Unity Editor tool for fast visual prefab placement directly in the Scene View.
Instead of repeatedly dragging prefabs into your scene, this tool lets you organise prefabs into collections, select them from a palette, and place them using specialised placement modes.
Perfect for level design, environment building, and rapid scene assembly in both 2D and 3D projects.
Unity 2021.2+
- Download the latest
.unitypackagefrom the Releases page. - Drag the package into your Unity project.
- Import all files.
The PrefabPalette folder is self-contained and can be moved anywhere inside the project as long as its internal structure is unaltered.
- Navigate to your prefab folder in the Project Window
- Right-click the folder or selected prefabs
- Select Create Prefab Collection
- Enter a name and press Create
After the domain reload, the collection will appear in the palette.
The palette can be opened as a window and an overlay.
Unity Version:
2021.2 – 2022.3
Press the backtick ( ` ) key to open the overlay menu, and ensure Prefab Palette is checked.
2023.1+
Use the Scene View overlay toolbar icon:
The palette can now be opened in the scene view and docked for quick use.
Open via:
Window → Prefab Palette → Palette
Choose a collection from the dropdown and click a prefab thumbnail.
Move your mouse in the Scene View.
A target reticle will follow the cursor and show exactly where the prefab will be placed.
Click to place objects.
Organise prefabs into reusable collections created from folders or selected assets.
Browse prefab collections and select assets using thumbnail previews.
Adjust placement settings and switch placement modes directly inside the Scene View.
A dynamic reticle previews exactly where the prefab will be placed before clicking.
Specialised placement behaviours designed for different workflows.
Fully compatible with Unity’s Undo/Redo system and Snap Controls.
Automatically detects when the Scene View switches between modes and adjusts placement behaviour accordingly.
Adjust palette scaling, overlay size, reticle appearance, physics layers, and more.
Prefab Palette uses a modular state-based design, making it easy to implement custom placement modes.
See the Developer Guide.
The overlay allows you to:
- Toggle placement settings
- Switch placement modes
- Adjust mode-specific options
Unity Version:
2021.2 – 2022.3
Press the backtick ( ` ) key to open the overlay menu, then select:
Prefab Palette: Options
2023.1+
Use the Scene View overlay toolbar icon.
| Option | Effect |
|---|---|
| Parent | Object instantiated prefabs will be parented under in the hierarchy |
| Option | Effect |
|---|---|
| Align with surface | Aligns the prefab rotation with the surface normal |
| Option | Effect |
|---|---|
| Depth | Z depth prefabs will be placed with |
Places a single prefab instance.
| Option | Type | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Rotation Axis | Toolbar | Selected axis to be rotated around |
| Rotation Speed | Slider | Controls how fast the object rotates |
| Placement Offset | Vector3 | Offsets placement relative to the click position |
Draw a line of prefabs with controlled spacing and orientation.
Useful for fences, walls, and structured placement.
| Option | Type | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Spacing | Float | Distance between prefabs |
| Relative Rotation | Vector3 | Rotation relative to line direction |
| Variable Rotation | Toggle | Applies random rotation |
| Range | Min/Max Slider | Constrained rotation range |
| Axis | Toggle | Enables/disables random rotation per axis |
| Chain Lines | Toggle | Continue placement from previous line |
| Link Offset | Vector3 | Offset from previous line endpoint |
| Use Alt Objects | Toggle | Enable alternate prefab placement |
| Random | Toggle | Random placement probability |
Open via:
Window → Prefab Palette → Settings
| Option | Effect |
|---|---|
| Overlay Scale | Palette overlay size |
| Option | Effect |
|---|---|
| Include Layers | Physics layers used in placement raycast |
| Color | Reticle colour |
| Radius | Reticle size |
| Mouse Move Threshold | Adjust placement sensitivity |
| Raycast Distance | Max placement distance from the scene view camera |
| Default Floor Height | Height prefabs are placed in empty scenes (3D only) |
| Option | Effect |
|---|---|
| Auto Size | Automatically resize overlay window |
| Size | Fixed overlay width and height |
| Option | Effect |
|---|---|
| Global Min & Global Max | Shared default window size (Only applied if per window scale is set to use global) |
| Per Window Scale | If use global is false, windows will respect individual max and min settings. |
Ensure the tool imported correctly by checking:
Window → Prefab Palette
Then open the overlay using the method appropriate for your Unity version.
Check:
Tool Settings → Placer → Include Layers
Disable the physics layer used by your prefabs.
Prefab Palette generates an enum at runtime to populate dropdowns with available prefab collections.
Unity Package Manager packages must remain immutable, which prevents runtime file generation inside the package assembly.
If you find the tool useful and want to support development, donations are welcome.
Additional documentation:
See License for terms of use, redistribution, and modification.
Release history:
For bug reports, feature requests, or questions, please use the GitHub Issues page.