# Geometry node only rendering when Realize Instances is used

**URL:** <https://blenderartists.org/t/geometry-node-only-rendering-when-realize-instances-is-used/1650430>\
**Category:** Lighting and Rendering\
**Created:** [August 15, 2026, 7:25am UTC](https://blenderartists.org/t/geometry-node-only-rendering-when-realize-instances-is-used/1650430 "2026-08-15T07:25:40Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 7\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![usernew](https://blenderartists.org/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/u/ccd318/32.png) [@usernew](https://blenderartists.org/u/usernew)\
**Post date:** [August 15, 2026, 7:25am UTC](https://blenderartists.org/t/geometry-node-only-rendering-when-realize-instances-is-used/1650430/1 "2026-08-15T07:25:40Z")

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The vines just don’t show up in final render. They work if I use realize Instances node but that defeats the purpose of using instances.

Here is the thing:

 ![image](https://blenderartists.org/uploads/default/original/4X/6/0/0/600ccb8dd95e8c71786e82e1fb7c3b834bdda750.png)

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**Author:** ![zeauro](https://blenderartists.org/user_avatar/blenderartists.org/zeauro/32/443778_2.png) [@zeauro](https://blenderartists.org/u/zeauro)\
**Post date:** [August 15, 2026, 8:01am UTC](https://blenderartists.org/t/geometry-node-only-rendering-when-realize-instances-is-used/1650430/2 "2026-08-15T08:01:50Z")

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That is probably because you are instancing collections.  
They may behave differently than instanced objects.

You should not disable renderability of original collections. That is also disabling renderability of their instances. You should exclude them from view layer, instead.

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**Author:** ![usernew](https://blenderartists.org/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/u/ccd318/32.png) [@usernew](https://blenderartists.org/u/usernew)\
**Post date:** [August 15, 2026, 8:04am UTC](https://blenderartists.org/t/geometry-node-only-rendering-when-realize-instances-is-used/1650430/3 "2026-08-15T08:04:20Z")

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Everything you are seeing in the viewport and render is instances of collections, including the wooden poles, and crops. But somehow the problem is only for the vines. This could be nested instances issue but I am struggling to understand that concept.

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**Author:** ![zeauro](https://blenderartists.org/user_avatar/blenderartists.org/zeauro/32/443778_2.png) [@zeauro](https://blenderartists.org/u/zeauro)\
**Post date:** [August 15, 2026, 8:24am UTC](https://blenderartists.org/t/geometry-node-only-rendering-when-realize-instances-is-used/1650430/4 "2026-08-15T08:24:13Z")

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With collections, the granularity impose to respect the switches for viewport display and renderability.

With a simple set-up of instanced object and instancer, we can manage that at object level without issues.

Here, if there is a collection inside a collection, renderability of inside of collection may be taken into account.  
Use of Seperate Children option, may explain that some collections are rendered.

You are also using Menu switches of collections.  
Issue could also be a wrong collection, being instanced instead of wanted one.

This issue is in the outliner or in node editor.

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**Author:** ![oo\_1942](https://blenderartists.org/user_avatar/blenderartists.org/oo_1942/32/797904_2.png) [@oo\_1942](https://blenderartists.org/u/oo_1942)\
**Post date:** [August 15, 2026, 8:34am UTC](https://blenderartists.org/t/geometry-node-only-rendering-when-realize-instances-is-used/1650430/5 "2026-08-15T08:34:25Z")

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![image](https://blenderartists.org/uploads/default/original/4X/d/c/5/dc5c68d8e8c8baf9d65de382699815539710c96f.png)

Disabling A to hide the Collection Instance does not affect rendering.

However, if you disable B, the Instance object will not be rendered.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![usernew](https://blenderartists.org/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/u/ccd318/32.png) [@usernew](https://blenderartists.org/u/usernew)\
**Post date:** [August 15, 2026, 9:33am UTC](https://blenderartists.org/t/geometry-node-only-rendering-when-realize-instances-is-used/1650430/6 "2026-08-15T09:33:10Z")

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Then how are the other stuffs rending? The crops (instance of a collection) at bottom and wooden poles are also disabled yet they render perfectly fine.

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**Author:** ![usernew](https://blenderartists.org/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/u/ccd318/32.png) [@usernew](https://blenderartists.org/u/usernew)\
**Post date:** [August 15, 2026, 9:45am UTC](https://blenderartists.org/t/geometry-node-only-rendering-when-realize-instances-is-used/1650430/8 "2026-08-15T09:45:45Z")

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is this because I have Alt+D to distribute fruits in the instanced collection?