Augmented Reality (AR)

Let your customers see 3D models in their real environment using AR. Simplio3D supports two AR modes — Default (surface placement) and Wearable (virtual try-on) — on both iOS (AR Quick Look) and Android (Google Scene Viewer).

How it works: The AR model is a live export of the configured scene — the exact materials, options, and placed modules the shopper currently sees. On desktop, the AR button bakes that configuration into an AR handoff session and shows a QR code linking to your shared viewer with ?ar=1&ars=<sessionId>; the phone launches AR from the baked model immediately and restores the same selections in the viewer. On mobile, AR launches directly via the phone's native AR viewer (AR Quick Look on iOS, Scene Viewer on Android).

AR Modes

Default Mode (Surface Placement)

The standard AR experience. Users point their phone camera at a flat surface (floor, table, desk) and the 3D model is placed in their real environment. They can then walk around it, zoom in, and see it at real-world scale. Best for furniture, appliances, decor, packaging, and any freestanding product.

Wearable Mode (Virtual Try-On)

A body-tracking AR experience where the 3D model is attached to the user's body. The model follows the user's face, wrist, hand, or body as they move. Best for jewellery, watches, glasses, hats, masks, and accessories.

Wearable Mode Categories

Category	Tracking Target	Example Products
Face	Tracks the user's face using front camera.	Glasses, sunglasses, masks, face shields, headbands.
Wrist / Hand	Tracks the user's wrist or hand.	Watches, bracelets, rings, gloves, fitness bands.
Body	Tracks the user's upper body / torso.	Necklaces, scarves, ties, pendants, body armour.

Enabling AR

1Open your project and click the Settings (gear) icon.
2Go to the "Advanced" tab.
3Toggle "Enable AR (Augmented Reality)" ON.
4Choose the AR mode: Default (surface placement) or Wearable (try-on).
5For Wearable mode: select the tracking category (Face, Wrist/Hand, or Body).
6Optionally upload a .usdz file — used as an iOS fallback; the QR handoff bakes a configured USDZ automatically.
7Leave "Mobile AR button" ON (the default) to show the "View in your space" button to mobile visitors.
8Optionally toggle "Prompt mobile visitors to view the product in AR" to show a dismissible AR prompt banner on mobile.
9Toggle "AR Analytics" to track AR engagement metrics.
10Save your project — AR is now available in the shared viewer.

USDZ Files for iOS

iOS AR Quick Look renders Apple's USDZ format. Simplio3D generates a configured USDZ automatically from the live scene — the desktop QR handoff and the mobile AR button both hand iOS a USDZ matching the shopper's current configuration, so no manual file is required. A pre-uploaded .usdz (Settings → Advanced → AR) is kept as a fallback for when on-device generation isn't possible.

When to pre-upload a USDZ: upload a hand-tuned file when you want full control over the iOS AR asset, or as a safety net behind the generated one. To convert GLB to USDZ:

Apple Reality Converter (free, macOS only) — best quality
Blender — File > Export > Universal Scene Description (.usdz)
Online tools — Search "GLB to USDZ converter"

AR on Desktop (QR Code)

When a desktop user clicks the AR button in the floating tools toolbar:

1Simplio3D bakes the current configuration into a GLB snapshot (plus a configured USDZ for iOS) and creates a 24-hour AR handoff session.
2A polished QR code modal appears encoding the share URL with ?ar=1&ars=<sessionId> appended.
3Users scan with their phone camera (most phones support this natively).
4The link opens the shared viewer on their phone: AR launches immediately from the baked snapshot — no re-export wait — and the viewer restores the exact same configuration on screen.
5Users can also copy or open the link directly from the dialog.

Handoff sessions expire after 24 hours. An expired link still opens the shared viewer — it just shows the default configuration instead of the saved one.

AR on Mobile

"View in your space" button — mobile visitors see a floating AR button (labelled "Try on (AR)" in Wearable mode). Controlled by the "Mobile AR button" setting, on by default.
AR prompt banner — with "Prompt mobile visitors to view the product in AR" enabled, organic mobile visits show a dismissible "See it in your space" banner with an Open AR action.
Instant launch on scanned links — opening a QR handoff link launches AR from the session's baked model right away, then restores the configuration in the viewer.
Fresh exports on tap — tapping AR directly on mobile exports the live scene; if an export is still running, the launch is queued and opens automatically when ready.

AR Analytics

When AR Analytics is enabled, Simplio3D tracks the following events:

Dialog Opened

Desktop user opened the QR code modal

QR Code Copied

User copied the AR link to clipboard

iOS AR Launch

AR Quick Look opened on iPhone/iPad

Android AR Launch

Scene Viewer opened on Android

Auto-launch

AR triggered via ?ar=1 on mobile

Link Opened

User opened the AR link in a new tab

Session Created

Desktop QR baked an AR handoff session

Session Restored

Phone restored a configuration via the QR link

Launch Failed

Native AR could not start on the device

Prompt Shown

Mobile AR prompt banner displayed

Prompt Accepted

Visitor tapped Open AR on the prompt

View analytics via the API: GET /projects/:id/ar-analytics

Requirements: AR requires your project to be shared (with a share link) — the configured snapshots are uploaded automatically to a secure HTTPS URL, which Android Scene Viewer needs (blob URLs never work for Android AR). In the editor's Preview modal, the AR QR code points at the published share link; if the project isn't published yet, the dialog shows a "publish first" hint instead of a QR code.

More in Projects

Project OverviewUnderstand the three project types — Viewer, Configurator, and Modular — and choose the right one for your product.Editor UI & FeaturesTour the project editor: modes, panels, the 3D viewport, undo/redo, autosave, and the resizable layout.Objects ModeManage the scene hierarchy, transforms, pivots, nested subgroups, and per-part visibility in Objects mode.Options ModeAdd and configure the 16 option block types — dropdowns, material swatches, toggles, hotspots, text and number inputs, and more.Modular ProjectsBuild drag-and-drop modular configurators with the snap system, connection rules, and per-side constraints (Pro/Enterprise).Conditional LogicShow, hide, or disable blocks, variants, and 3D parts based on shopper selections with rule-based conditional logic.Pricing ModeSet up CPQ pricing with base prices, price groups, 1D/2D price tables, unique modular prices, variables, and formulas.Forms ModeCollect leads and orders with contact forms — name, email, dropdowns, consent, add-to-cart, and save-configuration fields.Project SettingsConfigure 140+ project settings: display, branding, lighting, camera, AR, e-commerce, email, and PDF export.Sharing & EmbeddingPublish a configurator, generate a shareable link, embed it with an iframe, and control access with passwords and domain restrictions.AI Assistant & Agent WorkflowsLet the AI audit, repair and build your configurator — with you approving every sensitive change.Build a Configurator with AITurn a short product description into a working configurator — review and edit the build plan, attach any missing 3D models or textures, then approve the pricing and store steps as it builds.AI WorkflowsFollow, answer, approve, resume and cancel the multi-step jobs the AI runs against your projects from the AI Workflows page in your dashboard.