VkImageCreateFlagBits(3)

# VkImageCreateFlagBits(3) Manual Page

## Name

VkImageCreateFlagBits - Bitmask specifying additional parameters of an image

## C Specification

Bits which can be set in VkImageCreateInfo::`flags`, specifying additional parameters of an image, are:

    // Provided by VK_VERSION_1_0
    typedef enum VkImageCreateFlagBits {
        VK_IMAGE_CREATE_SPARSE_BINDING_BIT = 0x00000001,
        VK_IMAGE_CREATE_SPARSE_RESIDENCY_BIT = 0x00000002,
        VK_IMAGE_CREATE_SPARSE_ALIASED_BIT = 0x00000004,
        VK_IMAGE_CREATE_MUTABLE_FORMAT_BIT = 0x00000008,
        VK_IMAGE_CREATE_CUBE_COMPATIBLE_BIT = 0x00000010,
      // Provided by VK_VERSION_1_1
        VK_IMAGE_CREATE_ALIAS_BIT = 0x00000400,
      // Provided by VK_VERSION_1_1
        VK_IMAGE_CREATE_SPLIT_INSTANCE_BIND_REGIONS_BIT = 0x00000040,
      // Provided by VK_VERSION_1_1
        VK_IMAGE_CREATE_2D_ARRAY_COMPATIBLE_BIT = 0x00000020,
      // Provided by VK_VERSION_1_1
        VK_IMAGE_CREATE_BLOCK_TEXEL_VIEW_COMPATIBLE_BIT = 0x00000080,
      // Provided by VK_VERSION_1_1
        VK_IMAGE_CREATE_EXTENDED_USAGE_BIT = 0x00000100,
      // Provided by VK_VERSION_1_1
        VK_IMAGE_CREATE_PROTECTED_BIT = 0x00000800,
      // Provided by VK_VERSION_1_1
        VK_IMAGE_CREATE_DISJOINT_BIT = 0x00000200,
      // Provided by VK_NV_corner_sampled_image
        VK_IMAGE_CREATE_CORNER_SAMPLED_BIT_NV = 0x00002000,
      // Provided by VK_EXT_descriptor_heap
        VK_IMAGE_CREATE_DESCRIPTOR_HEAP_CAPTURE_REPLAY_BIT_EXT = 0x00010000,
      // Provided by VK_EXT_sample_locations
        VK_IMAGE_CREATE_SAMPLE_LOCATIONS_COMPATIBLE_DEPTH_BIT_EXT = 0x00001000,
      // Provided by VK_EXT_fragment_density_map
        VK_IMAGE_CREATE_SUBSAMPLED_BIT_EXT = 0x00004000,
      // Provided by VK_EXT_multisampled_render_to_single_sampled
        VK_IMAGE_CREATE_MULTISAMPLED_RENDER_TO_SINGLE_SAMPLED_BIT_EXT = 0x00040000,
      // Provided by VK_EXT_image_2d_view_of_3d
        VK_IMAGE_CREATE_2D_VIEW_COMPATIBLE_BIT_EXT = 0x00020000,
      // Provided by VK_KHR_video_maintenance1
        VK_IMAGE_CREATE_VIDEO_PROFILE_INDEPENDENT_BIT_KHR = 0x00100000,
      // Provided by VK_EXT_fragment_density_map_offset
        VK_IMAGE_CREATE_FRAGMENT_DENSITY_MAP_OFFSET_BIT_EXT = 0x00008000,
      // Provided by VK_KHR_maintenance11
        VK_IMAGE_CREATE_ALIAS_SINGLE_LAYER_DESCRIPTOR_BIT_KHR = 0x00400000,
      // Provided by VK_KHR_bind_memory2 with VK_KHR_device_group
        VK_IMAGE_CREATE_SPLIT_INSTANCE_BIND_REGIONS_BIT_KHR = VK_IMAGE_CREATE_SPLIT_INSTANCE_BIND_REGIONS_BIT,
      // Provided by VK_KHR_maintenance1
        VK_IMAGE_CREATE_2D_ARRAY_COMPATIBLE_BIT_KHR = VK_IMAGE_CREATE_2D_ARRAY_COMPATIBLE_BIT,
      // Provided by VK_KHR_maintenance2
        VK_IMAGE_CREATE_BLOCK_TEXEL_VIEW_COMPATIBLE_BIT_KHR = VK_IMAGE_CREATE_BLOCK_TEXEL_VIEW_COMPATIBLE_BIT,
      // Provided by VK_KHR_maintenance2
        VK_IMAGE_CREATE_EXTENDED_USAGE_BIT_KHR = VK_IMAGE_CREATE_EXTENDED_USAGE_BIT,
      // Provided by VK_KHR_sampler_ycbcr_conversion
        VK_IMAGE_CREATE_DISJOINT_BIT_KHR = VK_IMAGE_CREATE_DISJOINT_BIT,
      // Provided by VK_KHR_bind_memory2
        VK_IMAGE_CREATE_ALIAS_BIT_KHR = VK_IMAGE_CREATE_ALIAS_BIT,
      // Provided by VK_EXT_descriptor_buffer
        VK_IMAGE_CREATE_DESCRIPTOR_BUFFER_CAPTURE_REPLAY_BIT_EXT = VK_IMAGE_CREATE_DESCRIPTOR_HEAP_CAPTURE_REPLAY_BIT_EXT,
      // Provided by VK_QCOM_fragment_density_map_offset
        VK_IMAGE_CREATE_FRAGMENT_DENSITY_MAP_OFFSET_BIT_QCOM = VK_IMAGE_CREATE_FRAGMENT_DENSITY_MAP_OFFSET_BIT_EXT,
    } VkImageCreateFlagBits;

## Description

- VK_IMAGE_CREATE_SPARSE_BINDING_BIT specifies that the image will be backed using sparse memory binding.

- VK_IMAGE_CREATE_SPARSE_RESIDENCY_BIT specifies that the image can be partially backed using sparse memory binding. Images created with this flag must also be created with the VK_IMAGE_CREATE_SPARSE_BINDING_BIT flag.

- VK_IMAGE_CREATE_SPARSE_ALIASED_BIT specifies that the image will be backed using sparse memory binding with memory ranges that might also simultaneously be backing another image (or another portion of the same image). Images created with this flag must also be created with the VK_IMAGE_CREATE_SPARSE_BINDING_BIT flag.

- VK_IMAGE_CREATE_MUTABLE_FORMAT_BIT specifies that the image can be used to create a `VkImageView` with a different format from the image. For multi-planar formats, VK_IMAGE_CREATE_MUTABLE_FORMAT_BIT specifies that a `VkImageView` can be created of a plane of the image.

- VK_IMAGE_CREATE_CUBE_COMPATIBLE_BIT specifies that the image can be used to create a `VkImageView` of type VK_IMAGE_VIEW_TYPE_CUBE or VK_IMAGE_VIEW_TYPE_CUBE_ARRAY.

- VK_IMAGE_CREATE_2D_ARRAY_COMPATIBLE_BIT specifies that the image can be used to create a `VkImageView` of type VK_IMAGE_VIEW_TYPE_2D or VK_IMAGE_VIEW_TYPE_2D_ARRAY.

- VK_IMAGE_CREATE_2D_VIEW_COMPATIBLE_BIT_EXT specifies that the image can be used to create a `VkImageView` of type VK_IMAGE_VIEW_TYPE_2D.

- VK_IMAGE_CREATE_PROTECTED_BIT specifies that the image is a protected image.

- VK_IMAGE_CREATE_SPLIT_INSTANCE_BIND_REGIONS_BIT specifies that the image can be used with a non-zero value of the `splitInstanceBindRegionCount` member of a VkBindImageMemoryDeviceGroupInfo structure passed into vkBindImageMemory2. This flag also has the effect of making the image use the standard sparse image block dimensions.

- VK_IMAGE_CREATE_BLOCK_TEXEL_VIEW_COMPATIBLE_BIT specifies that the image having a compressed format can be used to create a `VkImageView` with an uncompressed format where each texel in the image view corresponds to a compressed texel block of the image.

- VK_IMAGE_CREATE_EXTENDED_USAGE_BIT specifies that the image can be created with usage flags that are not supported for the format the image is created with but are supported for at least one format a `VkImageView` created from the image can have.

- VK_IMAGE_CREATE_DISJOINT_BIT specifies that an image with a multi-planar format must have each plane separately bound to memory, rather than having a single memory binding for the whole image; the presence of this bit distinguishes a disjoint image from an image without this bit set.

- VK_IMAGE_CREATE_ALIAS_BIT specifies that two images created with the same creation parameters and aliased to the same memory can interpret the contents of the memory consistently with each other, subject to the rules described in the Memory Aliasing section. This flag further specifies that each plane of a disjoint image can share an in-memory non-linear representation with single-plane images, and that a single-plane image can share an in-memory non-linear representation with a plane of a multi-planar disjoint image, according to the rules in https://registry.khronos.org/vulkan/specs/latest/html/vkspec.html#formats-compatible-planes. If the `pNext` chain includes a VkExternalMemoryImageCreateInfo or VkExternalMemoryImageCreateInfoNV structure whose `handleTypes` member is not `0`, it is as if VK_IMAGE_CREATE_ALIAS_BIT is set.

- VK_IMAGE_CREATE_SAMPLE_LOCATIONS_COMPATIBLE_DEPTH_BIT_EXT specifies that an image with a depth or depth/stencil format can be used with custom sample locations when used as a depth/stencil attachment.

- VK_IMAGE_CREATE_CORNER_SAMPLED_BIT_NV specifies that the image is a corner-sampled image.

- VK_IMAGE_CREATE_SUBSAMPLED_BIT_EXT specifies that an image can be in a subsampled format which may be more optimal when written as an attachment by a render pass that has a fragment density map attachment. Accessing a subsampled image has additional considerations:

  - Image data read as an image sampler will have undefined values if the sampler was not created with `flags` containing VK_SAMPLER_CREATE_SUBSAMPLED_BIT_EXT or was not sampled through a combined embedded sampler and image mapping if using descriptor heaps, or the use of a combined image sampler with an immutable sampler in `VkDescriptorSetLayoutBinding`.

  - Image data read with an input attachment will have undefined values if the contents were not written as an attachment in an earlier subpass of the same render pass.

  - Image data read as an image sampler in the fragment shader will be additionally be read by the device during VK_PIPELINE_STAGE_VERTEX_SHADER_BIT if `VkPhysicalDeviceFragmentDensityMap2PropertiesEXT`::`subsampledCoarseReconstructionEarlyAccess` is VK_TRUE and the sampler was created with `flags` containing VK_SAMPLER_CREATE_SUBSAMPLED_COARSE_RECONSTRUCTION_BIT_EXT.

  - Image data read with load operations are resampled to the fragment density of the render pass if `VkPhysicalDeviceFragmentDensityMap2PropertiesEXT`::`subsampledLoads` is VK_TRUE. Otherwise, values of image data are undefined.

  - Image contents outside of the render area take on undefined values if the image is stored as a render pass attachment.

- VK_IMAGE_CREATE_FRAGMENT_DENSITY_MAP_OFFSET_BIT_EXT specifies that an image can be used in a render pass with non-zero fragment density map offsets. In a render pass with non-zero offsets, fragment density map attachments, input attachments, color attachments, depth/stencil attachment, resolve attachments, and preserve attachments must be created with VK_IMAGE_CREATE_FRAGMENT_DENSITY_MAP_OFFSET_BIT_EXT.

- VK_IMAGE_CREATE_DESCRIPTOR_BUFFER_CAPTURE_REPLAY_BIT_EXT specifies that the image can be used with descriptor buffers when capturing and replaying (e.g. for trace capture and replay), see VkOpaqueCaptureDescriptorDataCreateInfoEXT for more detail.

- VK_IMAGE_CREATE_MULTISAMPLED_RENDER_TO_SINGLE_SAMPLED_BIT_EXT specifies that an image can be used with multisampled rendering as a single-sampled render pass attachment

- VK_IMAGE_CREATE_ALIAS_SINGLE_LAYER_DESCRIPTOR_BIT_KHR specifies that a single layer image view created from this image can be accessed with both `Arrayed` equal to 0 and `Arrayed` equal to 1 in a shader. If accessed with `Arrayed` equal to 1 in a shader, and VkImageViewCreateInfo::`viewType` is VK_IMAGE_VIEW_TYPE_1D or VK_IMAGE_VIEW_TYPE_2D, the image is treated as having an array size of `1`, and `subresourceRange.baseArrayLayer` is accessed. If accessed with `Arrayed` equal to 0 in a shader, and VkImageViewCreateInfo::`viewType` is VK_IMAGE_VIEW_TYPE_1D_ARRAY or VK_IMAGE_VIEW_TYPE_2D_ARRAY, the descriptor is accessed as-if the view was created with VK_IMAGE_VIEW_TYPE_1D or VK_IMAGE_VIEW_TYPE_2D respectively. Cube map view aliasing is not included by this flag bit. Also, image views created with a multi-planar format can not alias like this.

- VK_IMAGE_CREATE_VIDEO_PROFILE_INDEPENDENT_BIT_KHR specifies that the image can be used in video coding operations without having to specify at image creation time the set of video profiles the image will be used with, except for images used only as DPB pictures, as long as the image is otherwise compatible with the video profile in question.

  Note | This enables exchanging video picture data without additional copies or conversions when used as: Decode output pictures, regardless of the video profile used to produce them. Encode input pictures, regardless of the video profile used to consume them. This includes images created with both VK_IMAGE_USAGE_VIDEO_DECODE_DST_BIT_KHR and VK_IMAGE_USAGE_VIDEO_DECODE_DPB_BIT_KHR, which is necessary to use the same video picture as the reconstructed picture and decode output picture in a video decode operation on implementations supporting VK_VIDEO_DECODE_CAPABILITY_DPB_AND_OUTPUT_COINCIDE_BIT_KHR. However, images with only DPB usage remain tied to the video profiles the image was created with, as the data layout of such DPB-only images may be implementation- and codec-dependent. If an application would like to share or reuse the device memory backing such images (e.g. for the purposes of temporal aliasing), then it should create separate image objects for each video profile and bind them to the same underlying device memory range, similar to how memory resources can be shared across separate video sessions or any other memory-backed resource.

See Sparse Resource Features and Sparse Physical Device Features for more details.

## See Also

VK_VERSION_1_0, VkImageCreateFlags

## Document Notes

For more information, see the Vulkan Specification.

This page is extracted from the Vulkan Specification. Fixes and changes should be made to the Specification, not directly.

## Copyright

Copyright 2014-2026 The Khronos Group Inc.

SPDX-License-Identifier: CC-BY-4.0