Create functional layers in Unity
How to create layers and assign GameObjects to layers in Unity.
Read time 2 minutesLast updated 12 days ago
Layers can help to organize the GameObjects in your scene. If you create a layer and assign GameObjects to it, you can edit how your GameObjects interact with other GameObjects, dependent on the layer.
Add a new layer
There are two ways you can create a new layer:
- Select the Tags and Layers window (main menu: Edit > > Tags and Layers > Layers).Project Settings
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- Select a GameObject, select the Layer dropdown in the Inspector window, and select Add Layer from the menu.
To remember the intended function for a layer, give it a descriptive name.
Warning
Layer 31 is used internally by the Editor’s Preview window mechanics. To prevent clashes, do not use this layer.
Built-in layers
When you open the layer menu, you can see that some layers are already named. Except for Default and Ignore Raycast, Unity no longer uses these built-in layers for many dedicated purposes; they exist mainly for backward compatibility:
Layer number | Layer name | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | Default | The default layer for all scene elements. |
| 1 | TransparentFX | Unity uses this layer in the flare system. |
| 2 | Ignore Raycast | Physics ray cast APIs ignore this layer by default. |
| 4 | Water | Unity's Standard Assets for Unity 2018.4 use this layer. |
| 5 | UI | The Unity UI uses this as the default layer for UI elements. |
You can still use these layers, but you can't rename or delete them.
Add GameObjects to a layer
To assign a GameObject to a layer, select the GameObject, go to the Inspector window and select the dropdown next to Layer. This menu shows the layers that have names so you can select which one works best for your GameObject.
You can only assign each GameObject to one layer, but you can add multiple GameObjects to one layer.