vkCmdBindIndexBuffer(3)

# vkCmdBindIndexBuffer(3) Manual Page

## Name

vkCmdBindIndexBuffer - Bind an index buffer to a command buffer

## C Specification

To bind an index buffer to a command buffer, call:

    // Provided by VK_VERSION_1_0
    void vkCmdBindIndexBuffer(
        VkCommandBuffer                             commandBuffer,
        VkBuffer                                    buffer,
        VkDeviceSize                                offset,
        VkIndexType                                 indexType);

## Parameters

- `commandBuffer` is the command buffer into which the command is recorded.

- `buffer` is the buffer being bound.

- `offset` is the starting offset in bytes within `buffer` used in index buffer address calculations.

- `indexType` is a VkIndexType value specifying the size of the indices.

## Description

`buffer` and `offset` specify the bound index buffer range, with a range of memory bound from [`base` + `offset`, `base` + `offset` + `size`), where `size` is from `offset` to the end of the `buffer`.

If the `maintenance6` feature is enabled, `buffer` can be VK_NULL_HANDLE. If `buffer` is VK_NULL_HANDLE and the `nullDescriptor` feature is enabled, every index fetched results in a value of zero.

Valid Usage

- VUID-vkCmdBindIndexBuffer-offset-08782
  `offset` must be less than the size of `buffer`

- VUID-vkCmdBindIndexBuffer-offset-08783
  The sum of `offset` and the base address of the range of `VkDeviceMemory` object that is backing `buffer`, must be a multiple of the size of the type indicated by `indexType`

- VUID-vkCmdBindIndexBuffer-buffer-08784
  `buffer` must have been created with the VK_BUFFER_USAGE_INDEX_BUFFER_BIT usage flag set

- VUID-vkCmdBindIndexBuffer-buffer-08785
  If `buffer` is non-sparse then it must be bound completely and contiguously to a single `VkDeviceMemory` object

- VUID-vkCmdBindIndexBuffer-indexType-08786
  `indexType` must not be VK_INDEX_TYPE_NONE_KHR

- VUID-vkCmdBindIndexBuffer-indexType-08787
  If `indexType` is VK_INDEX_TYPE_UINT8, the `indexTypeUint8` feature must be enabled

- VUID-vkCmdBindIndexBuffer-None-09493
  If the `maintenance6` feature is not enabled, `buffer` must not be VK_NULL_HANDLE

- VUID-vkCmdBindIndexBuffer-buffer-09494
  If `buffer` is VK_NULL_HANDLE, offset must be zero

Valid Usage (Implicit)

- VUID-vkCmdBindIndexBuffer-commandBuffer-parameter
  `commandBuffer` must be a valid VkCommandBuffer handle

- VUID-vkCmdBindIndexBuffer-buffer-parameter
  If `buffer` is not VK_NULL_HANDLE, `buffer` must be a valid VkBuffer handle

- VUID-vkCmdBindIndexBuffer-indexType-parameter
  `indexType` must be a valid VkIndexType value

- VUID-vkCmdBindIndexBuffer-commandBuffer-recording
  `commandBuffer` must be in the recording state

- VUID-vkCmdBindIndexBuffer-commandBuffer-cmdpool
  The `VkCommandPool` that `commandBuffer` was allocated from must support VK_QUEUE_GRAPHICS_BIT operations

- VUID-vkCmdBindIndexBuffer-videocoding
  This command must only be called outside of a video coding scope

- VUID-vkCmdBindIndexBuffer-commonparent
  Both of `buffer`, and `commandBuffer` that are valid handles of non-ignored parameters must have been created, allocated, or retrieved from the same VkDevice

Host Synchronization

- Host access to `commandBuffer` must be externally synchronized

- Host access to the `VkCommandPool` that `commandBuffer` was allocated from must be externally synchronized

Command Properties

Command Buffer Levels | Render Pass Scope | Video Coding Scope | Supported Queue Types | Command Type
--- | --- | --- | --- | ---
Primary Secondary | Both | Outside | VK_QUEUE_GRAPHICS_BIT | State

Conditional Rendering

vkCmdBindIndexBuffer is not affected by conditional rendering

## See Also

VK_VERSION_1_0, VkBuffer, VkCommandBuffer, VkDeviceSize, VkIndexType

## 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