"AR QR code" gets used for a few different things, so it helps to be clear about what each part does. A QR code is only a link in a square pattern. The augmented reality happens afterwards, in the phone's browser, once that link opens. This guide explains how a QR code and an AR video fit together, and when you need the QR code at all.
What an AR QR code actually is
When someone scans a QR code, the phone opens the web address stored inside it. If that address leads to an AR experience, people call the whole thing an "AR QR code". The code is the doorway. The AR video is what is behind it.
That means you can make an AR video first, then create a QR code from its link with any QR code generator. Nothing about the QR code needs to be special.
Two ways to start an AR video
1. Point the camera at an image
This is how ARView's AR video works. You choose an image, add a video, and publish. Anyone who opens your link and points the phone at that image sees the video play on top of it. The image itself is the trigger, so a poster, a package or a photo can start the video with no QR code on it.
2. Scan a QR code to get to the link
People still need to reach the AR link in the first place. On a printed flyer or a box, a small QR code next to the image does that job: scan the code, the camera view opens, then point it at the picture. On a screen or in a message, a plain link works just as well and no QR code is needed.
Should the QR code itself be the thing that plays the video?
Usually not. Image tracking works by recognising distinctive detail in a picture. A QR code is a repeating pattern of black and white squares, which gives a tracker little unique detail to hold on to, and it is small on most print. A photo or a designed poster with plenty of detail tends to track much better. Our guide to the best images for AR tracking explains what to look for.
Which setup to use
- Printed poster, flyer or box: put the image on the print and add a small QR code with the text "Scan, then point at the picture".
- Business card: a QR code on the back, an image or logo with enough detail on the front. See AR video for print, packaging and business cards.
- Social posts and messages: share the link directly. No QR code needed.
- Shop windows and events: a larger QR code on a sign, placed near the image people will scan.
Steps
- Make your AR video on the Video AR page and publish it to get a link.
- Paste that link into a QR code generator and download the code.
- Place the QR code near the image on your print. Add a short line telling people what to do.
- Test it on a real phone with a printed sample before you print the full run.
The AR link works on iPhone and Android in the phone browser, so viewers do not install an app. How people actually view it is covered in how to view an AR video on iPhone and Android.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a QR code to make an AR video?
No. The image is what starts the video. A QR code or a plain link is only a way to get people to the AR page.
Can I change the video after I print the QR code?
The QR code holds the link, and the link stays the same, so a printed code keeps working. You can edit your AR video from your account, for example to swap the video, without reprinting.
Does the viewer need an app to scan?
No. The phone's built-in camera opens the link, and the AR video runs in the browser. Viewers allow camera access and point at the image.