Create a skybox

To create a new skyboxA special type of Material used to represent skies. Usually six-sided. More info
See in Glossary material:

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

2. In the new material’s InspectorA Unity window that displays information about the currently selected GameObject, asset or project settings, allowing you to inspect and edit the values. More info
   See in Glossary window, search for skybox in the ShaderA program that runs on the GPU. More info
   See in Glossary 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 sceneA Scene contains the environments and menus of your game. Think of each unique Scene file as a unique level. In each Scene, you place your environments, obstacles, and decorations, essentially designing and building your game in pieces. More info
See in Glossary’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 cameraA component which creates an image of a particular viewpoint in your scene. The output is either drawn to the screen or captured as a texture. More info
See in Glossary 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 GameObjectThe fundamental object in Unity scenes, which can represent characters, props, scenery, cameras, waypoints, and more. A GameObject’s functionality is defined by the Components attached to it. More info
See in Glossary 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.