Addressable Support for Sprite Assets

TextMeshPro typically expects sprite assets to be in specific Resource folders, but you can optimize your project by using Unity’s Addressable Asset System to load these assets on demand.

Setup Options

For Unity 2021.1 or newer with Addressables:

  1. Install the Addressables Package if you haven’t already (via Window > Package Manager).
  2. Create an Addressables Group for your sprite assets:
    • Open the Addressables Groups window (Window > Asset Management > Addressables > Groups)
    • Create a new group (e.g., “TMP_SpriteAssets”)
    • Drag your sprite assets into this group
  3. Add the TMPSpriteAssetLoader to your scene:
    • Add it to a GameObject in your initial/persistent scene
    • Configure your sprite asset references in the Inspector using the Addressable references

Sprite Asset Loader Component

For Unity 2020.3 and earlier:

  1. Add the TMPSpriteAssetLoaderLegacy to your scene:
    • Add it to a GameObject in your initial/persistent scene
    • Directly assign your TMP_SpriteAsset objects to the sprite assets list in the Inspector

Configuration

Both loader versions support the following features:

  • Platform-Specific Loading:
    • Configure different sprite assets for different platforms (Windows, PlayStation, Xbox, etc.)
    • Create separate configurations for keyboard, gamepad, or touch controls as needed
  • Dynamic Loading:
    • Load specific configurations by name during runtime using the LoadConfigByName() method
    • Unload all sprite assets when no longer needed with UnloadAllSpriteAssets()

Code Example (Unity 2021.1+) 

// Configure in Inspector or via code
public class GameManager : MonoBehaviour 
{
    public TMPSpriteAssetLoader spriteLoader;
    
    void Start() 
    {
        // Optionally load a specific config by name
        spriteLoader.LoadConfigByName("PlayStationIcons");
    }
    
    void OnDestroy() 
    {
        // When no longer needed
        spriteLoader.UnloadAllSpriteAssets();
    }
}

Benefits

Reduced initial load times and memory usage Platform-specific assets loaded only when needed Better organization of input-related sprite assets Smaller build sizes when using Addressables (2021.1+ version)

Common Issues

If sprites don’t appear after loading, try refreshing your TMP_Text components using the RefreshTextComponents() method Make sure your TMP Settings paths are correctly configured if you’ve moved your assets For the Addressables version, remember that assets are loaded asynchronously, so plan accordingly in your UI initialization