---
name: "enableEnvironment"
type: command
status: ok
groups: ["Environment", "Sounds"]
arma3_since: "0.50"
locality: {"argument": null, "effect": "local", "server_exec": false}
source: https://community.bistudio.com/wiki/enableEnvironment
revid: 349663
updated: 2023-11-18T17:02:32Z
---

# enableEnvironment

*Command · Environment, Sounds · Arma 3 v0.50 · introduced in Armed Assault v1.00*

Locality: effect **local**

## Description

Enable/disable environmental effects: ambient life and/or ambient sound.

> [!NOTE]
> This command has to be executed after mission start: be sure to use e.g `sleep 0.1;` for it to take effect.

Influenced sounds among others are:
- bird sounds
- insect sounds
- waves
- wind
- rain
- sounds produced by air conditioners and similar
- Arma 3 v2.06 thunder (an already started sound will not be cut but future ones will be prevented)

## Syntax

### Syntax 1

```sqf
enableEnvironment enable
```

**Parameters:**

- `enable`: [Boolean](../topics/Boolean.md) - [false](../commands/false.md) to disable ambient life and ambient sounds, [true](../commands/true.md) to re-enable it

**Returns:** [Nothing](../topics/Nothing.md)

### Syntax 2

*since arma3 1.68*

```sqf
enableEnvironment [ambientLife, ambientSound, windyCoef]
```

**Parameters:**

- `ambientLife`: [Boolean](../topics/Boolean.md) - enable/disable ambient life (bees, rabbits, birds, snakes, fish)
- `ambientSound`: [Boolean](../topics/Boolean.md) - enable/disable ambient sounds (cicadas, owls, etc)
- `windyCoef`: [Number](../topics/Number.md) - (Optional, default 1) howling wind at heights, range 0..1 *(since arma3 2.12)*

**Returns:** [Nothing](../topics/Nothing.md)

## Examples

### Example 1

```sqf
enableEnvironment false; // identical to enableEnvironment [false, false]
```

### Example 2

```sqf
enableEnvironment [false, true];
enableEnvironment [false, true, 0.5]; // since Arma 3 v2.12
```

## See also

[environmentEnabled](../commands/environmentEnabled.md) · [fadeEnvironment](../commands/fadeEnvironment.md) · [environmentVolume](../commands/environmentVolume.md) · [initAmbientLife](../commands/initAmbientLife.md) · [sideAmbientLife](../commands/sideAmbientLife.md) · [getAllEnvSoundControllers](../commands/getAllEnvSoundControllers.md) · [getEnvSoundController](../commands/getEnvSoundController.md) · [setSoundEffect](../commands/setSoundEffect.md) · Arma 3: Animals: Ambient System

<sub>Source: [BI Community Wiki — enableEnvironment](https://community.bistudio.com/wiki/enableEnvironment) (revision 349663).</sub>