Explained · 30 second read

AR puts something
on top of what you
already see.

In short: AR (augmented reality) shows digital content, like an image or animation, layered on top of the real world through a phone or glasses camera. Nothing physical changes. Drag the arrow below to see it happen instead of reading about it.

Camera + AR Anchored here stays fixed as you walk

Nothing physical changed. A phone or a pair of glasses adds a marker that stays locked to this one spot, this is the entire idea behind AR.

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How you'd actually use it

Three ways to open it

An app, a link, or nothing at all, just glasses. The AR content itself doesn't change.

Inside an app Snapchat, TikTok, or a brand's own app. You already have it installed, the AR lives inside a camera tab.
In a browser (WebAR) Open a link or scan a code. No app install at all. Works the moment the page loads.
Directions 120m ahead
On your face, hands-free Smart glasses float the same kind of content right in front of your eyes. No screen to hold, hands stay free.
What it locks onto

AR has to track something

Content has to lock onto a real thing, or it just floats around uselessly. Four things it can lock onto.

A face Filters, masks, and effects that follow your face as it moves.
A surface Objects placed on a real floor, table, or wall, and they stay put.
An image or code A poster, product label, or QR code that triggers content when scanned.
A real place Content anchored to GPS coordinates, findable only when you're near it.
Not concept art. Shipped work.

Four real examples

House of the Dragon AR
House of the Dragon
AR campaign
 Chester Zoo Luna's Lost Spell WebAR
Chester Zoo
WebAR trail
 Noodle on Snap Spectacles
Noodle
Smart glasses AI
 007 First Light WebAR filter
007 First Light
WebAR filter
Now you know what it is

Tell us what you're picturing.
We'll tell you what it takes to build it.

Snap & TikTok Lenses WebAR, no app Smart glasses AR mirrors
Start a project

6 years directing AR campaigns, official Snap & TikTok partner. Replies within 48 hours.

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Quick answers

Is AR the same as VR?

No. VR replaces what you see with a fully digital world. AR adds digital content on top of the real world you can still see, through a phone or glasses camera.

Do I need to download an app to see AR?

Not always. WebAR runs from a browser link with no install. Native AR (Snapchat, TikTok, a brand's own app) needs the app already installed. Smart glasses need no phone at all.

What can AR content lock onto?

A face, a flat surface like a floor or table, a specific image or QR code, or a real GPS location. Content has to anchor to one of these or it won't stay in place.