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The Dynamic Retargeter transfers the current pose of one character to another at runtime. Use it when you want a target character to follow a source character without baking a new animation clip.
Before you start, install Retarget Pro and create a Retarget Profile that maps the source rig to the target rig.

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What you need

  • A source character that produces an animation pose at runtime.
  • A target character that will receive the pose.
  • A Retarget Profile for the two rigs.
  • An Animator component on the target character. Leave its Controller field empty.
The source character must stay active so its animation can be evaluated. You can hide its mesh after setup, but do not disable the source GameObject.

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Set up dynamic retargeting

1

Add the source character

Add the character that contains the animation you want to use to the scene. Confirm that its Animator or other pose provider is enabled and produces the expected pose in Play mode.
Source character added to a Unity scene

Add the source character to the scene.

2

Add the target character under the source

Add the target character to the source character’s hierarchy. This keeps both characters together in the scene while the source pose is transferred.
Target character added as a child of the source character in the Unity hierarchy

Add the target character to the source hierarchy.

3

Add and configure Dynamic Retargeter

Select the target character and add the Dynamic Retargeter component. Assign the source character to Source Game Object, then assign the Retarget Profile that maps the two rigs.Make sure the target character has an Animator component. Do not assign an Animator Controller to this component; the Dynamic Retargeter supplies the target pose.
Dynamic Retargeter component added to the target character with source and profile references

Add Dynamic Retargeter to the target character and assign its references.

4

Hide the source mesh

Hide the source character’s mesh so you only see the retargeted target. Disable the source renderers or mesh objects, but keep the source GameObject and its animation components enabled.
Do not deactivate the source GameObject. The target needs the source pose to be evaluated every frame.
Source character mesh hidden while the source hierarchy remains active

Hide the source mesh while keeping the source character active.

5

Enter Play mode

Enter Play mode and play an animation on the source character. The target character should follow the source pose in real time.
Dynamic retargeting is working when the target follows the source animation while the source mesh remains hidden.
Target character displaying the source character's animation at runtime

The target character follows the source animation at runtime.

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Improve the result

If the target follows the animation but the pose is incorrect, check the profile before adding offsets in your own scripts.
  • Assign compatible Source Pose and Target Pose clips in the Retarget Profile. Similar initial poses produce more reliable results.
  • Open the profile and check the Bone Chain Settings list for missing or warning-marked chains. Edit the affected source and target chains manually when automatic mapping is incomplete.
  • Confirm that the source character is the first rig in the profile and the target character is the second rig. A reversed profile maps the animation in the wrong direction.
  • Make sure the target hierarchy has not changed after the profile was created. Recreate or update the profile when the rig structure changes.
Use the Retarget Window to inspect profile mappings, pose clips, feature order, and the Notifications & Help tabs before testing the runtime component again.

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Troubleshooting

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The target does not move

Check these references in order:
  1. The target GameObject is active and has an enabled Animator.
  2. The target Animator has no Controller assigned.
  3. Source Game Object points to the animated source character.
  4. Retarget Profile points to a valid profile for the two rigs.
  5. The source GameObject and its Animator are active and producing a pose.
  6. The Dynamic Retargeter component is enabled.
If the source character is disabled, or if you hide it by disabling its whole GameObject, the Dynamic Retargeter has no source pose to copy.

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Only some bones follow

The profile is missing mappings for the chains that do not move. Open Bone Chain Settings, select the affected feature, and assign the correct source and target chains. See Retarget Features for feature-specific settings.

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The target is offset or rotated incorrectly

Check the source and target pose clips first. Then check the root and pelvis mappings, bone-chain order, and the local orientation of the source and target rigs. Fix the profile mapping before compensating with runtime transform offsets.

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The source character is visible behind the target

Hide the source mesh renderers or mesh objects, not the source GameObject. The source hierarchy and animation components must remain active for the target to update.

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The target jitters or is overwritten

Another Animator, IK system, physics component, or script may be writing to the target after the retargeting pass. Temporarily disable other systems to find the conflict, then make sure the source pose is evaluated before the final procedural corrections.

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Changes do not appear after changing the profile

Stop Play mode, verify the Source Game Object and Retarget Profile references, and start Play mode again. If the rig hierarchy changed, update the profile mappings before testing.
Dynamic Retargeter evaluates a source pose at runtime. It does not create a new Animation Clip. Use Bake & Export when you need a reusable baked animation asset instead.