Sprite Library component in Unity

The Sprite Library component defines which Sprite Library Asset a GameObject refers to at runtime. When you attach this component to a GameObject, the Sprite Resolver component attached to the same GameObject or child GameObject will refer to the Sprite Library Asset set by the Sprite Library component. This allows you to change the Sprite referenced by a Sprite Renderer with the Sprite Resolver component.

Property settings

In the Sprite Library component’s Inspector window, assign the desired Sprite Library Asset to the Sprite Library Asset property.

After assigning a Sprite Library Asset, the Inspector window shows a visual preview of the content in the selected Sprite Library Asset.

Component functions

Within the Sprite Library component Inspector window, you can commit the same overrides to the assigned Sprite Library Asset as you would to the Main Library in the Sprite Library Editor window. You add or remove new Categories, add or remove new Labels in a Category, and change the sprite a Label refers to.

Modified Sprites


Example: A modified sprite retrieved from the Sprite Library Asset.

The + icon appears at the upper left of a Label entry when:

  • You add a new Label to a Category from the retrieved Sprite Library Asset.
  • You change the sprite reference of a Label from the original sprite reference retrieved from the Sprite Library Asset.

Category and Label name conflict behavior

The following are the ways Unity resolves any name conflicts that may occur when you replace the assigned Sprite Library Asset in the Sprite Library Asset property with another Sprite Library Asset.

  • If the same Category name already exists in the current set Sprite Library Asset, then Unity merges the Labels from Categories with the same name in both Sprite Library Assets into a single Category with that name.

  • If there are Labels with the same name within the same Category when you assign the Sprite Library Asset, then Unity merges the Labels into a single Label. The merged Label uses the sprite reference from the replacement Sprite Library Asset instead.

Note: When you remove a Sprite Library Asset from the Sprite Library Asset property, overrides aren't saved to that Sprite Library Asset. All changes remain in the Sprite Library component.

Additional resources