Hierarchy window reference
Explore the settings and functions in the Hierarchy window to view and organize items in your scene.
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Explore the settings and functions in the Hierarchy window to view and organize items in your scene.
For more information about managing GameObjects in the Hierarchy window, refer to Manage GameObjects in the Hierarchy window.
To review Editor preferences that can affect the Hierarchy window, refer to the General tab of the Preferences window.
Icons in the Hierarchy window
The Hierarchy window uses a variety of icons to indicate the type, attached components, visibility, and pickability of items in your scene.
GameObject icon priority
By default, the Unity Editor displays an icon next to the name of each GameObject in the Hierarchy window based on the components attached to that GameObject. You can quickly review which components are in your scene by glancing at the icons next to each GameObject.
You can control which types of icons display in the Hierarchy window with the GameObject Icons setting in the General tab of the Preferences window. For example, you can display:
- Custom icons and icons taken from components.
- Component icons only.
- The default GameObject icon only.
Which icon the Editor displays next to the GameObject name in the Hierarchy window follows this order of priority:
- Custom icon: Any icon you assign to the GameObject in the window. For more information, refer to Assign icons to inspected items.Inspector
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- Prefab icon: A prefab icon if the GameObject is a prefab instance root. If the prefab is a prefab variant, the Editor displays the prefab variant icon. If the prefab is a prefab model, the Editor displays the prefab model icon.
- Component icon: The icon of the first component listed after the Transform or Rect Transform component in the Inspector window. For example, if you have a GameObject with a Transform component and then a Mesh Renderer component, the Hierarchy window displays the Mesh Renderer icon next to the GameObject name.
- Transform icon: If the GameObject has no other components attached to it, it displays the Transform or Rect Transform icon. Every GameObject has a Transform or Rect Transform component, so this icon is always available.
GameObject and prefab icons
You can identify the following types of items using these icons in the Hierarchy window.
This list isn't exhaustive. In many contexts, the Hierarchy window displays the icon of the first component listed after the Transform or Rect Transform component that is attached to the GameObject in the Inspector window.
Item | Icon | Description |
|---|---|---|
| GameObject |  The icon for a GameObject is an outline of a cube. | The foundational building blocks of all items in a scene. GameObjects are containers for components, which provide functionality. In the Hierarchy window, the default GameObject icon only displays if you have set the GameObject Icons setting in the General tab of the Preferences window to Do not change GameObject icons. Otherwise, what icon displays is determined by the components attached to the GameObject, whether you have selected a custom icon for the GameObject, or whether the GameObject is a prefab. For more information, refer to Introduction to GameObjects. |
| Prefab |  The icon for a prefab is a blue cube. | Prefabs are assets that act as a template for specific items in your scene. When you edit a prefab asset, updates are applied to all instances of that asset that appear in your scene. For more information, refer to Introduction to prefabs. |
| Prefab variant |  The icon for a prefab variant is a blue cube with one side shaded gray. | A prefab variant inherits properties from a base prefab asset but overrides some of those properties with different values. Essentially, it's a new prefab that's based on an original. Editing the base prefab also updates the variant, except for properties that are already changed in the variant. For more information, refer to Create variations of prefabs. |
| Prefab model |  The icon for a prefab model is a blue cube with one side gray and a line cut into the top. | Prefab models are prefabs that are imported from other 3D modeling software. Prefab models can contain skeletons, materials, meshes, animations, and more. |
Scene visibility icons
The scene visibility status controls whether the GameObject is hidden or displayed in the view. You can toggle visibility on and off in the Visibility column of the Hierarchy window. For more information, refer to Scene visibility.
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The following visibility states are available.
State | Icon | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Visible |  The icon for a visible GameObject is an eye. | The GameObject and all its child GameObjects are visible in the scene. This is the default status for a new GameObject. This status icon is visible only when you hover over the GameObject. |
| Hidden |  The icon for a hidden GameObject is an eye with a strikethrough. | The GameObject and all its child GameObjects are hidden in the scene. |
| Visible parent |  The icon for a visible parent GameObject is an eye with a dot underneath the right corner. | The GameObject is visible in the scene, but one or more of its child GameObjects are hidden. |
| Hidden parent |  The icon for a hidden parent GameObject is an eye with a dot underneath the right corner and a strikethrough. | The GameObject is hidden in the scene, but one or more of its child GameObjects are visible. |
Scene pickability icons
The scene pickability status controls whether you can select the GameObject in the Scene view. You can toggle pickability on and off in the Picking column of the Hierarchy window. For more information, refer to Control which GameObjects are selectable in the Scene view.
The following pickability states are available.
State | Icon | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Pickable |  The icon for a pickable GameObject is a hand with pointing finger. | You can select the GameObject, and any of its child GameObjects, in the Scene view. This is the default status for a new GameObject. This status icon is visible only when you hover over the GameObject. |
| Not pickable |  The icon for a not pickable GameObject is a hand with pointing finger with a strikethrough. | You can't select the GameObject, or any of its child GameObjects, in the Scene view. |
| Pickable parent |  The icon for a pickable parent GameObject is a hand with pointing finger with a dot underneath the right corner. | You can select the GameObject in the Scene view, but you can't select one or more of its child GameObjects. |
| Not pickable parent |  The icon for a not pickable parent GameObject is a hand with pointing finger with a dot underneath the right corner and a strikethrough. | You can't select the GameObject in the Scene view, but you can select one or more of its child GameObjects. |
Prefab override indicators
When you edit a prefab instance in a scene, Unity displays an indicator next to the parent GameObject in the Hierarchy window. This indicator highlights any prefab that has non-default override values in any of its child GameObjects. The override indicator appears as a blue line on the left side of the margin and is identical to the instance override in the Inspector window.
To open the Overrides dropdown directly from the Hierarchy window, select the override indicator. For more information, refer to Override prefab instances.
In the Hierarchy window, an override indicator marks each parent prefab that has child GameObjects with non-default override values.
GameObjects you add to the prefab instance have a plus badge on their icons.
The Hierarchy window showing a prefab instance with a child GameObject called Banana added as an override.
For more information about editing prefabs from the Hierarchy window, refer to Edit prefab assets.