To speed up bake in manual retopology for 3D models, optimize meshes, fix UVs, and use simplified test settings. High-poly: Remove hidden faces or duplicate vertices—cuts unnecessary data the baker processes. Low-poly: Ensure UVs don’t overlap; overlapping slows baking by forcing conflict resolution. Test settings: For quick previews, use lower-res maps or disable anti-aliasing—switch to full settings only for final bakes.
