Image-based AR works by recognizing your picture in the camera view. If the picture is hard to recognize, the video appears late or not at all. A little care when choosing the image saves a lot of frustration later.
What makes a good trigger image
- Lots of detail: photos, illustrations with many shapes, textured patterns.
- Good contrast: clear differences between light and dark areas.
- Distinct features: corners, edges and details spread across the whole image, not just one corner.
- No repeated patterns: a grid or stripes look the same everywhere, which confuses recognition.
What to avoid
- Large flat areas of one color.
- A single simple logo on white.
- Mostly text, especially thin fonts.
- Very glossy prints that bounce light back at the camera.
- Very dark or very washed-out images.
Fixing a weak image
If your design is simple, add detail around it: a background photo, a texture, a border with some pattern, or small illustrations. Keep the design you want, just give the phone more to hold on to.
Test before you print
- Upload the image and make your AR video.
- Open the link on a phone and scan the image from another screen.
- Try it from about 30cm to 1m, in dim and bright light.
- If it works, print a single sample and test again. Paper, ink and gloss change how the image looks to a camera.
Scanning several images at once? ARView's Universal Scanner handles up to 15 images.
Images can be JPG or PNG up to 10MB. Ready to try yours? Start on the Video AR page, or read how to make an AR video first.
Frequently asked questions
Why does my AR video not appear?
Common causes are an image with little detail, glare on the print, low light, or scanning from too far away or too close. Try about 30cm to 1m.
Can I use a logo as the trigger?
Simple logos on a flat background often have too little detail. Add texture, a photo or more graphic elements around it.
What file format and size?
JPG or PNG, up to 10MB.