How do QR code AR experiences work?

The QR code opens a web page that loads 3D content and asks for camera access, then starts an augmented reality experience in the browser, so no app needs to be installed.

Do QR code AR campaigns work on iPhone?

Yes, with the right approach. Safari on iPhone does not support WebXR AR, so campaigns use Apple's AR Quick Look, App Clips, or web AR SDKs with their own camera tracking.

What happens to 8th Wall QR codes in 2027?

8th Wall ends hosted projects on 28 February 2027, so printed codes pointing at 8th Wall projects will stop working unless the experience is migrated or the link is redirected.

How big should a QR code be for AR?

It depends on the scanning distance. Test at the real distance and lighting; posters and billboards need much larger codes than packaging, with high contrast and clear space around them.

How much does a QR code AR campaign cost?

A single WebAR experience can start around $999 and a complete AR app around $2,999. Costs rise with 3D assets, interactivity and iPhone-specific options such as App Clips.

QR Code AR Campaigns: How They Work and How to Plan

The short answer

A QR code AR campaign prints a code that opens a web page, and the page starts an augmented reality experience in the phone's browser, with no app to install. On Android, browsers can run WebXR AR directly; on iPhone, campaigns use Apple's AR Quick Look, App Clips or web AR tools with their own tracking. The keys to success are a short, impressive experience, codes that scan easily, and hosting that keeps working for as long as the printed material exists.

How it works, step by step

A shopper scans the QR code with the phone camera.
The code opens a URL, ideally a short link you control.
A web page loads the 3D content and asks for camera access.
The experience starts: an object appears on a surface, a pack comes to life, or a face effect appears.
The page offers a next step: learn more, share, buy or play.

Experience types

Type	What happens	Good for
Surface placement	A 3D object appears on a table or floor	Products, characters, demos
Image or marker tracking	Content attaches to the printed pack or poster	Packaging, posters, books
Face effects	Filters and try-on on the user's face	Cosmetics, entertainment, events
Location-based	Content appears at a place	Tours, trails, events; see how GPS AR works

The iPhone question

Safari on iPhone does not support WebXR augmented reality. Campaigns handle this in three ways:

AR Quick Look: Apple's built-in viewer for USDZ models, easily triggered through Google's model-viewer; great for "see it in your space", limited for interactivity.
App Clips: a small part of a native app that opens from a code without a full install, using ARKit.
Web AR SDKs: commercial tools that do their own camera tracking in the browser on both platforms.

Decide this early, because it shapes what the experience can do on half or more of your audience. Our ARKit vs ARCore vs WebXR guide explains the platforms.

If your campaign uses 8th Wall

8th Wall, a popular commercial WebAR platform, ends hosted projects on 28 February 2027. Any printed code pointing at an 8th Wall project will stop working unless it is migrated. If your QR codes point to a short link you control, migration is just a matter of changing where it redirects. Our 8th Wall migration guide covers the options.

Print and placement rules

Size for distance: a code on a billboard must be much larger than one on a pack; test at the real scanning distance.
Contrast and quiet zone: dark code on a light background with clear space around it.
Short URLs you control: shorter URLs make simpler, more reliable codes, and a redirect lets you change the destination later.
Tell people what happens: "Scan to see it on your table" works better than a bare code.
Test widely: older phones, low light, glossy surfaces and curved packs.

Design for the first five seconds

Most people decide within seconds whether to stay. Load something visible immediately, keep the first interaction obvious, and keep total download size small. A beautiful experience that takes twenty seconds to load on mobile data will be abandoned.

A launch checklist

The code points to a short URL on a domain you own, with a redirect you can change.
The experience works on recent and older iPhones and Android phones.
It loads something visible within a few seconds on mobile data.
There is a clear fallback for phones that cannot run AR, such as a 3D viewer or video.
Analytics are live and tested before printing.
Hosting is paid for the expected life of the printed material.

Hosting for the life of the print

Packaging can stay in kitchens for years, and posters in places long after a campaign ends. Budget hosting for the life of the printed material, or at least redirect the code to a useful page when the campaign closes. Broken codes damage the brand more than no code at all.

Measuring the campaign

Metric	What it tells you
Scans	Reach of the printed material, by placement if codes differ
AR session starts	How many people grant the camera and begin
Time in experience	Whether the content holds attention
Actions	Clicks to buy, learn more, share or play
Repeat scans	Whether people come back, especially for packaging

Costs

A single WebAR experience or demo fits our AR packages from $999, and a complete AR app from $2,999. Costs grow with the number of 3D assets, interactivity, and whether you need an App Clip or native app for iPhone. See our AR app cost guide.

See examples

Our live browser AR demos include poster, marker and model-viewer examples you can scan today. For shopping use cases, see AR in retail.

Sources: ISO/IEC 18004: QR code specification · Apple: AR Quick Look · Google: model-viewer · Apple: App Clips · Google: ARCore and WebXR. Checked October 20, 2026.

QR code AR campaigns: how they work