Editing Openai/696480e2-8c90-8013-9d6f-6ccbd15d2db6 (section)

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Even if viewport looks fine, F12 uses the render engine, not viewport.

👉 Go to Render Properties (camera icon)
What does it say exactly?

It MUST be:
* ✅ Eevee
* or ✅ Cycles

If it says:
* ❌ Workbench → lights will NEVER render

👉 Change it → press F12 again

===== Check this carefully: =====

Top right → ViewLayer Properties
* Make sure Use Light is ✅ ON
* Make sure Holdout is ❌ OFF
* No overrides enabled

If Use Light is disabled:
* All lights are ignored
* Objects render flat / dark

This one causes exactly what you’re seeing.

===== Still in ViewLayer Properties: =====
* Look for Material Override
* If ANY material is set there → remove it

Overrides can ignore lighting entirely.

===== This one is sneaky but real. =====

Go to Render Properties → Color Management
* View Transform: Filmic
* Exposure: 0
* Gamma: 1

If Exposure is like -10:
* Everything renders black
* Lights “don’t work”

===== Press Numpad 0 =====
Then check Camera Properties:
* Clip Start: 0.1
* Clip End: 1000

If your scene is ~250m long (your screenshot shows that):
* Clip End too low = nothing lit / visible