Error: Unity Shader Not Supported On This GPU

What's Causing This Error

The error 'Unity shader not supported on this GPU' typically arises when the graphics card (GPU) of your machine doesn't support the shader that's being used in the Unity application. Several factors could be contributing to this:

1. Shading Language Version: Your shader may be written in a version of the shading language that your GPU does not support. This is common when using newer versions of shaders on older GPUs.

2. Shader Complexity: The shader you're running may be too complex or requires certain features that are not available on your GPU. For example, some shaders may require computation capabilities that only exist on more advanced GPUs.

3. Driver Issues: It could also be an issue with your GPU drivers. Outdated or corrupted drivers might not fully support certain types of shaders.

Solution - Here's How To Resolve It

You can try several approaches to fix the 'Unity shader not supported on this GPU' error:

1. Use Universal Render Pipeline (URP): If you have been using a custom shader, consider switching to URP shaders. URP shaders are widely compatible and designed to work across many different GPUs.

2. Update GPU Drivers: Ensure your GPU drivers are up-to-date. Visit your GPU manufacturer's website and download the latest driver for your model.

3. Check Shader Compatibility: Modify your shaders to ensure they're compatible with lower-end devices. You might need to simplify your shader or write it in an earlier version of the shading language.

4. Fallback Shader: Include a fallback shader in your materials. Fallback shaders are used when the primary shader isn't supported on a user’s graphics card. This way, your materials will still render, albeit with lower quality.

5. Hardware Upgrade: If all else fails and it is critical to use the specific shader causing the issue, you might need to upgrade your GPU to a more recent model that supports the shader.