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# docs.GL

OpenGL 4
OpenGL 3
OpenGL 2
OpenGL ES 3
OpenGL ES 2

# glDepthMask

## Name

glDepthMask — enable or disable writing into the depth buffer

## C Specification

`void glDepthMask(` | GLboolean flag`)`;

## Parameters

`flag`

  Specifies whether the depth buffer is enabled for writing. If `flag` is `GL_FALSE`, depth buffer writing is disabled. Otherwise, it is enabled. Initially, depth buffer writing is enabled.

## Description

`glDepthMask` specifies whether the depth buffer is enabled for writing. If `flag` is `GL_FALSE`, depth buffer writing is disabled. Otherwise, it is enabled. Initially, depth buffer writing is enabled.

## Associated Gets

glGet with argument `GL_DEPTH_WRITEMASK`

## Notes

Even if the depth buffer exists and the depth mask is non-zero, the depth buffer is not updated if the depth test is disabled. In order to unconditionally write to the depth buffer, the depth test should be enabled and set to `GL_ALWAYS` (see glDepthFunc).

## Tutorials

## Version Support

| OpenGL Version
--- | ---
Function / Feature Name | 2.0 | 2.1 | 3.0 | 3.1 | 3.2 | 3.3 | 4.0 | 4.1 | 4.2 | 4.3 | 4.4 | 4.5
`glDepthMask` | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔

## See Also

glColorMask, glDepthFunc, glDepthRange, glStencilMask

## Copyright

Copyright © 1991-2006 Silicon Graphics, Inc. Copyright © 2010-2014 Khronos Group. This document is licensed under the SGI This document is licensed under the SGI Free Software B License. For details, see https://web.archive.org/web/20171022161616/http://oss.sgi.com/projects/FreeB/.

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