anchor: (Bottom: 15);
        }
    }
}

Tip: #WelcomePanel and #ServerTitle are identifiers used by plugins to dynamically update text, images, or colors in real-time.

Hytale Anchor UI Guide – Update 3 (Feb 2026)

Step 2: Understanding Anchor Properties

Anchor is a tuple defining how your panel is positioned:

  • Top / Bottom / Left / Right – distance from the screen edge.

  • Width / Height – panel size in pixels.

  • Default Centering: If you only set Top: 50, the panel automatically centers horizontally.

Example:
Anchor: (Top: 50, Width: 600, Height: 120)
This places a 600x120 panel 50px from the top, centered horizontally.

Pro Tip: When designing for console or TV players, remember the Safe Zone slider. Use /ui_debug_anchors to preview how elements appear on all resolutions.

Step 3: Using Diagnostic Mode

Hytale Update 3 adds a Diagnostic Mode for live UI testing:

  • Shows exactly where your panels appear.

  • Allows live reloads when you save .ui files — no game restart needed.

  • Helps catch Safe Zone clipping or misaligned elements on ultra-wide monitors.

Tip: Always test anchored elements with Diagnostic Mode before sharing with players.

Step 4: Real Use Cases for Anchor UI

Here are practical ways server owners use the system:

  1. Mini-Maps: Pin your zone map to the top-right corner.

  2. Health Bars: Display boss or party member stats.

  3. Welcome Banners: Custom greetings for players entering the server.

  4. Tamed Animal Stats: Track mounts or farm animals in real-time.

With WorldGen V2 optimizations, even servers with complex terrain and numerous players can run anchored UIs smoothly.

Step 5: Recommended Plugins & Tools

  • HytaleKit: Beginner-friendly toolkit to load .ui files.

  • MultipleHUD: Adds multiple UI panels with dynamic updates.

  • HyUI: Advanced UI injection library for experienced modders.

Pro Tip: Plugins make updating UI in real-time simple — ideal for event announcements or leaderboard displays.

Step 6: Beginner Tips

  • Only passive elements (labels, panels, images) can be anchored; interactive UI needs plugin hooks.

  • Keep offsets consistent across resolutions.

  • Always test with an empty hand to avoid conflicts when using UI hotkeys.

  • Combine anchored UI with WorldGen V2 maps for location-based alerts or mini-map markers.

FAQ – Hytale Anchor UI Update 3

Q: Do I need coding skills to use Anchor UI?
A: No, but you do need a basic plugin to push .ui files to players. Tools like HytaleKit make this easy.

Q: Can anchored panels appear correctly on all monitors?
A: Yes, but use Diagnostic Mode and /ui_debug_anchors to ensure Safe Zone settings don’t clip elements.

Q: What can I anchor using Update 3 UI?
A: Panels, labels, images, mini-maps, health bars, and dynamic stats panels. Interactive buttons require plugin hooks.

✅ Summary

Hytale Update 3’s Anchor UI system lets server owners and modders design responsive, dynamic, and visually consistent UI elements for players. By combining .ui files, plugins, and Diagnostic Mode testing, even beginners can create professional-quality layouts.

  • Anchor panels with Top/Bottom/Left/Right offsets

  • Test across resolutions with Diagnostic Mode

  • Use plugins like HytaleKit or MultipleHUD for real-time updates

  • Perfect for mini-maps, server banners, and animal tracking

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