Last reviewed 31 Jul 2026
Applies to
Unity 6 Universal Render Pipeline New and existing Unity projects
Difficulty Beginner

Set Up and Verify URP in Unity 6

The Universal Render Pipeline is a Scriptable Render Pipeline supplied by Unity. A working URP project needs more than the package: it needs an assigned URP Asset, at least one Renderer Data asset, compatible materials and shaders, and the intended pipeline asset assigned to every relevant quality level.

New Project: Use a URP Template

Unity's Universal templates install and configure URP automatically.

  1. In Unity Hub, select New project.
  2. Select Universal 3D for a 3D application or Universal 2D for a 2D application.
  3. Create the project, then verify its Graphics, Quality, renderer, and material configuration below.
VRChat note

Do not create or convert a VRChat project with URP. VRChat's official project setup says not to use URP or HDRP. Create VRChat projects with the Creator Companion and use Unity's Built-in Render Pipeline.

Select the Correct Starting Path

Starting point Recommended path
New 3D application Unity Hub's Universal 3D template
New 2D application Unity Hub's Universal 2D template
Learning or inspecting URP examples Universal 3D sample template
Existing Built-In Render Pipeline project Back up the project, install URP, create and assign URP assets, then use the Render Pipeline Converter
VRChat avatar or world Stop; create a Creator Companion project using the Built-in Render Pipeline

Unity describes a new URP template as the best option when starting from scratch because the package and pipeline configuration are created automatically.

Understand the URP Asset Chain

Project element Responsibility
Universal RP package Supplies the pipeline implementation, shaders, editor tools, and APIs
URP Asset Stores global rendering, quality, lighting, shadow, post-processing, Volume, and adaptive-performance settings
Renderer Data Defines how a renderer draws frames and which Renderer Features it uses
Graphics settings Assign the default Scriptable Render Pipeline Asset for the project
Quality settings Can override the pipeline asset for individual quality levels
Camera Uses the renderer selected by the URP Asset unless the camera specifies another renderer
URP Global Settings Stores project-wide URP configuration that is not part of an individual URP Asset

A project can contain multiple URP Assets and multiple renderers. Always confirm which combination the current quality level and camera actually use.

Create a New URP Project

Unity Hub provides these Unity 6 templates:

Template Configuration
Universal 2D Empty 2D project with URP's 2D Renderer configured
Universal 3D Empty 3D project with a Universal Renderer configured
Universal 3D sample Four example environments demonstrating different styles, rendering paths, scene complexity, and hardware targets

To create the project:

  1. Open Unity Hub and select Projects > New project.
  2. Select the required Universal template.
  3. Enter the project settings.
  4. Select Create project.

Do not select a Built-In or HDRP template and then expect URP materials to work without a pipeline migration.

Install URP in an Existing Project

Back up or branch the project first. A Built-In-to-URP migration requires material, shader, post-processing, and rendering changes beyond installing the package.

  1. Open Window > Package Manager.
  2. Select Unity Registry from the Packages menu.
  3. Select Universal RP.
  4. Select Install.
  5. Wait for packages and scripts to finish importing.

If the project uses Post Processing Stack v2, Unity's installation guide instructs you to remove that package before installing URP and recreate the effects with URP's integrated post-processing.

Create and Assign the URP Asset

After installing URP:

  1. In the Project window, select the target folder.
  2. Select Assets > Create > Rendering > URP Asset (with Universal Renderer).
  3. Open Edit > Project Settings > Graphics.
  4. Assign the new asset to Scriptable Render Pipeline Settings.
  5. Open Edit > Project Settings > Quality.
  6. Check every quality level used by the application.
  7. Assign the required URP Asset to Render Pipeline Asset, or leave the field without an override when it should inherit the Graphics setting.

The Project search query t:universalrenderpipelineasset finds URP Assets. Unity applies the Graphics change immediately after the asset is assigned.

Verify the Renderer

Select the URP Asset and inspect its renderer list:

  1. Confirm that a Universal Renderer or 2D Renderer Data asset is assigned.
  2. Confirm the intended default renderer.
  3. Select the target camera.
  4. Check whether the camera uses the default renderer or an override.
  5. Open the Renderer Data asset and review its rendering path and Renderer Features.

If one camera looks different from the rest, check its renderer selection before changing materials or global pipeline settings.

Verify Materials and Shaders

Create a simple test material using Universal Render Pipeline/Lit and apply it to a cube. The material should render under a Directional Light without appearing magenta.

Pipeline mismatch commonly produces:

  • magenta materials
  • missing or unsupported shader properties
  • different lighting and transparency
  • broken custom passes
  • missing post-processing effects

Unity's Render Pipeline Converter can upgrade supported prebuilt materials and rendering settings. Its Material Upgrade converter does not support materials that use custom shaders. Custom Built-In shaders must be replaced, recreated, or rewritten for URP.

Convert an Existing Built-In Project

After backing up the project:

  1. Select Window > Rendering > Render Pipeline Converter.
  2. Select the Built-In-to-URP conversion.
  3. Initialize the available converters.
  4. Review the listed changes.
  5. Run the selected conversion.
  6. Inspect every warning and failed item.
  7. Recheck materials, lighting, cameras, post-processing, and custom shaders.

Unity describes the converter's changes as irreversible. A successful converter status does not prove that custom visual behavior or platform performance is unchanged.

Check Render Graph

Unity 6 URP uses Render Graph for new projects and new custom rendering work. Open:

Edit > Project Settings > Graphics > Pipeline Specific Settings > URP > Render Graph

Compatibility Mode (Render Graph Disabled) allows older custom render passes to run without the Render Graph API. Unity states that it no longer develops or improves the non-Render Graph path, so new Renderer Features should use Render Graph.

Open Window > Analysis > Render Graph Viewer to inspect the active camera's optimized pass sequence and any custom passes.

Review the Main URP Asset Sections

Section Examples of settings
Rendering Depth Texture, Opaque Texture, SRP Batcher, renderer list
Quality HDR, MSAA, Render Scale, upscaling
Lighting Main and additional lights, cookies, reflection probes
Shadows Shadow distance, cascades, atlas resolution, soft shadows
Post-processing Color-grading mode, LUT size, fast color conversion
Volumes Volume framework update behavior
Adaptive Performance Platform adaptive-performance configuration

Enable a feature because the project needs it, not simply because the setting exists. Depth, opaque color, HDR, shadows, and Renderer Features can add textures, passes, bandwidth, or shader work.

First-Scene Verification

Before importing a large asset package:

  1. Create a cube with a Universal Render Pipeline/Lit material.
  2. Confirm a Directional Light affects it.
  3. Confirm shadows behave as configured.
  4. Add a Global Volume only if the scene needs post-processing.
  5. Check Game view and create a target-platform build.
  6. Open the Frame Debugger or Render Graph Viewer and confirm the expected renderer is active.
  7. Record the assigned Graphics asset, Quality asset, renderer, and Render Graph mode.

This small test separates pipeline configuration problems from problems introduced by imported assets.

Troubleshooting

Help! The URP package is installed but the project still uses Built-In rendering.

Create a URP Asset with a renderer, then assign it under Project Settings > Graphics > Scriptable Render Pipeline Settings. Check Quality settings for a pipeline-asset override.

Help! Only one quality level or platform looks wrong.

Open Quality settings and inspect the Render Pipeline Asset assigned to every relevant level. A quality-level override can use a different URP Asset from the project-wide Graphics setting.

Help! Only one camera is missing a Renderer Feature.

Check whether that camera selects a different renderer. Renderer Features belong to Renderer Data assets, so a camera using another renderer receives a different feature list.

Help! Materials turned magenta after enabling URP.

The assigned shaders are incompatible or failed to compile. Use the Render Pipeline Converter for supported prebuilt materials, then replace or manually upgrade custom shaders.

Help! An older custom render pass stopped working in Unity 6.

Check whether the feature expects the pre-Render Graph API. Compatibility Mode can provide a temporary migration path, but new work should use Unity 6's Render Graph API.

Help! The Editor looks correct but the target build does not.

Confirm the build uses the intended quality level, URP Asset, renderer, graphics API, and shader variants. Profile and inspect an actual target build rather than relying on the Editor preview.

Official References

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