Create a skybox

To create a new skybox material:

1. From the main menu, select Assets > Create > Material.

2. In the new material’s Inspector window, search for skybox in the Shader dropdown, then select a type of skybox shader.

3. Configure the properties of the material to set up the skybox.

   The available properties depend on the type of skybox shader you selected.

   Note: Each skybox shader has unique prerequisite textures that differ in type, number, and format. For details on the required Textures for a specific skybox shader, refer to its documentation. You can find the list of skybox shaders and their respective documentation on the Skybox shaders page.

Drawing a skybox in your scene

Once you have created a skybox material, you can apply it to your scene’s background. To draw the skybox in your scene:

1. From the main menu, select Window > Rendering > Lighting.

2. In the Lighting window, select the Environment tab.

3. Drag your skybox material to the Skybox Material property.

This draws the skybox in the background of every camera in your scene. To draw the skybox for a specific camera only, refer to Rendering a skybox for a specific Camera.

Drawing a skybox for a particular camera

To draw a skybox for a particular camera, use the Skybox component. When attached to a GameObject with a camera, the Skybox component overrides the global skybox for that camera. To add and configure the Skybox component:

1. Select a camera in your scene and open the Inspector window.

2. Select Add Component, then add a new Skybox component.

3. Drag your skybox material to the Custom Skybox property.

Best practices for skyboxes

Synchronizing light sources

If your skybox contains a visible sun, moon, or other light source, align a Directional Light in your scene to match the light’s direction in the skybox. This creates the illusion that the light in the skybox is casting shadows. For scenes with multiple directional lights, specify the one to use:

1. From the main menu, select Window > Rendering > Lighting.

2. Select the Environment tab.

3. Drag the appropriate directional light to the Sun Source property.

Blending fog with the skybox

To create a seamless blend between fog and the skybox, match the fog color to the skybox hues. To blend fog with the skybox:

1. From the main menu, select Window > Rendering > Lighting.

2. Select the Environment tab.

3. Under Other Settings, activate the Fog checkbox.

4. Adjust the Color property to complement your skybox.

   Use the eyedropper tool for precise color selection from the scene.