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Light Probes vs VRC Light Volumes

Dynamic objects are where a good Bakery bake can still fall apart visually. In VRChat, that usually means avatars, pickups, moving props, and other objects that do not live in the baked lightmaps.

For modern VRChat worlds, VRC Light Volumes by RED_SIM should be treated as the default target. Unity light probes are kept around mostly for backward compatibility with older avatars and older shader setups.

warning

If your world supports VRC Light Volumes, tag it with vrclightvolumes so users know the world expects modern dynamic-lighting support.

World Creator Checklist​

If you want the shortest useful version of this page, do this:

  1. Install and set up VRC Light Volumes in the world.
  2. Test actual avatar presentation in the VRChat client.
  3. Keep L2 light probes only as a fallback for older avatars.
  4. Tag the world with vrclightvolumes.
  5. Tell users to update avatar shaders instead of assuming light probes are the expected final path.

RED_SIM's repo also recommends importing the example scenes and assets, and optionally including the attribution prefab or an equivalent world message so users know the world supports VRC Light Volumes.

The Short Version​

Use Unity light probes only when:

  • you are keeping backward compatibility for older avatars
  • a user's avatar shader still does not support VRC Light Volumes
  • you need a temporary fallback while avatars catch up

Use VRC Light Volumes when:

  • you care how avatars actually look in the world
  • the world has local lighting changes, colored lighting, or interior contrast
  • dynamic props need to match the environment more closely
  • the intended avatar shaders support VRC Light Volumes
tip

For VRChat worlds, the recommendation is simple: use VRC Light Volumes unless you are forced to keep light probes around for legacy compatibility.

Why VRC Light Volumes Are Usually Better in VRChat​

VRC Light Volumes are a voxel-based lighting system for VRChat that provides baked per-pixel lighting, affects avatars and dynamic props with shader integration, and is designed as a light probes replacement for VRChat.

In practice, that makes them better than standard Unity light probes in several common VRChat cases:

  • Better local detail: lighting changes can track space more tightly than sparse probe interpolation.
  • Better avatar presentation: avatars in mixed lighting, colored lighting, or narrow interior spaces usually look more grounded.
  • Better results for dynamic props: moving objects can match local lighting more closely.
  • Better fit for stylized or dramatic worlds: clubs, neon alleys, moody interiors, and mixed-color scenes benefit more from volume-based lighting than from broad probe interpolation.

The VRC Light Volumes repo also highlights these use cases and features:

  • baked partial avatar and dynamic prop lighting
  • baked seamless lightmaps for small static objects
  • baked per-pixel voxel-based lighting
  • support for multiple visible light volumes at once
  • compatibility with Bakery or Unity Progressive lightmapper

Why We Still Mention Light Probes​

Unity light probes still have real advantages:

  • built into Unity
  • no external package required
  • useful fallback when shaders do not support VRC Light Volumes
  • works with older avatar setups that have not been updated yet

But for this guide, that is not a quality argument. It is a compatibility argument.

If an avatar still depends on plain light probes, the real fix is usually to update the avatar shader pipeline, not to treat probes as the preferred long-term answer.

See the placeholder page here: Avatar Light Volumes.

Comparison​

SystemMain StrengthMain WeaknessBest VRChat Use
Unity Light ProbesLegacy compatibilityLower local precision and weaker avatar grounding in complex spacesOlder avatars and shader fallback only
VRC Light VolumesBetter local lighting detail for avatars and dynamic objectsRequires supported shaders and setupDefault choice for modern VRChat worlds

When Light Probes Are Acceptable​

Light probes are often still enough when:

  • the goal is only to avoid breaking older avatars
  • the avatar ecosystem you expect in the world has not caught up yet
  • you need a compatibility fallback while users migrate shaders

When VRC Light Volumes Are Worth It​

VRC Light Volumes are usually worth the extra setup when:

  • players spend time near mirrors
  • the world is dark, neon-heavy, or strongly color-separated
  • the social hub depends on avatars looking grounded in the environment
  • local lighting changes a lot from one corner of a room to another
  • dynamic props or moving interactables need to look consistent

Go Deeper​

warning

Do not present light probes and VRC Light Volumes as equal options. They are not equal in quality. Light probes stay in the conversation mostly because older avatars still exist.