# Render textures
Intermediate
Designer
Programmer
With **render textures**, you can send a camera's view to a texture and use the texture on objects in your scene. For example, you can use this to display part of your scene on a TV screen in the same scene, such as security camera footage.
For API details, see [Textures and render textures](../low-level-api/textures-and-render-textures.md).
## 1. Create an extra camera slot
Camera slots link the graphics compositor to the cameras in your scene. You need to add a camera slot for a new camera to use. For more information about camera slots, see [Camera slots](../cameras/camera-slots.md).
1. In the **Asset View** (in the bottom pane by default), double-click the **Graphics Compositor** asset.
The graphics compositor editor opens.
2. On the left, under **Camera slots**, click  (**Add**).
Game Studio adds a new camera slot.
> [!Tip]
> To rename a camera slot, double-click it in the list and type a new name.
> 
## 2. Create a camera and bind it to the slot
1. In your scene, add a **camera component** to the entity you want to be your camera.
2. Position the entity so the camera captures the area of the scene you want to render to a texture.
3. In the entity **Property Grid**, enable the **Camera** component using the checkbox.
4. in the **Camera** component properties, under **Slot**, select the slot you created in the previous step.
## 3. Create a render target texture
In the **Asset View**, click **Add asset** and select **Texture** > **Render target**.
Game Studio adds a **render target** texture to your project assets.
## 4. Place the render target texture in the scene
There are various ways you can use the render target texture.
### Example 1: Use the render target texture in a material
1. In the material properties, under **Shading**, next to **Diffuse map**, click  (**Replace**) and select **Texture**.
2. Click  (**Select an asset**).
3. Select the **Render texture** asset and click **OK**.
### Example 2: Use the render target texture in a sprite component
1. Create an entity and position it where you want to display the texture.
2. With the entity selected, in the **Property Grid**, click **Add component** and add a **sprite** component.
3. In the sprite component properties, next to **Source**, click  (**Replace**) and select **Texture**.
4. Click  (**Select an asset**).
The **Select an asset** window opens.
5. Select the **Render texture** asset and click **OK**.
6. If you don't want the texture to be semi-transparent, under the **Source** properties, clear the **Is transparent** checkbox.
## 5. Set up the graphics compositor
To display a render texture in your scene, you need at least two renderers:
* one to render your main camera
* one to render the second camera to the render texture
This page describes the simplest way to do this from scratch, using two cameras and two renderers. Depending on your pipeline, you might need to create a different setup.
> [!Warning]
> These instructions involve deleting your existing renderers for the game entry point. You might want to make a backup of your project in case you want to restore your pipeline afterwards.
1. In the graphics compositor editor, select the **Entry points** node.
2. In the **Property Grid** on the right, next to **Game renderer**, click  (**Replace**) and select **None** to delete your existing renderers.
3. Click  (**Replace**) and select **Scene renderer collection**.
This lets you set multiple renderers for the game entry point.
### 1. Render the main camera
1. Under **Game renderer**, next to **Children**, click  (**Add**) and select **Camera renderer**.
2. Next to **Camera**, click  (**Replace**) and select your main game camera.
4. Next to **Child**, select the renderer for your main game camera (eg the **forward renderer**).
### 2. Render the texture
1. Under **Game renderer**, next to **Add to Children**, click  (**Add**) and select **Camera renderer**.
Game Studio adds a camera renderer to the list of children.
2. Expand the second **camera renderer**.
3. Next to **Camera**, click  (**Replace**) and select the camera you want to render to a texture.
4. Next to **Child**, click  (**Replace**) and select **RenderTextureSceneRenderer**.
5. Under the **RenderTextureSceneRenderer**, next to **Child**, click  (**Replace**) and select the renderer for your main game camera (eg the **forward renderer**).
6. Next to **Render texture**, click  (**Select an asset**).
The **Select an asset** window opens.
7. Select the **render texture** and click **OK**.
Game Studio adds the render texture to the renderer.
Your game is now ready to render the camera to the texture in the scene.
## Set a render mask
You can use the **render mask** to filter which groups are rendered in the render texture.
Next to **Render mask**, click **Change values** and select the render groups you want the camera to render.
For more information, see [Render groups and masks](render-groups-and-masks.md).
## Sample
For an example of rendering to a texture in a project, see the **Animation** sample included with Stride.
## See also
* [Cameras](../cameras/index.md)
* [Camera slots](../cameras/camera-slots.md)
* [Low-level API – Textures and render textures](../low-level-api/textures-and-render-textures.md)
* [Render groups and masks](render-groups-and-masks.md)
* [Graphics compositor](index.md)
* [Scene renderers](scene-renderers.md)