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Use case · AR and VR

3D assets for AR and VR that load fast and look right up close

For AR, VR and WebXR creators building for headsets, phones and the browser.

Quick answer

How do you create 3D models for AR and VR?

Generate or model the object, keep its polygon count and textures within the device's budget, and export it in the format the platform reads: GLB for WebXR, Android and most headsets, USDZ for Apple's AR Quick Look. Vi3W generates retopologised, PBR-textured models as GLB, which converts to USDZ in Blender.

At a glance

What AR and VR gets from Vi3W.

Best format for WebXR and Android
GLB (glTF 2.0)
Apple AR Quick Look
USDZ, converted from GLB in Blender
Vi3W exports
GLB / glTF, FBX, OBJ
Materials
PBR, so they react to real-world lighting estimates

The 3D workflow with Vi3W

From a simple idea to a production-ready model, in four steps.

  1. 1

    Input

    Start with a text prompt, a sketch or an image.

  2. 2

    AI generation

    Vi3W creates a textured 3D model in seconds.

  3. 3

    Edit and refine

    Adjust style, geometry, materials and LOD.

  4. 4

    Export and use

    Export and import into your favourite tools.

Why AR and VR are harder on assets

Immersive scenes break the usual shortcuts. Headsets render every frame twice, once per eye, at high frame rates, so a polygon or texture budget that is fine on a desktop can stutter in VR. In AR the object sits in a real room, so materials must respond believably to real light, and anyone can walk right up to it, so flat painted detail gives itself away.

A workflow that fits the budget

  1. Generate the object from a prompt, sketch or reference photo in Vi3W. It arrives retopologised, so its polygon count is already far below a raw generation's.
  2. Export GLB. It is the native format of WebXR viewers, Android's AR tools and Google's <model-viewer>.
  3. Optimise for the device. Resize textures to 2K or less, compress them, and add LOD levels for anything that can be seen from far away.
  4. Convert for Apple devices. Import the GLB into Blender and export USD with a .usdz extension, which packages the model and its textures for AR Quick Look.

Materials that survive real lighting

AR frameworks estimate the room's lighting and apply it to virtual objects. PBR materials are built for exactly that: their base colour carries no baked lighting, so the object takes on the light of wherever it is placed. Painted-in shadows would point the wrong way in half the rooms it appears in.

What this doesn’t do

  • No USDZ export from Vi3W. Export GLB and convert it, for example in Blender.
  • Not a 3D scanner. For a measured replica of a real product, use photogrammetry or LiDAR scanning. Vi3W interprets a reference image rather than measuring the object.
  • Static meshes only. Animated or rigged AR characters need rigging in a DCC tool first.
  • Budgets are yours to verify. Test on the slowest target device. A model that runs well on a new phone can stutter on a standalone headset.

Recommended formats

Choose the right format for your workflow.

Recommended 3D formats by workflow
FormatBest forNotes
GLB / glTFWeb, AR/VR, Godot, Three.js, BlenderRecommended. One file carries the mesh, UVs and PBR textures.
FBXUnity, Unreal Engine, DCC pipelinesWidely supported. Unity imports it natively.
OBJLegacy tools, 3D printing prepMesh and UVs only. Its .mtl predates metallic and roughness maps.
USDZAR on iPhone and iPad (Quick Look)Not a direct export. Convert the GLB in Blender or Reality Converter.

Tool integrations

Import Vi3W models into popular tools.

Frequently asked questions

What is 3D in VR?

In VR, 3D means the scene is rendered twice, once for each eye from slightly different positions, so your brain perceives real depth. Every object is an actual 3D model placed in a virtual space, not a picture, so you can walk around it and see it from any side. That is why VR needs genuine 3D assets rather than images.

obj/glTF to USDZ from terminal without Xcode?

Yes. Blender can do it, including from the command line: import the glTF, then export USD with a .usdz file extension, and Blender writes a USDZ package with the textures inside. Blender runs on Windows and Linux as well as macOS, so you do not need a Mac or Xcode for the conversion.

Blender USDZ export still not possible in 3.5?

It is possible in current Blender. Choose File → Export → Universal Scene Description and give the file a .usdz extension. The Blender manual describes the result as a zip archive containing the USD and its texture dependencies. Check the result in AR Quick Look on a real device, because material support differs between USD viewers.

Related workflows

Capabilities, integrations and terms for this workflow.

AR and VR

Make your first AR-ready model

Generate in the browser, export GLB, place it in the room.

Open the editorSee all use cases

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