Tilesets and Tilemaps

A tileset holds reusable tile artwork; a tilemap layer arranges those tiles into a map. Prepare the tileset, choose a map grid, then paint tile placements on the canvas. Edit the source artwork separately when you want to change a tile everywhere it is used.

To inspect a single image repeating seamlessly, use Tiled Mode preview. To try an editable map, download a project from Example Files.

Hexagonal Tilemap Layer and Tilesets panel on desktop

Good Use Cases

Use tilemaps for floors, walls, roads, water edges, isometric rooms, hex maps, or level sketches built from repeated pieces. Separate content into layers when it needs independent editing, visibility, or draw order.

Basic Workflow

1. Import a tileset image or package, load a library item, or link a source layer.
2. Create a tilemap layer with a rectangular, isometric, or hexagonal grid.
3. Select a tile or tile pattern in the Tilesets panel and paint on the canvas.
4. Use selection, fill, eraser, and sampling tools to revise the layout.
5. For automatically connected edges on rectangular or isometric maps, configure terrain rules.
6. Save the editable .resprite project, then export an image or Tiled map for its destination.

Prepare a Tileset

Open a document and choose Tileset ▸ Add Tileset, or use the Tilesets panel's add menu:

Source	Use
From Image	Slice a PNG or another image into reusable tiles.
From Tileset Package	Import a Resprite .restile package.
From Tiled TSX	Import one Tiled tileset; mobile imports use a ZIP containing the .tsx and its referenced images.
Link Current Layer	Use a raster layer or eligible layer group as an editable tileset source.
From Tileset Library	Add a tileset saved in the local library.

Add Tileset menu

Check tile width and height, margin, spacing, and atlas columns against the source image. The map cell size controls placement spacing; the tile base and offset control where the artwork sits. These can differ for trees, walls, and other artwork that extends outside its base. Check placement on the map after adjusting them.

Create a Tilemap Layer

Choose New Tilemap Layer from the timeline layer menu, then set:

• Name and Grid Type: rectangular, isometric diamond, or hexagonal.
• Default Tileset: the layer's default tile source. You can also select tiles from other document tilesets in the Tilesets panel.
• Slot Width / Slot Height: the map cell dimensions.
• Stagger Axis / Stagger Index / Hex Side Length: the layout of a hexagonal grid.

Confirm the layout against the tiles you intend to use, especially the orientation and stagger of a hex map. Creating the layer opens the Tilesets panel.

New Tilemap Layer dialog

Paint and Edit the Map

Select a tilemap layer, then choose one tile or a tile pattern in the Tilesets panel. On desktop, drag to select a pattern; on mobile, touch and hold the starting tile, then drag. That selection becomes the painting source.

Tool	Tilemap operation
Pencil	Place the selected tile, pattern, or terrain.
Eraser	Remove tile placements.
Fill	Fill by map cells.
Eyedropper	Sample a tile or identifiable terrain from the map.
Rectangular Selection	Select map cells for layout editing.

Painting changes tile placements, not the source image. To redraw tile artwork, use the linked tileset workflow.

Paint and erase tiles on a tilemap layer

Asset credits

The tileset artwork shown above uses assets from Kenney's 16 × 16 pixel pack Monochrome Pirates, released under the Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal public-domain dedication.

Select, Move, and Transform

Tilemap selections operate on cells. Select an area, then copy, cut, paste, delete, or drag its tile placements. Use flip and rotation commands to build mirrored or rotated arrangements, and check the result against the map's grid.

These operations change the selected map content. They do not redraw every occurrence of the source tiles.

Select, move, and transform a tile area

Use Terrain Rules

Terrain painting chooses edge, corner, and connection tiles from rules instead of placing a fixed tile directly. It supports rectangular and isometric tilemap layers; hexagonal layers use ordinary tile painting.

Select the tileset and open Tileset ▸ Edit Terrain Rules, or Edit in the panel's Terrains section. Create a terrain set, add terrains, mark their rules, and apply the changes. Then choose a terrain in the panel and paint with the Pencil tool.

The full rule setup, Corner/Edge/Mixed modes, and Tile/Fine painting controls are explained in Terrain Rules and Terrain Painting.

Terrain Rules editor

Paint a map quickly with terrain rules

Asset credits

The Grassland tileset shown in the terrain-rules examples above is adapted from Shackhal's Multi Platformer Tileset, released under Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal. For these examples, the upper section of the tileset was modified into road tiles.

Edit Tilesets

Use the Tilesets panel to maintain the reusable sources:

• Tileset Properties: name, slicing, base size, and related settings.
• Tile Properties: one tile's source area, offset, probability, and animation sequence.
• Copy / Cut / Paste / Delete Tiles: edit tiles inside an atlas.
• Move Tiles to Tileset / Merge into Another Tileset: reorganise compatible tilesets.
• Rearrange Tileset: change atlas columns and tile order.
• Save to Tileset Library: keep a reusable local resource.

Editing a shared tile can affect every map placement that uses it. Before deleting, moving, or merging used tiles, read the operation's confirmation and check the affected map.

Tilesets panel

Linked Tileset Workflow

A linked tileset reads artwork from a raster layer or group in the same document. Refresh it after source edits to update the tiles wherever they are used; enable Auto Refresh Linked Tileset when you want those updates while editing.

Create a New Tileset from a Layer

1. Draw the tile artwork on a raster layer or eligible group and select it.
2. Choose Tileset ▸ Add Tileset ▸ Link Current Layer, or Link as Tileset in the timeline layer menu.
3. Check the tileset's slicing and base settings.
4. Create or select a tilemap layer and paint with that tileset.
5. After source edits, use Refresh from Linked Layer or enable auto-refresh.

Link the current layer or layer group as a tileset

Edit an Existing Tileset Image

1. Select the tileset in the Tilesets panel.
2. Choose Create Linked Layer ▸ Link as Layer or Link as Group from its toolbar or tileset menu.
3. Edit the generated source artwork, then refresh the linked tileset.

Create a linked layer or layer group for an existing tileset

Keep the map visible while refining the source so you can compare a tile's artwork with its repeated use.

Edit tile artwork through a linked layer

Use Linked Tileset Guides

Select the linked source layer and enable View ▸ Linked Tileset Guides to display slice boundaries and base outlines. Use these to align artwork that extends beyond its base.

View slice boundaries and base outlines with Linked Tileset Guides

With a selection tool active and Double-Click Select Grid Cell enabled, double-click a slice cell to select its tile image area.

Build Complex Tilesets with a Linked Group

Use Link as Group to keep base colours, outlines, shadows, and details on separate raster layers. The visible layers are composited into the tileset image with their order, opacity, and blend modes.

A linked tileset source group with artwork split across multiple layers

A source group must contain at least one raster layer and no tilemap layers. Linked sources use their first frame only. Editing later source frames does not create tile animation; configure a tile animation sequence separately.

Tile Animation

Open Tile Properties for a tile and build its animation sequence from tiles in the atlas. Map placements that use that animated tile resolve the sequence together, so each placement does not need its own animation setup.

The sequence follows the project timeline's progress. Use a timeline long enough to show the animation and play or step through it to inspect the result. A project containing only one static frame does not continuously advance tile animation on its own.

Set tile animation

Combine with Normal Layers

Arrange tilemap layers alongside raster layers and groups: use lower layers for the ground, separate layers for walls or decorations, and raster layers for characters or custom artwork. Their order controls the final composite and occlusion.

An image export renders these layers together. Keep the editable map in the project if you still need to change its tile placements.

Save and Share Tilemaps

Save in .resprite to retain editable map layers, document tilesets, and terrain rules. Use .restile for reusable Resprite tilesets, or Tiled formats to exchange maps and tilesets with another tool.

For TMX/TSX resource packaging and conversion limits, see Tiled Map Compatibility. Exported images retain the rendered result, rather than an editable map structure.

Tips for Larger Projects

• Keep ground, walls, occlusion, and decorations on separate layers when they need independent control.
• Reuse tiles through the local tileset library; save the whole map as a project.
• Layers with different grid types, layout parameters, or cell sizes may export as separate Tiled maps. Review the exported package before handing it off.