Select or C++ (Blueprint is recommended for beginners).
One of the perks of using a 2016-era engine is that it runs beautifully on modern "budget" hardware. Windows 7/8/10 64-bit or Mac OS X 10.10.5+. Processor: Quad-core Intel or AMD, 2.5 GHz or faster. Unreal Engine 4.12 Download
Unreal Engine 4.12 supports macOS 10.11 (El Capitan) but does not support Apple Silicon (M1/M2/M3) natively. You would need to run it via Rosetta 2, which is unstable. Select or C++ (Blueprint is recommended for beginners)
Once installed, open the launcher and log in with your Epic Games account. Processor: Quad-core Intel or AMD, 2
UE 4.12 is an excellent learning tool. It contains all the core logic of the Unreal ecosystem without the added complexity of Lumen, Nanite, or the more convoluted UI changes found in recent updates. Tips for a Smooth Installation
If you are learning Unreal for the first time, instead. The engine has changed too much for 4.12 to be a good starting point.
While Epic Games has moved on to Unreal Engine 5, (released June 2016) remains relevant for specific use cases: maintaining legacy game projects, following older tutorials, or using marketplace assets that haven’t been updated.