If Rigify controls move but the character stays still, trace the deformation path before regenerating everything. The control rig and the skinning relationship are connected stages, but generating controls does not by itself prove the mesh is bound correctly.
Identify which rig you are manipulating
Distinguish the metarig from the generated animation rig. Give each a clear name and inspect which object the mesh’s armature modifier references. An old generated rig can remain in the file after a revision and make the scene appear to work only partially.
Test a large, obvious control movement in a duplicate file. Observe whether the relevant deform bones respond, then whether the mesh responds to those bones. This separates a control evaluation problem from a skinning problem.
Check the mesh relationship
Inspect the intended modifier, its viewport state and the vertex groups used for deformation. Confirm that the groups correspond to the intended bones and contain the expected vertices. A mesh can have plausible group names while still referencing the wrong armature object.
Avoid deleting all groups as an initial fix. Save the existing work, correct the relationship you can identify and test again.
Retest after a controlled regeneration
If regeneration is necessary, keep the metarig and document what changed. Test one bound mesh and one simple action before reconnecting every accessory and animation.
The acceptance test is a visible, intentional deformation in the final rig—not merely an absence of errors during generation. Once it works, save a clean checkpoint before proceeding to export.
For the bigger picture, use our free Rigify migration workflow and three-engine import test plan.
Official references and scope
Sources checked October 18, 2026. Interface names and capabilities can change; use the documentation for your installed version. The workflow above is an editorial checklist, not a published hands-on benchmark.
