Exporting Maps to Virtual Tabletops: Roll20, Foundry, and Beyond

The export workflow

Getting a battle map from your editor to a VTT takes three steps:

1. Finalize your map — check grid alignment, toggle off the editor grid if your VTT provides one
2. Export as PNG — use the export function, not a screenshot
3. Import into your VTT — set grid dimensions to match your map

The key is consistency: the same grid cell size in your editor and your VTT means perfect alignment with zero manual adjustment.

General export settings

Before exporting from RPG Map Editor, check these settings:

• Grid overlay: Turn it OFF if your VTT draws its own grid (Roll20, Foundry). Leave it ON for platforms without built-in grids or for printed maps.
• Resolution: Use your project's native resolution. Do not upscale or downscale.
• Format: PNG for quality. The file size depends on map complexity but typically stays under 5 MB for a 25×25 map at 140 px/cell.

Roll20

Roll20 is the most popular VTT. Here is the quick process:

1. Export your map as PNG from RPG Map Editor (grid OFF)
2. In Roll20, go to your game → Map & Background layer
3. Drag the PNG onto the canvas
4. Set Page Settings → width and height to match your grid (e.g., 25 × 25)
5. Align the image to fill the page

Important: Roll20 has a 10 MB upload limit for free accounts. Keep maps under 4000 × 4000 px for snappy loading.

For the complete walkthrough with screenshots, see our dedicated Roll20 export guide.

Foundry VTT

Foundry gives you more control over scene configuration:

1. Export your map as PNG from RPG Map Editor (grid OFF)
2. Upload the PNG to your Foundry data directory or via the file picker
3. Create a new Scene → set Background Image to your PNG
4. Set Grid Size to match your pixels-per-cell (e.g., 140)
5. Foundry auto-calculates the grid dimensions from image size ÷ grid size

Tip: Foundry handles larger files better than Roll20. You can safely go up to 5000 × 5000 px for high-detail scenes.

For the complete walkthrough, see our Foundry VTT export guide.

Owlbear Rodeo

Owlbear Rodeo is a lightweight VTT that's great for quick sessions:

1. Export your map as PNG (grid OFF recommended)
2. In Owlbear, click the map layer → upload image
3. Use the grid alignment tool to stretch-fit the grid over your image
4. Set columns and rows to match your map dimensions

Owlbear is more forgiving about alignment since its grid tool is flexible, but starting with correct dimensions still saves time.

Fantasy Grounds

Fantasy Grounds handles maps differently — it uses image pointers rather than direct uploads for some content:

1. Export your map as PNG or JPEG
2. Place the file in your campaign's images folder
3. Create a new Map entry in the Image/Map section
4. Set the grid via the Grid tool — snap lines to your map's grid

General tips for all VTTs

• Always export at native resolution. Scaling introduces blurriness.
• Match your grid numbers exactly. If your map is 25 cells wide at 140 px/cell, tell your VTT it's 25 cells wide.
• Toggle off the editor grid. Double-grid (editor grid + VTT grid) looks terrible and confuses players.
• Test before the session. Drop a token and verify it snaps correctly to the grid.
• Name your files clearly. forest-ambush-25x20.png is better than export-final-v3.png.

File size optimization

If your map exceeds your VTT's upload limit:

• Reduce pixels-per-cell from 140 to 100 (smaller image, acceptable quality)
• Reduce map dimensions if the encounter doesn't need all that space
• Use JPEG instead of PNG if the map has complex textures (but watch for grid-line artifacts)
• Use your VTT's built-in compression or hosted storage if available

What about animated maps?

RPG Map Editor exports static PNG images. If you need animated maps (flowing water, flickering torches), you'll need to add those effects in your VTT using:

• Foundry's built-in weather and lighting effects
• Roll20's Dynamic Lighting layer
• Separate animated overlay tokens

Static maps with good VTT lighting settings often look better than pre-baked animations anyway.

Start exporting

Open RPG Map Editor, build or load a map, and export it to your platform of choice. With consistent grid settings, your maps will align perfectly every time.