Toggles
Toggles are a common avatar setup pattern that uses Expressions controls, Animator parameters, and animation states to enable or disable avatar features.
On VRChat avatars, a toggle usually starts in the Expressions menu, where a user flips a Bool, Int, or Float parameter. That parameter is then read by an Animator Controller, most often on the FX playable layer, to switch between different states or animations.
Toggles are commonly used for clothing swaps, props, blendshapes, material changes, and other on-or-off avatar features.
Basic setup
A simple toggle usually needs:
- An Expressions menu control, often a Toggle.
- A matching custom parameter in the Expression Parameters asset.
- A matching Animator parameter in the controller.
- Animation states that enable and disable the target object or update a property.
Creators often include a small buffer or idle animation so the controller behaves consistently with different Write Defaults setups.
Exclusive toggles
Some avatars use a group of mutually exclusive toggles where only one option should be active at a time, such as outfit sets or hairstyle choices.
Common approaches include:
- Multiple bool toggles with parameter drivers that turn the other options off.
- An integer-driven setup where one value selects one state.
- A blend tree or radial-puppet-based selector for a larger set of options.
Radial and advanced variants
Not every toggle is a simple on-or-off switch. Avatar creators also use:
- Radial puppets to drive a float from
0.0to1.0for effects such as hue shifts, scale adjustments, or multi-option selectors. - Two-axis puppets to control two floats at once, often for transform control.
- Blend trees or motion time for more compact controllers when a toggle needs multiple intermediate values.
These techniques are built from official Expressions and Animator features, while many specific controller patterns are documented mainly in community guides.
Notes
- Toggle behavior depends on the playable layer and Animator setup used by the avatar.
- For cross-platform avatars, matching parameters should stay in the same order and use the same parameter types on both versions.
- Built-in VRChat Animator parameters should not be re-created in the custom Expression Parameters asset.
Official resources
- Expression Menu and Controls on Creator Docs
- Animator Parameters on Creator Docs
- Playable Layers on Creator Docs
- State Behaviors on Creator Docs
