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

=== Assistant: Gotcha — thanks for the clarification. ===
Gotcha — thanks for the clarification. Since Rendered View works but the final render (F12) does not, that narrows it down a LOT. Based on your screenshot and Blender 5.0.1, this is almost certainly one of the following render-only exclusions.

I’ll go straight to the most likely causes, in order.

==== This is very easy to miss. ====

===== In the Outliner (top right), look at your Spot light: =====

You’ll see icons like:
* 👁️ = viewport
* 🎥 = render

➡️ Make sure the 🎥 camera icon is ON for the Spot light

If the camera icon is off:
* Light shows in viewport
* Does NOT appear in final render

This matches your symptom perfectly.

==== Workbench ignores lights completely. ====

===== - Go to Render Properties =====
* Render Engine must be: - ✅ Eevee - or ✅ Cycles
* ❌ NOT Workbench

Even if viewport is correct, F12 uses the render engine.

==== If you’re using View Layers: ====
* Top right → ViewLayer
* Make sure the light is in the active collection
* Make sure that collection is enabled for rendering

Collections also have a 🎥 icon.

==== Your light has non-uniform scale, and Blender warns about it: ====

: 

This can break spotlights in renders.

===== 1. Select the Spot light =====
# Press Ctrl + A
# Apply Scale

Then:
* Increase Power (try 5000–10000 W)
* Adjust Spot Size, NOT scale

==== Do this in your SAME FILE: ====
# Shift + A → Light → Point Light
# Set Power = 5000
# Place it above the cubes
# Press F12

===== - ✅ If the new light renders → your Spot light settings are broken =====
* ❌ If it doesn’t → render engine / collection / camera issue

==== Check these only if above fails: ====

===== - World Strength > 1.0 can flatten lighting =====
* Set World Strength to 0.1

===== - Press Numpad 0 =====
* Make sure camera actually points at the lighted surface

===== - Disable Compositing =====
* Render again

==== If it still doesn’t work, show me one of these: ====
* Render Properties panel
* Outliner (with camera icons visible)
* The F12 render result

We’re past guessing now — this is a toggle or scale issue, not a Blender bug.