Project setup processes

This is a collection of common processes for project setup. You may be directed here from other learning experiences if you need to recap one of these processes.

Important: Relevant processes have been updated for the latest version of the Unity Hub (3.x) in January 2022. Before you begin to set up your Unity project, consider updating your Unity Hub to the latest general (non-beta) release of the Unity Hub.

If you are using an older version of the Hub, you will notice differences between the previous version of the Hub and the new, updated experience.

If you are using a beta version of the Hub, you may find minor differences between the process guidance here and your experience. You may also notice minor differences between any supporting images and the user interface you experience in the Hub.

Note:

• If you have never installed Unity Editor and Unity Hub before, Install Unity and the Hub will guide you through that process in detail.
• This process has been updated for the latest version of the Unity Hub (3.x).

To install a new version of Unity:

1. Open the Unity Hub and select the Installs tab.

2. Select Install Editor to install a new version.

3. Select the version you want to install and then Next to continue.

4. Select any modules that you want to add. You may want to consider:

• Build support, so that the experiences you create can be played on different platforms (WebGL, Windows, Mac and Linux)
• Language packs

Documentation will be selected by default — this is at the end of the list available.

5. Select Install to complete the installation.

When you’ve completed this process, return to your learning experience.

Troubleshoot your download

If you see any errors while the new version of Unity is downloading, consider the following tips and workarounds:

• Do you have enough memory and disk space? Check the minimum system requirements for the Unity version you are installing to make sure your computer is ready. Locate the dropdown menu at the top of the “System requirements” page to find the right Unity version.
• Disable the dev tools. If you aren’t planning to do any scripting with this version of the Editor (and you won’t be using this version in this pathway, anyway), disable the option to download “Microsoft Visual Studio Community 2019” tools (or a similar option). This will save disk space and avoid possible errors.
• Check the release information page for this version. Start on the page for version 2020.3.13, and use the dropdown at the top of the page to select the version you are installing. Look for any known issues that might be causing your problem. If absolutely necessary, you can use these pages to download a version of the Unity Editor without using the Hub.
• Contact Unity Customer Support for more help. Be sure to sign in on the Support pages. Browse articles, consult the community, or select Submit a request to explain your situation to a Unity expert.

Note:

• This process has been updated for the latest version of the Unity Hub (3.x).
• Make sure you save and close any open Unity projects before installing new modules for a Unity version that you are using.

To add modules to any Unity version you have installed:

1. Open the Unity Hub and select the Installs tab.

2. Select the Settings menu (gear icon) on the tile of the version you want to manage.

3. Select Add Modules.

4. Select the modules you want to include, and then select Install.

When you’ve completed this process, return to your learning experience.

Important: If the file path to a project on your computer is more than 260 characters long, or if there are spaces in that file path, you may encounter errors when initially opening your project from Unity Hub. To avoid encountering these errors, we recommend that you:

• Check that the folder you are organizing your Unity projects in isn’t at the end of a long file path.
• Remove any spaces from the folder names in the file path to your Unity projects.
• Name your project without spaces. You can use underscores (_) if this is helpful.

Note: This process has been updated for the latest version of the Unity Hub (3.x).

To add a Unity project to the Unity Hub, follow these instructions:

1. In the Projects tab, select the Open options dropdown, and select Add project from disk.

2. Navigate to the root folder for the Unity project and then Select Folder. The project will appear in the list available on your Projects tab.

3. If the project uses a Unity version that you don’t have installed, you’ll see a warning icon next to the Unity Version field in its listing. You can either:

• Go to the Unity Download Archive and install the missing Unity version.
• Select Choose another Editor version and open the Project using a version that you have installed previously. Note: If you do this and the versions do not match, when you try to open the project a dialog window will open asking you to confirm that you want to upgrade the project.

Important: Don’t open any Unity project with an older Unity version — this is known as downgrading.

When you’ve completed this process, return to your learning experience.

Note: This process has been updated for the latest version of the Unity Hub (3.x).

To create a new Unity project, follow these instructions:

1. Open the Unity Hub.

2. In the Projects tab, select New project.

3. Select the Unity version you’d like to use with the Editor Version dropdown.

4. Select the template that you want to use. Your specific learning experience will include the required template.

Note: It may take a few moments for all the templates to become visible in the available list. If a Template has a download icon (cloud with a down arrow), you’ll need to select this and download the template or update it before you can use it.

5. Name your project and set the location.

6. Select Create Project. Your project will open in Unity Editor — don’t worry if this takes a few minutes.

7. Depending on the template you select, you might see sample content. If you don’t want to use this content, you can create a new scene that contains only a Directional Light and Main Camera.

For instructions on creating a new scene, continue to the step below.

When you’ve completed this process, return to your learning experience.

Follow these instructions to create a new scene in any project:

1. In the Unity Editor main menu, go to File > New Scene.

2. Select your preferred scene template. Select Basic (URP) if you are unsure which one to use.

3. Give your new scene a name and select a location to save it. The Scenes folder inside your project is the best option to keep everything neat and easy to manage.

4. Your new scene contains a camera (Main Camera) and a default sun (Directional Light) in the Hierarchy. Both these GameObjects also have icons that represent them in the scene. You can adjust the size of the icons or switch them off by using the Gizmo visibility toggle at the top right of the Scene view window.

5. If you wish to keep the Gizmos but adjust their size, use the slider under the dropdown option on the Gizmo visibility toggle.

When you’ve completed this process, return to your learning experience.

To install a package:

1. Open Unity Editor, if you haven’t already done so.

2. In the top menu, go to Window > Package Manager.

3. Browse the Unity Registry (default view) or use the search bar to find the package that you want to install.

4. When you’ve found your required package, select Install to install it in your Unity project.

5. Remember to save your changes with the shortcut Ctrl+S (Windows) or Cmd+S (macOS).

When you’ve completed this process, return to your learning experience.

To update a package in your Unity project:

1. Open Unity Editor, if you haven’t already done so.

2. In the top menu, go to Window > Package Manager.

3. In the left-hand corner of the window, select the package scope drop-down menu and choose In Project.

This view lists all the packages that are currently in your Unity project.

4. Select the relevant package from the list available. Tip: An arrow icon indicates packages with an update available.

5. Select Update to [version number].

When you’ve completed this process, return to your learning experience.

To import assets into your project from the Unity Asset Store:

1. Open the project in Unity Editor.

2. In your internet browser, go to the Asset Store and find the package you want to download.

3. Select Add to My Assets.

4. When the completion dialog window opens, select Open in Unity.

The package will open in the Package Manager window.

5. Select Download. If you previously downloaded the assets, you will go straight to the next step in this process.

6. Select Import.

7. A dialog window will warn you about overwriting your project settings — if you haven't customized your project settings, you can ignore this warning. To proceed, select Import.

8. Another dialog window may warn you that there are Package Manager dependencies — if so, select Install/Upgrade.

9. The Import Unity Package window will open, listing the contents of the package. In most cases, you will want to keep all of the contents of the asset package selected. In the lower right corner of the window, select Import.

The assets will be added to the Assets folder of your Unity project. When this process is completed, close the Package Manager window and return to your learning experience.

Note: This is the basic set-up process. If you are importing assets into a complicated project, you can review Importing an Asset Store package in the Unity Manual for a more detailed overview of the options available.

To import a local asset package into your project:

1. Open the project in the Unity Editor.

2. In the top menu, go to Assets > Import Package > Custom Package.

3. In the file browser window, navigate to the .unitypackage file you want to import and select Open.

4. Select Import to import the assets to your project. You can find them by going to the Project window and opening the Assets folder.

When you’ve completed this process, return to your learning experience.

Note: You can review Importing local Asset packages in the Unity Manual for a more detailed overview of the options available in this process.

To import individual simple assets into a Unity project:

1. In your file browser window, navigate to the file that you want to import.

2. Open your project in Unity Editor.

3. Drag the file from the file browser into the Project window in the Editor. This will copy the file into the Unity project’s Assets folder.

When you’ve completed this process, return to your learning experience.

Notes:

• You can also save or export files directly to that Asset folder.
• You can review Importing in the Asset workflow section of the Unity Manual for a more detailed overview of importing files into Unity projects.
• Importing more complex assets that require configuration requires a different process. If you need to do this, you will be guided through it step by step in your specific learning experience.

Important: This guidance is included for completeness, but we do not recommend you download learning projects using this process. Your specific learning experience will guide you on the best approach.

To open a project from the Learn tab in the Unity Hub:

1. Open the Unity Hub.

2. Select the Learn tab on the left side of the window.

3. Find and select your chosen learning content from the list available.

4. If the content contains a downloadable Unity Project, select Download Project.

5. When the download is complete, select Open. The Unity Editor will open, import the project, and update any necessary packages.

6. In the top menu, go to File > Save to save your version of the project. Alternatively, you can use the shortcut Ctrl+S (Windows) or Cmd+S (macOS).

When you’ve completed this process, return to your learning experience.

Some users are currently experiencing an error which stops them from saving Unity projects downloaded through the Learn tab of the Unity Hub 2.X.

If you encounter this error, you can use the following workaround:

1. In the top menu, go to File > Close.

2. In the Keep Project? dialog window, select Keep.

3. Save your Project using your operating system’s saving window. Choose an easily accessible location for your Project, such as a dedicated Projects folder or your Documents folder.

4. Once the Project is saved, re-open the Unity Hub.

5. Select Open to add your Project to the Project List in the Hub and open it in the Unity Editor.

If you want to change the contrast between the default background and primitives with the default material, you can change the background color:

1. In the toolbar above the Scene view, select the skybox, fog and effects toggle to turn these off in the Scene view.

2. In the main menu, go to Edit > Preferences.

3. Select the Colors tab in the navigation bar.

4. Under the Scene heading, find the Background property. Use the color picker for this property to choose the background color that suits you.

If you like, you can also change Grid property in the same way to adjust the color of the grid.

5. Close the Preferences window.

Important: To return to the usual default sky in the Scene view, select the skybox, fog and effects toggle again to turn this back on.