Passthrough Blend Mode
Folder blending that works per channel
Also known as: Substance Painter Passthrough · Painter folder blending · Painter folder blend mode · Passthrough folder
Definition
Passthrough is a blending mode for folders in Substance Painter, and it is the default. In Passthrough, the layers inside a folder blend directly with the layers below the folder, channel by channel, as if they were in the main stack. This lets a folder mask and group layers without changing how its contents interact with the rest of the material. Choosing Normal instead flattens the folder into one layer first.
In production
Keep folders on Passthrough for grouping and organizing, and switch to a normal blend mode when you want the folder to act as one layer, for example to fade out a whole group or to apply a filter to a combined result. If a folder's effect does not blend as you expect, check its mode first. Smart materials are saved as folders and rely on Passthrough to work with the layers below them.
