How to start making AR in 2026: 5 steps

You don't need to code or know 3D to start making AR. The quickest path is to make one small project from start to finish: a printed photo that plays a video. Then add interactivity, publish it, test it on real phones and look at the numbers. These five steps take you there with Web-AR.Studio, and the links at the end tell you where to ask when you get stuck.

Step 1. Pick the right editor

Web-AR.Studio has several editors. Choose by what you want to make, not by what sounds most powerful:

Editor	Best for
WAS Lite Studio	template projects: attach files, fill in fields, done
WAS Design Studio	your own projects: photo, QR, surface and location tracking, scenes, animations and actions
WAS 3D Configurator	3D product viewers with AR, embedded on your website

If you are not sure, start with a template. You will see a finished project from the inside and learn faster than from a blank page.

Step 2. Make a living photo first

A living photo is the classic first AR project: you point the phone at a printed photo, and it starts to play a video. It teaches you the basics in one go: how a picture becomes a trigger, how content sits on top of it, and how to publish.

The one trick to learn here: make the first frame of the video match the photo. Then the photo seems to come alive instead of being covered. Full guide: how to make an AR living photo.

And pick a photo with plenty of detail. A picture that tracks badly is the most common reason a first project "doesn't work": how to pick a picture that tracks well.

Step 3. Add interactivity

Once your photo plays, make it react. In WAS Design Studio:

• Actions and animations. Make an element respond to a tap: play an animation, open a link, show something new.
• Scenes and transitions. Split your project into scenes, such as a start screen, the main content and a final screen, and connect them.
• The logic editor. When you need "if this, then that", the visual logic editor adds conditions and branches without code.

A small quiz is a great exercise: it uses all three. See how to make a WebAR game without code.

Need a model, a picture or a short clip? The editor can generate 3D models, images, video and text with AI, and has the Sketchfab library built in. More: where to get 3D models, video and sound.

Step 4. Publish and test on real phones

Publish the project and open it the way your audience will: from the QR code, on a phone, pointed at the real print. Try two or three phones, including an older one, in daylight and in the evening, on mobile data.

When it works, make it yours: connect your own domain and customise the loading screen. See how to connect your domain and AR design and UX: 10 rules.

Step 5. Learn from the numbers

Web-AR.Studio has built-in analytics, so you can see how your project is used without setting anything up. You can also connect Google or Facebook counters. Look at what people open and where they stop, change one thing, publish again and compare. That loop teaches you more than any course.

Five beginner mistakes to skip

• Starting too big. A first project with ten scenes rarely gets finished. Make one small thing work end to end, then grow it.
• Testing only on the computer. AR happens on a phone, in a real place. What looks perfect on your monitor can be too small, too dark or too slow on a phone.
• A trigger without detail. A logo on white or a smooth gradient gives the camera nothing to hold on to. Check the picture before you build around it.
• Heavy files. A huge video or model makes people wait at the start, and many leave before anything appears. Compress first.
• No call to action on the print. People don't know a poster can do anything. Tell them what to scan and what they will see.

Where to get help

• Web-AR.Studio Wiki: how-tos for the editors.
• YouTube channel: video guides and example projects.
• Discord: ask the community and the team, and get help with your project.
• Telegram and GitHub: report bugs and suggest features.
• Email: support@web-ar.studio. All channels are listed on the technical support page.

Teaching AR at a school or a university? Web-AR.Studio has education plans for teachers and institutions.

Ready for step one? Create your first project in WAS Lite Studio. The basic features are free, with no time limit and no bank card.

FAQ

Do I need to know 3D or programming?

No. The editors are visual: you drag elements, fill in fields and set actions. You can learn 3D later if you want to make your own models.

What equipment do I need?

A computer with a browser to build, and a phone to test. Nothing to install.

How long does it take to make the first project?

A template project takes minutes once you have the photo and the video ready. Most of the time goes into preparing good files.

Where can I see what other people make?

The examples pages on this site show typical projects, from living photos to mini-games.