# Built VR in is way darker than preview version. Making it unplayable **URL:** \ **Category:** XR Development\ **Tags:** unreal-engine, UE4-27, question\ **Created:** [December 21, 2021, 9:31pm UTC](https://forums.unrealengine.com/t/built-vr-in-is-way-darker-than-preview-version-making-it-unplayable/267628 "2021-12-21T21:31:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![FrustratedProgrammer](https://d1ap1mz92jnks1.cloudfront.net/user_avatar/forums.unrealengine.com/frustratedprogrammer/32/703788_2.png) [@FrustratedProgrammer](https://forums.unrealengine.com/u/FrustratedProgrammer)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2021, 9:31pm UTC](https://forums.unrealengine.com/t/built-vr-in-is-way-darker-than-preview-version-making-it-unplayable/267628/1 "2021-12-21T21:31:42Z")
So I worked on this game a few months ago, and this ONE bug is making it unplayable. I cannot for the life of me figure it out, and have googled dozens of times but can’t find anything relating to this. I’m using Unreal Engine 4.27.0 developing for the Oculus quest. My game, here… when on preview mode, inside the editor OR inside preview on the actual oculus, looks fine, it looks amazing. However… building it, causes it to be super dark. Like too dark to see. It’s dark when built and played on my laptop, it’s dark when built and copied to be played independently on the oculus. I’ve added light sources, but still… always dark. (ignore the debug logs in the screenshot on the right, they just happened to be there when I took the pic) ![image](https://d3kjluh73b9h9o.cloudfront.net/original/3X/0/2/0231f1b70abe56450fb94b738f8f7067e89d4999.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![anonymous\_user\_d34470991](https://d3kjluh73b9h9o.cloudfront.net/original/4X/2/8/5/28502927f1d97ba1051b3b47ccfe17233bf41ef0.png) [@anonymous\_user\_d34470991](https://forums.unrealengine.com/u/anonymous_user_d34470991)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2022, 8:37am UTC](https://forums.unrealengine.com/t/built-vr-in-is-way-darker-than-preview-version-making-it-unplayable/267628/2 "2022-01-21T08:37:10Z")
Hello. Have you already fixed this? I am facing the same problem as you and don’t know how to fix it ☹ ---
**Author:** ![VictorLerp](https://d1ap1mz92jnks1.cloudfront.net/user_avatar/forums.unrealengine.com/victorlerp/32/738381_2.png) [@VictorLerp](https://forums.unrealengine.com/u/VictorLerp)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2022, 3:18pm UTC](https://forums.unrealengine.com/t/built-vr-in-is-way-darker-than-preview-version-making-it-unplayable/267628/3 "2022-01-21T15:18:25Z")
When you’re working in editor, or previewing in VR on your PC, the entire rendering path is different than what you’ll see when you deploy the application to your Quest. For a “true” image on what your scene will look like on the Quest, you have to enable either ES3.1 or Vulkan Preview Rendering Level in the editor: [Mobile Previewer | Unreal Engine Documentation](https://docs.unrealengine.com/4.27/en-US/SharingAndReleasing/Mobile/Previewer/) If you’re using the VR Template in 4.27 and later, it’s already been preconfigured to use Vulkan as the mobile rendering API, and that’s the Preview Rendering Level you should use in Editor if you want to know what it’ll look like on Quest. I hope that helps! ---
**Author:** ![FrustratedProgrammer](https://d1ap1mz92jnks1.cloudfront.net/user_avatar/forums.unrealengine.com/frustratedprogrammer/32/703788_2.png) [@FrustratedProgrammer](https://forums.unrealengine.com/u/FrustratedProgrammer)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2022, 5:20am UTC](https://forums.unrealengine.com/t/built-vr-in-is-way-darker-than-preview-version-making-it-unplayable/267628/4 "2022-01-22T05:20:37Z")
Not yet 😭 if YOU find a fix, tell me. Cuz Idk what’s wrong or what is even causing it. ---
**Author:** ![FrustratedProgrammer](https://d1ap1mz92jnks1.cloudfront.net/user_avatar/forums.unrealengine.com/frustratedprogrammer/32/703788_2.png) [@FrustratedProgrammer](https://forums.unrealengine.com/u/FrustratedProgrammer)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2022, 5:22am UTC](https://forums.unrealengine.com/t/built-vr-in-is-way-darker-than-preview-version-making-it-unplayable/267628/5 "2022-01-22T05:22:57Z")
Oh… any way I can “brighten” up the scene? I haven’t swapped over to Vulkan, but I assume this would just make my desktop preview show me what it looks like on quest. but that doesn’t solve it being super dark. I’ve tried adding EVERY kind of lighting but none brightens up the world enough. ---
**Author:** ![malcriado](https://d1ap1mz92jnks1.cloudfront.net/user_avatar/forums.unrealengine.com/malcriado/32/1081648_2.png) [@malcriado](https://forums.unrealengine.com/u/malcriado)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2022, 2:38pm UTC](https://forums.unrealengine.com/t/built-vr-in-is-way-darker-than-preview-version-making-it-unplayable/267628/6 "2022-01-22T14:38:46Z")
As Victor mentioned before, make sure you are using Vulkan Rendering in the editor, and use the Mobile Previewer. Also make sure that your lights are static and not dynamic, i would recommend you to check lighting limitations on mobile: [Lighting for Mobile Platforms | Unreal Engine Documentation](https://docs.unrealengine.com/4.27/en-US/SharingAndReleasing/Mobile/Lighting/) Hope it helps! ---
**Author:** ![Kavan](https://d1ap1mz92jnks1.cloudfront.net/user_avatar/forums.unrealengine.com/kavan/32/1194623_2.png) [@Kavan](https://forums.unrealengine.com/u/Kavan)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2022, 2:28am UTC](https://forums.unrealengine.com/t/built-vr-in-is-way-darker-than-preview-version-making-it-unplayable/267628/7 "2022-01-23T02:28:09Z")
I’m having a similar issue, thought perhaps the opposite as the original OP, with the way UE displays Vulkan preview in relation to the way it builds. Using the default VR template, no changes other than ticking Settings \> Preview Rendering Level \> Android Vulkan. As seen in attached images, the editor displays Vulkan with a bit less contrast, greyer blacks. Much as it is rendered when built to headset (shown in the middle frame of the second attached image). ![Vulkan_EditorView](https://d3kjluh73b9h9o.cloudfront.net/original/3X/c/4/c4d0c04462154f21b589602b373818468ef49881.jpeg) But when Played using VR Preview, Vulkan is much much darker. Far darker than it is actual rendered when built to headset. It is so dark that it isn’t even a usable preview in my personal level because I don’t have as much bright sky as this template. ![Vulkan_visuals](https://d3kjluh73b9h9o.cloudfront.net/original/3X/4/e/4e4853c2b2a42d6d39d80c9534fc6ae2a53ec5b8.jpeg) Is this expected behavior? Am I missing something @VictorLerp ?? ---
**Author:** ![Bevman00](https://d3kjluh73b9h9o.cloudfront.net/original/4X/2/8/5/28502927f1d97ba1051b3b47ccfe17233bf41ef0.png) [@Bevman00](https://forums.unrealengine.com/u/Bevman00)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2022, 11:08pm UTC](https://forums.unrealengine.com/t/built-vr-in-is-way-darker-than-preview-version-making-it-unplayable/267628/8 "2022-01-24T23:08:35Z")
Could be a silly question, but is your directional light set to static and lighting built? ---
**Author:** ![VictorLerp](https://d1ap1mz92jnks1.cloudfront.net/user_avatar/forums.unrealengine.com/victorlerp/32/738381_2.png) [@VictorLerp](https://forums.unrealengine.com/u/VictorLerp)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2022, 3:35pm UTC](https://forums.unrealengine.com/t/built-vr-in-is-way-darker-than-preview-version-making-it-unplayable/267628/9 "2022-01-27T15:35:52Z")
> [@Kavan](#): > > Is this expected behavior? Am I missing something @VictorLerp ?? I don’t think you are. A theory is that VR Preview (Vulkan) doesn’t get the correct color space settings for Quest when played with link on PC but we’ll have to investigate. I’ve gone ahead and filed a bug for it, thanks for the good writeup and comparison images 👍 ---
**Author:** ![Kavan](https://d1ap1mz92jnks1.cloudfront.net/user_avatar/forums.unrealengine.com/kavan/32/1194623_2.png) [@Kavan](https://forums.unrealengine.com/u/Kavan)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2022, 5:56pm UTC](https://forums.unrealengine.com/t/built-vr-in-is-way-darker-than-preview-version-making-it-unplayable/267628/10 "2022-01-27T17:56:13Z")
@Bevman00 me? If so, I’m using the default project with no changes other than the render preview change. The default project uses a ‘stationary’ directional light not static, everything is built. After your suggestion I changed the light to static / built / switched to Vulkan preview and I don’t notice any difference in this behavior. ---
**Author:** ![Sjonsson](https://d3kjluh73b9h9o.cloudfront.net/original/4X/2/8/5/28502927f1d97ba1051b3b47ccfe17233bf41ef0.png) [@Sjonsson](https://forums.unrealengine.com/u/Sjonsson)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2022, 4:54pm UTC](https://forums.unrealengine.com/t/built-vr-in-is-way-darker-than-preview-version-making-it-unplayable/267628/11 "2022-03-28T16:54:06Z")
Hello Victor! Do you have any update on whether the VR Preview (Vulkan) gets the correct color space or not? Thanks in advance! ---
**Author:** ![Corysia](https://d1ap1mz92jnks1.cloudfront.net/user_avatar/forums.unrealengine.com/corysia/32/1112965_2.png) [@Corysia](https://forums.unrealengine.com/u/Corysia)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2022, 5:36pm UTC](https://forums.unrealengine.com/t/built-vr-in-is-way-darker-than-preview-version-making-it-unplayable/267628/12 "2022-04-14T17:36:51Z")
Thank you! I’ve been trying to articulate this problem for a bit now. I first started seeing this behavior in Preview 1. It wasn’t behaving like this in EA2, as I recall. I’ve also noticed that there is different behavior between the Quest 1 and the Quest 2. The Quest 2 may match closer to what we see in the editor, but the Quest 1 is definitely darker. @VictorLerp Is there a way to watch the status of the bug? This is a show-stopper for me for supporting a Quest 1. ---
**Author:** ![Hadrien-EST](https://d1ap1mz92jnks1.cloudfront.net/user_avatar/forums.unrealengine.com/hadrien-est/32/478557_2.png) [@Hadrien-EST](https://forums.unrealengine.com/u/Hadrien-EST)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2022, 6:03am UTC](https://forums.unrealengine.com/t/built-vr-in-is-way-darker-than-preview-version-making-it-unplayable/267628/13 "2022-04-26T06:03:09Z")
Hello, I am not sure this is related with this issue but I also have experienced problems with lighting in the VRTemplate on Unreal Engine 5. It seams more like a lightmap texture issue. [UE5 VR Template Lighting issue occulus quest 2 (Android)](https://forums.unrealengine.com/t/ue5-vr-template-lighting-issue-occulus-quest-2-android/531729) ---
**Author:** ![digitalbug](https://d1ap1mz92jnks1.cloudfront.net/user_avatar/forums.unrealengine.com/digitalbug/32/690424_2.png) [@digitalbug](https://forums.unrealengine.com/u/digitalbug)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2022, 11:53am UTC](https://forums.unrealengine.com/t/built-vr-in-is-way-darker-than-preview-version-making-it-unplayable/267628/14 "2022-09-20T11:53:23Z")
Have you already fixed this? I have the same problem ---
**Author:** ![Dixeeer](https://d3kjluh73b9h9o.cloudfront.net/original/4X/2/8/5/28502927f1d97ba1051b3b47ccfe17233bf41ef0.png) [@Dixeeer](https://forums.unrealengine.com/u/Dixeeer)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2023, 3:50pm UTC](https://forums.unrealengine.com/t/built-vr-in-is-way-darker-than-preview-version-making-it-unplayable/267628/15 "2023-01-22T15:50:56Z")
do it in your project Project settings \> rendering \> VR \> uncheck Mobile HDR ---
**Author:** ![seintcat](https://d1ap1mz92jnks1.cloudfront.net/user_avatar/forums.unrealengine.com/seintcat/32/987625_2.png) [@seintcat](https://forums.unrealengine.com/u/seintcat)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2024, 4:51am UTC](https://forums.unrealengine.com/t/built-vr-in-is-way-darker-than-preview-version-making-it-unplayable/267628/16 "2024-12-06T04:51:44Z")
Still dark in editor, Vulkan preview mode. Also uncheck Mobile HDR not helps.