Setup

beginner concepts

Volumetric Lights 2 (URP) · Core Concepts

Setup — URP Configuration

These instructions walk you through the one-time URP configuration required before using Volumetric Lights 2.

Step 1 — Install the Universal Render Pipeline

Open Window > Package Manager. Select Universal RP and click Install (version 12 or later recommended).

URP in Package Manager

Step 2 — Assign the URP Asset

Go to Project Settings > Graphics and assign a Universal Rendering Pipeline Asset. You can use the asset included in the demo folder (VolumetricLights/Demo/URP Pipeline Settings).

Assigning the URP asset in Graphics settings

Step 3 — Enable Depth Texture

Double-click the URP Asset to open its properties. Enable Depth Texture. Enabling MSAA is also recommended.

Enabling Depth Texture in the URP Asset
Important: Check both Project Settings > Graphics and Project Settings > Quality since quality levels can override the URP asset. Depth Texture must be enabled in all URP assets used by your project.

Android Note

If you experience shadow issues on Android, switch to the Vulkan graphics API in Player Settings > Player.

Behind the scenes — Shadow Occlusion Depth Renderer

The first time you enable Shadow Occlusion on any Volumetric Light, the asset automatically adds an additional renderer named VolumetricLightsDepthRenderer to your URP Asset’s Renderer List. This is intentional and self-managed.

  • What it does: captures a lightweight depth pass that the shadow occlusion system samples to determine which geometry blocks the light volume.
  • Why Forward path: a depth pre-pass is significantly cheaper in Forward than in Deferred. The renderer is dedicated to this depth capture and nothing else.
  • Scope: the renderer is only assigned to a hidden Shadow Camera child created under each volumetric light. Your main camera continues to use your Default Renderer (Forward, Forward+, Deferred or Deferred+) and is not affected.
  • Coexistence: works alongside any Renderer Features you have on your main renderer.
Tip: On DX12 with Forward+ or Deferred+ the asset detects the configuration and falls back to your Default Renderer automatically, so no extra renderer is added in that case. For other graphics backends with Forward+/Deferred+, see Troubleshooting if you use GPU Resident Drawer with GPU Occlusion Culling.

Done!

Your project is now ready for volumetric lights. See Quick Start to add your first light.

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