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Compositing and Masking

Updated: Apr 15, 2026
By default, a passthrough layer uses automatic environment reconstruction, which covers the entire screen. Compositing and masking techniques control how this passthrough layer blends with your virtual content. The system renders passthrough as an underlay beneath VR content, then applies masking passes to determine which regions display passthrough and which display virtual objects.
There are multiple ways to combine passthrough and VR to create mixed reality experiences:
  • Passthrough AR - Passthrough shows up wherever your virtual scene doesn’t cover the screen.
  • Occlusion - Use environment depth to make real objects appear in front of virtual objects.
  • Passthrough Windows - Create windows through which passthrough is visible.
These techniques are not mutually exclusive. They can be combined to create more sophisticated visualizations.
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