Navigating Scene View and Camera Controls
The Scene view is Unity's editing workspace. You use its editor-only Scene Camera to inspect the world, select GameObjects, and position them. It is separate from the Game view, which shows the output of a Camera component or a running test.
The controls become much easier when you use a repeatable loop: select an object, frame it, inspect it from several angles, and only then move or rotate it.
Use one object as a stable point while you learn how the Scene Camera moves.
- Select a GameObject in the Hierarchy.
- Move the pointer over the Scene view and press F.
- Orbit with Alt + left-drag, pan with middle-drag, and zoom with the mouse wheel.
- Hold the right mouse button and use WASD to fly through the scene.
The Scene view is useful for editing, but it does not reproduce the player's view or VRChat behaviour. Use the Game view with ClientSim for quick editor testing, then use the VRChat SDK's Build & Test Your World option before publishing. VRChat recommends testing in the VRChat client because ClientSim cannot reproduce every feature.
Scene View, Game View, and VRChat
| View or test | Best used for | What it does not prove |
|---|---|---|
| Scene view | Selecting, positioning, measuring, and inspecting GameObjects | The player's view or runtime behaviour |
| Game view | Previewing the active Camera output and running Play Mode or ClientSim | Complete VRChat client behaviour |
| VRChat Build & Test | Running a local build in the VRChat client | Behaviour in a published multi-user instance unless you test the relevant conditions |
Do not judge doorway height, spawn orientation, mirrors, interactions, or player movement only from the Scene Camera. Inspect them in the editor, then test them from the player perspective.
Essential Windows Mouse Controls
These controls work in the Scene view with a three-button mouse.
| Action | Control | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Frame selected | F | Centres the Scene view on the selected GameObject |
| Lock view to selected | Shift+F | Keeps the view centred on a moving selected GameObject |
| Pan | Middle mouse drag | Moves the Scene Camera sideways or vertically |
| Orbit | Alt + left mouse drag | Rotates around the current pivot |
| Zoom | Mouse wheel or Alt + right mouse drag | Moves closer to or farther from the pivot |
| Walk forward or backward | Up or Down arrow | Moves the Scene Camera in the direction it faces |
| Pan sideways | Left or Right arrow | Moves the Scene Camera laterally |
| Faster arrow movement | Shift + arrow key | Increases movement speed |
Orbit is not available in 2D mode because that view uses an orthographic projection. If orbiting is unavailable in 3D mode, check whether Scene rotation is locked in the orientation gizmo.
Frame and Lock the Selection
Select a GameObject in the Hierarchy, place the pointer over the Scene view, and press F. Unity centres the view on that object. Pressing F again while it remains selected moves closer to its pivot.
Use Shift+F to lock the view to a selected object while it moves. This is useful for inspecting an animation or a moving test object. Press Shift+F again or navigate away when you no longer need the lock.
If framing produces an unexpectedly distant view, the selected object may have very large renderer bounds or distant child objects. Expand its hierarchy and inspect what belongs to the selection.
Fly Through a 3D Scene
Flythrough mode provides first-person Scene Camera movement in Perspective mode:
- Hold the right mouse button.
- Move the mouse to look around.
- Use W and S to move forward and backward.
- Use A and D to move left and right.
- Use Q and E to move down and up.
- Hold Shift to move faster.
While flying, use the mouse wheel to change the movement speed. Unity also exposes Camera Speed in the Scene Camera settings.
The same letters have different jobs outside flythrough mode. For example, W normally selects the Move tool, while holding the right mouse button makes W move the Scene Camera forward.
Adjust Scene Camera Speed
Open the View Options overlay's camera settings and adjust Camera Speed when movement is too fast or too slow. You can open the Overlays menu with the backtick key and locate View Options if the overlay is hidden.
Scene Camera settings can also include:
| Setting | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Field of View | Changes the Scene Camera's viewing angle |
| Dynamic Clipping | Calculates near and far clipping based on the Scene view |
| Clipping Planes | Sets the nearest and farthest rendered distances when Dynamic Clipping is off |
| Camera Easing | Smooths the start and end of Scene Camera movement |
| Camera Acceleration | Allows movement speed to increase while navigating |
| Camera Speed | Sets the current Scene Camera movement speed |
These settings affect the editor's Scene Camera. They do not change Camera components in the scene or the player's VRChat camera.
Use the Orientation Gizmo
The orientation gizmo in the Scene view shows the current viewing direction.
- Click an axis arm to view the scene from that axis.
- Click the centre cube to switch between Perspective and Orthographic projection.
- Right-click the gizmo to select a named viewing angle or return to a free view.
- Shift-click the centre cube to return to a useful perspective angle.
- Use the padlock to enable or disable Scene rotation.
Orthographic front, side, and top views remove perspective distortion. They are useful for aligning walls, floors, props, and modular pieces along clear axes.
Navigate Without Moving the Object
Use the View tool when you want the mouse to navigate without manipulating the selected GameObject. Its shortcut is Q.
Unity's common transform tools are:
| Tool | Shortcut | Use |
|---|---|---|
| View | Q | Navigate the Scene view |
| Move | W | Change Position |
| Rotate | E | Change Rotation |
| Scale | R | Change Scale |
| Rect | T | Manipulate RectTransforms, sprites, and rectangular bounds |
| Transform | Y | Combine Move, Rotate, and Scale handles |
The Scene navigation mouse shortcuts remain available while another transform tool is selected. For example, you can hold Alt and orbit without switching back to the View tool.
Understand Pivot, Center, Local, and Global
The Tool Settings overlay changes where transform handles appear and how their axes are oriented.
| Setting | Behaviour |
|---|---|
| Pivot | Places the handle at the GameObject's Transform pivot |
| Center | Places the handle at a center calculated from the selected objects |
| Local | Aligns the handle with the selected GameObject's rotation |
| Global | Aligns the handle with the world axes |
Use Global when you need predictable world-aligned movement. Use Local when a rotated object's own forward, up, or side direction is more useful.
Switching Pivot to Center changes the handle position; it does not move the GameObject or edit its Transform.
Read the Move, Rotate, and Scale Handles
Unity uses consistent axis colours:
| Colour | Axis |
|---|---|
| Red | X |
| Green | Y |
| Blue | Z |
Drag one arrow, ring, or scale handle to work on a single axis. On the Move gizmo, drag a coloured square to move along two axes while keeping the third fixed.
For exact placement, enter Position, Rotation, and Scale values in the Transform component instead of relying only on visual dragging. Grid, increment, surface, and vertex snapping can also help align modular world geometry.
Scene View Display Controls
View Options can change how the editor displays the scene without changing the built world.
| Control | Editor use |
|---|---|
| Draw Mode | Switches between shaded, wireframe, and diagnostic views |
| 2D | Switches between 2D and 3D Scene view |
| Lighting | Enables or disables Scene view lighting |
| Audio | Enables or disables Scene view audio |
| Effects | Controls Scene view skybox, fog, flares, post-processing, particles, and related effects |
| Gizmos | Shows or hides component icons and gizmos |
If the scene suddenly looks unlit, silent, or visually different while editing, check these controls before changing materials, lights, audio components, or post-processing settings.
A Placement Workflow for VRChat Worlds
- Select the target object in the Hierarchy.
- Press F to establish a stable view.
- Inspect it from at least two angles or use an orthographic axis view.
- Choose Pivot or Center and Local or Global for the intended edit.
- Move, rotate, or scale along the smallest necessary set of axes.
- Check the Transform values in the Inspector.
- Test from player height in ClientSim or the Game view.
- Use VRChat Build & Test before publishing.
This separates editor navigation from object manipulation and helps prevent accidental changes made from a misleading angle.
Troubleshooting
I lost the object I was editing
Select the object in the Hierarchy, place the pointer over the Scene view, and press F. Clear any Hierarchy search filter first if the object itself appears to be missing.
The Scene Camera moves too fast or too slowly
While holding the right mouse button in flythrough mode, use the mouse wheel to change speed. You can also adjust Camera Speed in the Scene Camera settings.
Alt-drag will not orbit the view
Confirm that the Scene view is in 3D mode and that rotation is not locked with the orientation gizmo's padlock. Orbit is unavailable in 2D mode.
The transform arrows point in an unexpected direction
Check the Local and Global setting. Local follows the selected object's rotation, while Global aligns the handles with the scene's world axes.
An object disappears when I move close to it
Check the Scene Camera's clipping settings. Enable Dynamic Clipping or review the Near clipping value. These editor settings do not change Camera components in the scene.
The Scene view looks different from the Game view
This is expected: they use different cameras and can have different display controls. Check Scene view Lighting and Effects, then use the Game view, ClientSim, or VRChat Build & Test for the player-facing result.
Before You Finish
- Frame the object before precise edits.
- Check the placement from more than one angle.
- Confirm whether the handles are using Pivot or Center and Local or Global.
- Enter exact Transform values when visual dragging is not precise enough.
- Check player height, movement, sightlines, and interactions in a runtime test.
- Test the world in the VRChat client before publishing.
Continue Learning
- Hierarchy, GameObjects, and Components
- Inspector Basics and Workflows
- Unity Shortcuts for VRChat Creators
- Unity Editor Layout and Windows
- ProBuilder Blockout Workflow for VR Worlds
- Build Settings and VRChat World Testing
Official References
- Unity Scene view
- Unity Scene view navigation
- Unity Scene view camera
- Unity Positioning GameObjects
- Unity Scene view View Options
- Unity Grid snapping
- VRChat ClientSim
- VRChat Creating Your First World
Next Step
Select a familiar object and practise framing, orbiting, panning, flythrough movement, orthographic views, and Local versus Global handles without changing its Transform.
