Should I use CanvasScaler Constant Pixel Size or Scale With Screen Size?

Constant Pixel Size keeps UI at its actual pixel size; works for utility UI. Scale With Screen Size keeps UI proportional to screen; preferred for game UI on varying resolutions. Pixel Perfect interacts with both but produces best results with Constant on integer-only resolutions.

How do I keep rotated UI sharp without Pixel Perfect?

Disable Pixel Perfect, increase texture resolution by 2x for pre-mipmap quality, and use bilinear filtering. Rotated UI then anti-aliases naturally instead of snapping to integer pixels and distorting.

Fix: Unity Canvas Pixel Perfect Blurry on Rotation

Q: Why does Unity Canvas Pixel Perfect produce blurry rotated UI?

Pixel Perfect snaps to integer pixel coordinates, which only works for axis-aligned UI. Rotated elements snap to integer rotated positions, producing visible distortion. Disable Pixel Perfect on canvases that animate rotation.

Quick answer: Pixel Perfect snaps to integer pixel coordinates and works only for axis-aligned UI. Rotated elements snap to integer rotated positions producing distortion. Disable Pixel Perfect on canvases that animate rotation.

Here is how to fix Unity UI rotated elements (spinners, animated badges, gauge needles) that look crisp at 0 degrees but blur or jaggies when rotated. Pixel Perfect on the Canvas is great for static, axis-aligned UI but fights any rotation.

The Symptom

An icon at 0 rotation is sharp. Animating its rotation causes visible distortion: edges step-jaggy, text inside rotates with broken anti-aliasing, the whole element wobbles in pixel space.

What Causes This

Pixel Perfect snapping. Snaps each vertex to integer pixels. Rotated rectangle vertices snap to nearest pixels, but the rotation makes adjacent vertices snap inconsistently — the shape distorts.

Low source texture resolution. Without enough source detail, rotation reveals aliasing.

Bilinear vs Point filtering. Point filtering looks crisp axis-aligned but jagged rotated; bilinear is the right pick for rotated UI.

The Fix

Step 1: Disable Pixel Perfect on rotating canvases. If the entire canvas needs to support rotation, uncheck Pixel Perfect on the Canvas component. UI is no longer snapped to integer pixels but rotates smoothly.

Step 2: Or split into static and rotating canvases. Static UI (HUD bar, score) on one canvas with Pixel Perfect on. Rotating UI (spinner, indicator) on another canvas with Pixel Perfect off. Both render together; each gets its appropriate snapping.

Step 3: Use higher-resolution source textures. Author at 2x or 4x intended display size. Bilinear sampling produces smooth edges when rotated.

Step 4: Set sprite filter to Bilinear. In the Texture import settings, set Filter Mode to Bilinear. Point looks crisp at 1:1 but jagged when rotated.

Step 5: Anti-aliased UI shaders. For shape-heavy UI (rounded buttons, drop shadows), use SDF-based shaders that anti-alias regardless of rotation. TextMeshPro labels are SDF; consider Sprite Shape SDF for graphic elements.

When To Keep Pixel Perfect

For pixel-art games where the entire UI snaps to a grid and never rotates, Pixel Perfect on Constant Pixel Size canvas is the right choice. Reserve disabling for canvases that genuinely need rotation.

“Pixel Perfect for axis-aligned. Disable for rotating. Two canvases if you need both behaviors in one scene.”

Related Issues

For UI Mask issues, see UI Mask Children. For TMP baseline shift, see TMP Baseline.

Pixel Perfect off for rotating UI. Bilinear filter. Higher source res. Smooth rotation.