Why are my SSAO and Volumetric Fog missing on Mobile renderer?

Mobile renderer drops several Forward+ features for performance and platform support. SSAO, Volumetric Fog, GI, and SDFGI are Forward+ exclusive (or partially supported). Use the renderer your target requires.

How do I switch renderer per platform?

Project Settings → Rendering → Renderer → Rendering Method has separate dropdowns for Desktop and Mobile. Set Forward+ for desktop, Mobile (or Compatibility) for mobile.

What's Compatibility renderer?

GLES 3.0 path. Supports the broadest device range but lacks most Forward+ effects. Use for low-end mobile or older hardware that doesn't support Vulkan Mobile.

Fix: Godot 4 Mobile Renderer Missing Forward Plus Effects

Quick answer: Mobile renderer drops Forward+ exclusive features (SSAO, Volumetric Fog, SDFGI, GI). Set per-platform Rendering Method in project settings. For mobile, design without these or accept their absence.

Project looks great on desktop with Forward+. Build to mobile (Mobile renderer) and the volumetric fog disappears, ambient occlusion is gone. The Mobile renderer doesn’t support those.

The Symptom

Effects present in editor (Forward+) absent in mobile build. Console may not warn; the effects just don’t render.

What Mobile Drops

Volumetric Fog — Forward+ only.
SDFGI / VoxelGI — Forward+ only.
SSAO/SSIL — Forward+ only.
Glow — Mobile supports a simpler version.
SSR — Forward+ only.

Mobile keeps PBR, shadows, basic post-processing.

The Fix

Project Settings → Rendering → Renderer:
  Rendering Method:         forward_plus      # Desktop default
  Rendering Method.mobile:  mobile             # Phone/tablet
  Rendering Method.web:     compatibility      # HTML5

Each platform picks its renderer. Mobile-only options auto-apply on mobile builds.

Faking Effects on Mobile

Baked AO into vertex colors instead of SSAO.
Distance fog (built-in on Mobile) instead of Volumetric Fog.
Pre-baked light bounces into lightmaps instead of SDFGI.

Verifying

Build to mobile target. Confirm rendered look matches your mobile design intent. If still missing things expected on mobile, the renderer setting may have reverted.

“Mobile lacks Forward+ effects. Pick the renderer per platform. Design within constraints.”

Related Issues

For mobile particles flicker, see mobile particles. For shader uniform array, see uniform array.

Right renderer per platform. Design accordingly.