# AREnvironmentProbeAnchor An object that provides environmental lighting information for a specific area of space in a world-tracking AR session. ``` class AREnvironmentProbeAnchor ``` ## Overview Environment textures depict the view in all directions from a specific point in a scene. In 3D asset rendering, environment textures are the basis for image-based lighting algorithms where surfaces can realistically reflect light from their surroundings. ARKit can generate environment textures during an AR session using camera imagery, allowing SceneKit or a custom-rendering engine to provide realistic image-based lighting for virtual objects in your AR experience. To enable texture map generation for an AR session, set the [`environmentTexturing`](/documentation/ARKit/ARWorldTrackingConfiguration/environmentTexturing-swift.property) property: - With [`ARWorldTrackingConfiguration.EnvironmentTexturing.manual`](/documentation/ARKit/ARWorldTrackingConfiguration/EnvironmentTexturing-swift.enum/manual) environment texturing, you identify points in the scene for which you want light probe texture maps by creating [`AREnvironmentProbeAnchor`](/documentation/ARKit/AREnvironmentProbeAnchor) objects and adding them to the session. - With [`ARWorldTrackingConfiguration.EnvironmentTexturing.automatic`](/documentation/ARKit/ARWorldTrackingConfiguration/EnvironmentTexturing-swift.enum/automatic) environment texturing, ARKit automatically creates, positions, and adds [`AREnvironmentProbeAnchor`](/documentation/ARKit/AREnvironmentProbeAnchor) objects to the session. In both cases, ARKit automatically generates environment textures as the session collects camera imagery. Use a delegate method such as [`session(_:didUpdate:)`](/documentation/ARKit/ARSessionDelegate/session(_:didUpdate:)-3qtt8) to find out when a texture is available, and access it from the anchor’s [`environmentTexture`](/documentation/ARKit/AREnvironmentProbeAnchor/environmentTexture) property. If you display AR content using [`ARSCNView`](/documentation/ARKit/ARSCNView) and the [`automaticallyUpdatesLighting`](/documentation/ARKit/ARSCNView/automaticallyUpdatesLighting) option, SceneKit automatically retrieves [`AREnvironmentProbeAnchor`](/documentation/ARKit/AREnvironmentProbeAnchor) texture maps and uses them to light the scene. ## Topics ### Creating Probe Anchors [`init(transform:extent:)`](/documentation/ARKit/AREnvironmentProbeAnchor/init(transform:extent:)) Creates a new environment probe anchor. [`init(name:transform:extent:)`](/documentation/ARKit/AREnvironmentProbeAnchor/init(name:transform:extent:)) Creates a new anchor object with a descriptive name. ### Accessing Texture Maps [`environmentTexture`](/documentation/ARKit/AREnvironmentProbeAnchor/environmentTexture) A cube-map texture that represents the view in all directions from the probe anchor’s position. ### Examining a Probe Anchor [`extent`](/documentation/ARKit/AREnvironmentProbeAnchor/extent) The area around the anchor’s position that contains the texture. --- Copyright © 2026 Apple Inc. All rights reserved. | [Terms of Use](https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/terms/site.html) | [Privacy Policy](https://www.apple.com/privacy/privacy-policy)