--- title: "Introduction to Unity Studio" content_type: tutorial url: "https://learn.unity.com/tutorial/introduction-to-unity-studio?language=en" language: en difficulty: foundational duration_minutes: 20 supports_all_unity_versions: true last_updated: "2026-08-13T18:48:52.000Z" --- # Introduction to Unity Studio Create your first Unity Studio project as you learn the interface, navigate a 3D scene, upload assets, and add simple interactivity. This tutorial will guide you through creating your first draft in Unity Studio. By the end of this tutorial, you'll be able to do the following: - Understand what Unity Studio is and what it's designed for. - Create your first project draft in Unity Studio. - Identify and understand the core panels of the Unity Studio interface. - Navigate effectively within the **Scene** view using camera controls and GameObject interaction tools. - Upload your own 3D models for use in a scene. - Animate individual GameObjects or more complex animated sequences. - Create new materials and edit existing materials. ## 1. Overview **Unity Studio** is a web-based interactive 3D editor no installation required, no C# knowledge needed. Built for designers, engineers, trainers, and other domain experts, it gives teams a faster way to create, iterate on, and share interactive 3D experiences without the complexity of traditional 3D workflows or developer dependency. Use it to build training simulations, product walkthroughs, design reviews, configurators, HMI prototypes, and more. ![Unity Studio Editor showing an interior of a factory in the Scene view.](https://storage.googleapis.com/learn-platform-bucket-production/tutorial/6371042e-238d-4f58-9c95-0fcfd0c7fe12/versions%5B_key==%220fU7UhQ3D3f1GOOA8LVzgb%22%5D.sections%5B_key==%220fU7UhQ3D3f1GOOA8LVziJ%22%5D.body%5B_key==%226eef68037f90%22%5D.image/Hero%201_20260311_162922.png) ## 2. Create a draft Your first step in **Unity Studio** is to create a new project **draft**, which is a starting point for your work. Watch the video walkthrough or follow the step-by-step instructions below to complete this task. [Video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=elSPChXnOhA) ## **Instructions** **1.**  **Sign in to Unity Studio** - Open **Unity Studio** at [https://cloud.unity.com/studio](https://cloud.unity.com/studio). - Sign in with your **Unity ID** and password. **Note:** You will need either an **Industry** or a **Unity Studio** license to access the app. You can also access a [free trial](https://unity.com/products?plan=industry). **2.** **Select your organization (optional)** - By default, you’ll see your organization with an appropriate assigned license. To switch to a different workspace, select your **profile** in the upper-right corner. **3.** **Create a new draft** - Once in your desired organization, select the **New Draft** button. - Select the **Empty scene** option to create a blank project, or use a pre-made template like **Car** **Review** or **HMI** **Mockup** to explore existing features. - If this is your first time using **Unity Studio**, we recommend starting with a pre-made template. **4.** **Name your draft and select a project** - Enter a name for your new draft. - Select an existing project from the list, or enter a name and select **Create** to start a new project. Your new draft is now open, and you are ready to begin building with **Unity Studio**. ## 3. Learn the interface Now that you’ve set up your account and started your first draft, it's time to explore the **Unity Studio** interface. Watch the video walkthrough or follow the text guidance below: [Video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T6OoI34dIT4) The **Unity Studio** interface consists of the following main panels: **1. Hierarchy panel:** This panel, located on the left, lists and helps you organize all GameObjects in your scene. **2. Project panel:** Located at the bottom, this panel is your asset library, containing 3D models, images, and visual scripts available for your project. **3. Scene view:** As your main workspace in the center, this is where you build, arrange, and interact with your 3D scene. **4. Inspector panel:** On the right side, this panel allows you to view and adjust the properties, such as size, color, and behavior, of any selected GameObject. **5. Camera Preview:** This panel provides a real-time view of what your scene's **Main Camera** sees, helping you frame your final application. You now have a basic understanding of the **Unity Studio** workspace and the function of each main panel. ## 4. Navigate Scene view In this step, you’ll learn the basics of **Scene** view navigation, including how to move around, interact with GameObjects, and use the most common tools. Watch the video walkthrough or follow the step-by-step instructions below to complete this task: [Video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DhZy0vTcj1o) ## **Instructions** **Note:** When opening a draft, the **Scene Navigation** dialog will appear. You can disable **Show on startup** if you prefer it not to appear every time. To re-open the **Scene Navigation** dialog later, select the **Main Settings** button (hamburger icon) in the upper-left of the **Hierarchy** panel, then select **Open controls guide**. **1. Practice camera controls** - Move the camera around the **Scene** view using the **W**, **A**, **S**, **D** keys for forward, left, back, and right movement, respectively, or **Q** and **E** to move the camera down and up. - Hold the right mouse button and drag to rotate the camera's view. - Hold the scroll wheel (or middle mouse button) and drag to pan the camera across the scene. **Note:** This action might not be possible if you’re using a touch pad. - Use the scroll wheel to zoom the camera in and out of the scene. - In the **Hierarchy** or **Scene** panels, left-click to select an individual GameObject, or hold and drag the left mouse button to select multiple GameObjects at once. - With a GameObject selected, press the **F** key to focus the **Scene** view camera directly on it. **2.** **Interact with objects using the toolbar** - Select a GameObject in the **Scene** view. A toolbar will appear at the bottom. - Select the toolbar buttons or the corresponding keyboard shortcuts (**1** to **4**, **Z**, **X**) to switch between transformation tools: - Press **1** (or select the **Free Transform** tool) to freely move objects on multiple axes simultaneously along a surface. - Press **2** (or select the **Move** tool) to move GameObjects precisely along specific axes using the gizmo. - Press **3** (or select the **Rotate** tool) to rotate GameObjects to change their orientation. - Press **4** (or select the **Scale** tool) to resize GameObjects; use the gray box in the center of the gizmo to scale evenly in all directions. - Press **Z** (or select the **Toggle handle position** button) to switch between moving a GameObject from its center or its pivot point. - Press **X** (or select the **Toggle handle rotation** button) to switch between global (world space) and local (GameObject-based) rotation controls. - Select the **Duplicate** button to create a copy of the selected GameObject. - Select the **Delete** button to remove the selected GameObject from your scene. **3.**  **Utilize Scene view quick actions** - Select the **Play** button at the top of the **Scene** view to run your scene and test your work, then select the **Pause** button to return to editing mode. - Select the **Bug notification** button next to the **Play** button to view details about any warnings or errors in your project, and select **Show** to locate their source. You can now confidently navigate the **Scene** view, control your camera, and interact with GameObjects using Unity Studio's essential tools. ## 5. Add your own assets This section will cover the process of importing and placing your custom 3D assets into your **Unity Studio** project. Watch the video walkthrough or follow the step-by-step instructions below to complete this task: [Video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dv-fv_M4rew) ## **Instructions** **1.** **Open the Asset Manager** - In the **Project** panel, select the **Add Assets** button located at the upper-left. - The **Asset Manager** window will open. **2.** **Navigate the Asset Manager** - On the leftmost side, you'll see all projects within your organization. Select the project where you want to add assets. - To switch organizations, use the dropdown in the upper-right of the **Asset Manager** window. **Note:** Unity Studio supports FBX, OBJ and GLB files natively, but also supports many other files including CAD formats like STEP thanks to the built-in asset transformer. You can learn more in the [supported asset file formats](https://docs.unity.com/en-us/unity-lite/develop/assets/asset-file-formats) documentation. **3.** **Add new assets** - In the **Asset Manager** window, select the **Add** button located under the search bar. - Choose if you want to upload a single asset or multiple assets at once. - Select your files from your computer, then select **Upload** to begin importing your assets. **4.** **Import assets to your project** - Once uploaded, enable the checkbox next to each asset you want to import. Your selections will appear in a panel on the right. - Select **Import** and allow a moment for Unity Studio to process your assets. All the assets you import are now stored in the **My Assets** folder within your **Project** panel, making them easy to find and organize for building your scene. ## 6. Working with materials In this step, you’ll learn how to create a new material, assign it to GameObjects, and edit its properties to achieve the look you want. Watch the video walkthrough or follow the step-by-step instructions below to learn more. [Video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kANjVPFCUkQ) ## **Instructions** **1.** **Create a new material** - In the **Project** panel, either right-click and select **Create** > **Material**, or select **Add** (**+**) > **Material**. - Give your material a descriptive name. **2. Assign a material to a GameObject** - Select a GameObject in your scene. - In the **Inspector** panel, locate the **Mesh** **Renderer** or **Skinned** **Mesh** **Renderer** component. - Use the foldout (triangle) to expand the **Materials** property, then do one of the following: - Select the **Materials** picker (**⊙**) select your material from the list. - Drag your material from the **Project** panel into the **Materials** box. The GameObject now uses the assigned material. **3. Edit a material’s properties** - In the **Project** panel, select a material to open it in the **Inspector** panel. - Adjust properties (such as **Color**, **Smoothness**, Metallic, etc.) to achieve the desired appearance. - To add a texture to a material: - With the material open in the **Inspector** panel, locate the **Main Texture** property. - Select the **Main** **Texture** picker (**⊙**) and select a texture from the list. - Use the foldout (triangle) to expand the **Advanced** section and explore the advanced properties as needed, including secondary texture maps, emissive settings, and texture tiling and offset. **4. Edit an existing material directly from a GameObject** - If your GameObject already has a material, select the GameObject, then in the **Inspector** panel, use the foldout (triangle) to expand the **Mesh** **Renderer** or **Skinned** **Mesh** **Renderer** component. - Use the foldout (triangle) to expand the **Materials** property - If the material’s properties are editable, adjust them directly. **Note:** Changes affect all GameObjects that share this material. - If the properties are grayed out (common for imported assets), select the **Edit Material** button. - **Unity Studio** creates an editable copy of the material in the **My Assets** folder and assigns it to this GameObject. - Update properties as needed. Changes now affect only this GameObject. You can now create, assign, and refine materials to control the look and feel of GameObjects in your Unity Studio scene. ## 7. Create animations Unity Studio offers two powerful ways to add motion and visual effects to your GameObjects: the **Animation** component for single GameObjects and the **Animation Director** for coordinating multiple objects on a shared timeline. Watch the video walkthrough or follow the step-by-step instructions below to complete this task: [Video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gmA1f1YMbsA) ## **Instructions** **1.** **Animate a single GameObject with the Animation component** - Select the GameObject you wish to animate in your scene. - In the **Inspector** panel, select the **Add Component** button, then search for and add the **Animation** component. Select the **Add** (**+**) button to add a new animation; this opens the **Animation Timeline** window. - Utilize the keyframe system: move the timeline cursor, then make a change to your GameObject in the **Scene** view to automatically create a keyframe. - Adjust animation timing by dragging, merging, or deleting keyframes on the timeline. - Select the **Play** button in the top bar to preview your animation. **2.** **Coordinate multiple GameObjects with the Animation Director** - In the **Hierarchy** panel, locate and select the **Animation Director** to open its **Animation Timeline** window. - Move the timeline cursor, then select a GameObject in the **Hierarchy** panel and apply a change in the **Scene** view to create a keyframe for that GameObject. - Repeat for other GameObjects to animate multiple GameObjects on the same timeline. - Drag one or multiple asset's blue animation tracks on the timeline to move all its keyframes at once, or create multiple timelines for advanced control. - Select the **Play** button in the top bar to preview your animations. **3.**  **Customize animation properties** - Adjust **Autoplay** to start animations automatically. - Rename animations using the **Name** property for organization and script reference. - Choose **Easing** types for natural motion. - Set **Playback options** to **Once**, **Loop**, or **Ping Pong**. With **Unity Studio**'s animation tools, you can create everything from simple object movements to complex cinematic scenes. ## 8. What's next? **Congratulations!** You've successfully completed your first steps with **Unity Studio**, learning how to create projects, navigate the interface, add assets, create animations, and work with materials. In the next tutorial, you'll explore more advanced features that will [expand your Unity Studio skills](https://learn.unity.com/course/get-started-with-unity-studio/tutorial/expand-your-unity-studio-skills). You'll learn how to create interactive behaviors using visual scripting, collaborate with your teammates in real-time using the collaboration mode and **Annotations**, and import your **Unity Studio** draft into a Unity Editor project.