# Configure a skybox with a Skybox Shader

> Use shaders with different set of properties and sky generation techniques.

Unity provides multiple Skybox Shaders for you to use. Each Shader uses a different set of properties and generation techniques. Each Shader falls into one of the following two categories:

> **Note:**
>
> The [High Definition Render Pipeline (HDRP)](/engine/6000.6/manual/render-pipelines/high-definition-render-pipeline.md) does not support any of the above Shaders and instead includes multiple sky generation solutions.

## Textured

Generates a skybox from one or multiple textures. The source textures represent the view of the background from all directions. The Skybox Shaders in this category are:

* 6 Sided
* Cubemap
* Panoramic

### 6 Sided Skybox shader

This skybox Shader generates a skybox from six separate Textures. Each texture represents a view of the sky along a particular world axis. To illustrate this, think of the Scene as being inside a cube. Each Texture represents one of the interior faces of the cube and all six combine to create a seamless environment.

To create a **6 Sided** skybox, you need six individual Textures that, when combined, map to a net layout like:


**Skybox cube texture.:**
![](/api/media?file=/engine/6000.6/media/images/skybox-six-sided-net.png)

To generate the best ambient lighting, the Textures should use a [high dynamic range (HDR)](/engine/6000.6/manual/materials-and-shaders/graphics-color/hdr.md).

### Cubemap Skybox shader

This skybox Shader generates a skybox from a single [Cubemap Asset](/engine/6000.6/manual/materials-and-shaders/textures/class-cubemap.md). This Cubemap consists of six square Textures and represents the entire view of the sky from every direction.

### Panoramic Skybox shader

To generate a skybox, the Panoramic Shader wraps a single Texture spherically around the Scene.

For information on how to create a Material that uses this skybox Shader, as well as details on how to render the skybox in your Scene, see [Using skyboxes](/engine/6000.6/manual/creating-environments/sky/skyboxes-using.md).

To create a **Panoramic** skybox, you need a single 2D Texture that uses latitude-longitude (cylindrical) mapping, like so:


**Texture with  latitude-longitude (cylindrical) mapping.:**
![](/api/media?file=/engine/6000.6/media/images/skybox-lat-long-layout.png)

To make sure the Texture is 2D:

1. In the Project window, select the Texture.
2. In the Inspector, make sure the **Texture Shape** is set to **2D**.

To generate the best ambient lighting, the Texture should use a [high dynamic range (HDR)](/engine/6000.6/manual/materials-and-shaders/graphics-color/hdr.md).

## Procedural Skybox shader

The Procedural skybox Shader does not require any input Textures and instead generates a skybox purely from the properties set in the Material Inspector.

### Positioning the sun

If you choose to render a sun disk in your skybox (see **Sun** in [Properties](/engine/6000.6/manual/creating-environments/sky/skybox-material-reference/shader-skybox-procedural.md)), this Shader uses the rotation of the active [Light](/engine/6000.6/manual/lighting-overview/lighting-birp/class-light.md) to position the sun in the skybox. To find the active Light:

1. Open the Lighting window (menu: **Window** > **Rendering** > **Lighting**).
2. Navigate to the **Environment** tab.
3. The Light assigned to **Sun Source** is your Scene's active Light.
4. If there is no Light assigned to **Sun Source**, assign the Light in your Scene you want to become the active Light to **Sun Source**.

You can use this behaviour to create a simple day-night cycle. To do this, continuously rotate your main Directional Light around a particular axis.

### Additional resources

* [Skybox Shader Material Inspector window reference](/engine/6000.6/manual/creating-environments/sky/skybox-material-reference.md)