# How to view a property in augmented reality, step by step

Canonical URL: https://homeview3d.com/en/guides/view-property-in-ar/  
Language: en-GB · Updated: 2026-09-28 · Author: Home View 3D team  
Español: https://homeview3d.com/guias/ver-una-vivienda-en-realidad-aumentada/

> To view a home in augmented reality you need an iPhone or iPad on iOS 12 or later, or an ARCore-compatible Android phone: tap the button, point at a table or the floor and the property appears, with nothing to install. Here are the steps and the fixes. Home View 3D includes AR with every 3D model, from €490 + VAT.

## Key facts

- **iPhone and iPad**: iOS or iPadOS 12 or later, in Safari
- **Android**: 7.0 or later, ARCore-compatible
- **App to install**: None: AR Quick Look and Scene Viewer
- **Modes**: 1:20 tabletop model and real size
- **Table space**: About 46 × 70 cm for the demo villa
- **Demo download**: 5.3 MB on iPhone; 7.0 MB on Android
- **On a computer**: QR code to open it on a phone
- **Requirements checked**: 28 September 2026

## What do you need to view a property in AR?

A compatible phone or tablet and the link to the property. On iPhone and iPad, iOS or iPadOS 12 or later and Safari. On Android, version 7.0 or later on an ARCore-compatible phone. There is no app to install: augmented reality opens in viewers Apple and Google already provide.

On Apple devices the viewer is [AR Quick Look](https://homeview3d.com/en/glossary/#ar-quick-look), which opens [USDZ](https://homeview3d.com/en/glossary/#usdz) files from Safari, according to [Apple’s documentation](https://developer.apple.com/augmented-reality/quick-look/). On Android it is Google’s [Scene Viewer](https://homeview3d.com/en/glossary/#scene-viewer), which opens [GLB](https://homeview3d.com/en/glossary/#glb) files; it also needs recent versions of the Google app and Google Play Services for AR, as its [Scene Viewer page](https://developers.google.com/ar/develop/scene-viewer) explains.

Google keeps the list of [ARCore-supported devices](https://developers.google.com/ar/devices). As a rule, the phone must have shipped with the Google Play Store and run Android 7.0 or later, unless the list gives a different minimum.

## Try it on your table with our demo villa

On a phone, tap the button. On a computer, scan the QR code with your phone’s camera. It is the upper floor of a Costa del Sol villa modelled from a single floor plan; the [full case study](https://homeview3d.com/en/case-studies/costa-del-sol-villa/) adds the 3D viewer and the renders.

- **iPhone and iPad** (Opens in AR Quick Look in Safari.): [1:20 model on your table, USDZ 5.3 MB](https://homeview3d.com/models/villa_maqueta_1a20.usdz) · [Real size, USDZ 8.2 MB](https://homeview3d.com/models/villa_tamano_real.usdz)
- **Android** (Opens in Google Scene Viewer on phones with ARCore.): [1:20 model on your table, GLB 7 MB](https://homeview3d.com/models/villa-ar-maqueta.glb) · [Real size, GLB 7.9 MB](https://homeview3d.com/models/villa-ar.glb)
- **On a computer**: Scan the code with your phone’s camera to open the villa in augmented reality, on iPhone, iPad or Android. [Open the augmented reality page](https://homeview3d.com/en/ar/villa/)

## How do you view it on an iPhone or iPad?

With our demo villa, or with the link your estate agent sent you.

1. **Open the link in Safari**: If it arrived by WhatsApp, Instagram or LinkedIn, open it in Safari from the share menu: some apps’ built-in browsers won’t launch augmented reality.
2. **Tap “View in your room” and pick a mode**: “1:20 model on your table” shows the whole layout; “Real size” lets you walk through the rooms at their true scale.
3. **Let the download finish**: The iPhone downloads the whole file before showing anything: 5.3 MB for the demo tabletop model and 8.2 MB for real size.
4. **Point at the table or the floor**: Move the iPhone slowly until it detects the surface. The home settles onto it by itself.
5. **Walk around it**: Lean in to each room. Drag with one finger to move it and twist with two to rotate. On the tabletop model you can pinch to resize; at real size the scale is fixed at 100%.
6. **Switch to “Object” if space is tight**: At the top you’ll see “AR” and “Object”: the second shows the home in 3D without the camera. Tap the cross to close.

## And on an Android phone?

Almost the same; only the viewer changes, as Android uses Google’s.

1. **Open the link in Chrome**: If it opened inside another app, move it to Chrome from that app’s menu.
2. **Tap the button and accept the prompts**: Scene Viewer opens. The first time, it may ask for camera access, or ask you to install or update Google Play Services for AR from Google Play: that is the Google component that runs augmented reality.
3. **Point at the floor or a table**: Move the phone slowly until it finds the surface and the home appears. The demo tabletop model is 7.0 MB and the real-size one 7.9 MB.
4. **Explore it**: Drag to move it and twist with two fingers to rotate. The tabletop model can be resized; at real size the scale is locked, as on iPhone.
5. **If your phone isn’t compatible**: Scene Viewer shows the home in 3D on screen, without the camera. You can keep exploring it that way or go back to the 3D viewer on the page.

## What do you see in each mode: 1:20 tabletop or real size?

The same home at two scales. At 1:20, every real metre takes up 5 cm on the table.

**The two augmented reality modes of the demo villa**

| Aspect | 1:20 tabletop model | Real size 1:1 |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Where to place it | A table, a kitchen worktop or the floor | Clear floor space: a living room, terrace, garden or the plot itself |
| What you see | The whole floor from above, walls cut at 1.15 m | The rooms at their true size, all around you |
| Space needed | About 46 × 70 cm | 9.1 × 14.1 m for the whole floor |
| Scale | Can be enlarged or reduced | Fixed at 100% |
| What it is for | Grasping the layout and showing it to several people at once | Judging the space: will the sofa fit, is the hallway wide enough |
| iPhone file | 5.3 MB | 8.2 MB |
| Android file | 7.0 MB | 7.9 MB |

If the floor plan had no dimensions, real-size measurements are approximate (≈), as they are for our demo villa.

## Which file does each device open?

Each system gets its own format. These are the actual demo files and their sizes.

**Demo villa formats and how each one opens**

| Device | How it opens | Format | Size |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Computer, phone or tablet | 3D viewer on the page, nothing to install | GLB (Meshopt and WebP) | 3.1 MB |
| iPhone and iPad | AR Quick Look in Safari: 1:20 tabletop model | USDZ | 5.3 MB |
| iPhone and iPad | AR Quick Look in Safari: real size | USDZ | 8.2 MB |
| Android with ARCore | Google Scene Viewer: 1:20 tabletop model | GLB | 7.0 MB |
| Android with ARCore | Google Scene Viewer: real size | GLB | 7.9 MB |
| Computer | A QR code opens augmented reality on the phone | Link | No download |

## Why won’t augmented reality open?

The most common problems, and how to fix them on the spot with the buyer watching.

**Common problems when viewing a property in augmented reality**

| What happens | Why | What to do |
| --- | --- | --- |
| No AR button on the computer | Desktop browsers don’t open these viewers | Scan the QR code with a phone |
| The button does nothing inside WhatsApp, Instagram or LinkedIn | Some apps’ built-in browsers don’t launch AR | Open the link in Safari or Chrome |
| On iPhone the file downloads or a blank page opens | The link didn’t open in Safari | Copy it and open it in Safari |
| On Android it shows in 3D but without the camera | The phone doesn’t support ARCore | Check Google’s list; meanwhile, explore it in 3D |
| Android asks to install Google Play Services for AR | Scene Viewer needs it | Accept: it installs from Google Play |
| The home won’t settle, or drifts | Low light, a plain glossy surface or fast movements | More light, a textured surface and slow movements |
| It takes a long time to open | The phone downloads the whole file first | Use Wi-Fi and start with the tabletop model, which is smaller |
| Real size doesn’t fit | The villa’s floor plate measures 9.1 × 14.1 m | Step onto a terrace or into the garden, or use the tabletop model |

According to the [WebKit team](https://webkit.org/blog/8421/viewing-augmented-reality-assets-in-safari-for-ios/), Safari’s augmented reality also works in apps that open links in Safari’s own view; other in-app browsers may not support it.

## How do agents share AR: a link, a QR code or WhatsApp?

With a link to the property page, never the bare file. The page detects whether the buyer is on an iPhone, an Android phone or a computer and shows the right button; a bare file doesn’t open the same way on every phone and leaves the buyer no route back to you.

- **WhatsApp or email:** send the link with one line of instructions, for example: “Here’s the home in 3D. Open it in Safari or Chrome, tap ‘View in your room’ and point at a table.”
- **QR code:** on the for-sale board, in the office window, on the development brochure or on the sales-suite table, always pointing to the page.
- **Your website:** the 3D viewer with its AR button, embedded with an iframe.
- **Portals:** use the link wherever the portal allows one. We don’t promise the viewer embedded inside a portal listing: idealista, for instance, only accepts tours from its approved providers.

For a buyer in Manchester or Rotterdam, that WhatsApp link is often the first time they see the layout at scale. Home View 3D delivers the link, the embed code and the AR files with every [complete 3D model](https://homeview3d.com/en/pricing/); the service itself is described in [augmented reality for real estate](https://homeview3d.com/en/augmented-reality-real-estate/).

## How do you demo it at a viewing or in a sales suite?

Five minutes of preparation save you from “it won’t load” in front of the client.

- Test it on your phone before the meeting, with the exact link you will use.
- Get on Wi-Fi or check your signal: the file downloads in full.
- Find a clear, well-lit table that isn’t glass or high-gloss lacquer.
- Start with the 1:20 model to explain the layout; switch to real size on a terrace or in a large room.
- Let the buyer hold the phone and walk around the model.
- Afterwards, send them the link on WhatsApp so they can show it at home.

> **What augmented reality doesn’t replace**
>
> - A viewing: AR shows layout and scale, not the real condition of a finished home.
> - Official measurements: if the plan has no dimensions, measurements are approximate (≈).
> - A computer: on desktop you only get the QR code or the 3D viewer.
> - Android phones without ARCore support: they show the home in 3D, without the camera.

- [Living room towards the terrace. 3D render of the anonymised villa.](https://homeview3d.com/assets/img/villa_interior_salon-1200.9e81a23e.webp): Living room of the villa at eye level, with a corner sofa and sliding panels towards the terrace. 3D render of the anonymised villa.

Images generated from the 3D model (renders), not photographs.

## Frequently asked questions

### Do buyers need to download an app to view a property in AR?

No. On iPhone and iPad, augmented reality opens in AR Quick Look from Safari; on Android, in Google’s Scene Viewer. The only thing Android may ask the first time is to install or update Google Play Services for AR, the Google component that runs it. Home View 3D delivers every home ready to open with one tap, with nothing of ours to install.

### Which iPhones can show a property in AR?

According to Apple, AR Quick Look works on iPhone and iPad running iOS or iPadOS 12 or later. Open the link in Safari, because some apps’ built-in browsers won’t launch augmented reality. The tabletop model of the Home View 3D demo villa is 5.3 MB, so it is worth being on Wi-Fi or a good signal before you tap the button.

### How do I know if my Android phone supports ARCore?

Google publishes the list of ARCore-supported devices. As a rule, the phone must have shipped with the Google Play Store and run Android 7.0 or later, unless the list says otherwise. If it isn’t supported, Scene Viewer shows the home in 3D without the camera. Home View 3D prepares a separate file for Android in every delivery.

### Why won’t AR open from WhatsApp?

Because WhatsApp, Instagram and other apps open links in their own built-in browser, which may not launch augmented reality. The fix is to open the same link in Safari on iPhone or Chrome on Android. On the homes Home View 3D delivers, the page shows that tip, so buyers abroad aren’t left stuck with a button that does nothing.

### Can I view a property in AR on a laptop?

No: desktop browsers don’t open Apple’s or Google’s augmented reality viewers. On a computer, the property page shows a QR code instead; scan it with your phone’s camera and AR opens on the phone. Meanwhile, on the big screen you can explore the home in our 3D viewer, room by room.

### How much space do I need to see the home at real size?

As much as the home takes up. The upper floor of our demo villa measures 9.1 × 14.1 m, so a normal living room fits one or two rooms and a garden or large terrace fits far more. The 1:20 tabletop model needs about 46 × 70 cm of table. Home View 3D delivers both modes with every home.

### How much mobile data does AR use?

As much as the file, which the phone downloads in full before showing it. For the Home View 3D demo villa, the tabletop model is 5.3 MB on iPhone and 7.0 MB on Android; real size is 8.2 MB and 7.9 MB. On Wi-Fi or good 4G or 5G it takes a few seconds; if data is tight, start with the tabletop model.

### How do I send the AR view to a buyer abroad?

Send the link to the property page by WhatsApp or email, and put a QR code on boards and brochures. Don’t send the bare file: the page picks the right format for iPhone or Android. Home View 3D includes the link, the viewer and augmented reality with the complete 3D model, from €490 + VAT, delivered in 3 to 5 working days.

## Sources

- [Apple Developer: AR Quick Look](https://developer.apple.com/augmented-reality/quick-look/): Requirements: iOS or iPadOS 12 or later.
- [Google for Developers: Scene Viewer](https://developers.google.com/ar/develop/scene-viewer): Requirements, formats and 3D fallback without ARCore.
- [Google for Developers: ARCore supported devices](https://developers.google.com/ar/devices): List maintained by Google.
- [WebKit: viewing augmented reality assets in Safari for iOS](https://webkit.org/blog/8421/viewing-augmented-reality-assets-in-safari-for-ios/): How Safari opens AR links.

## Keep reading

- [App-free augmented reality](https://homeview3d.com/en/augmented-reality-real-estate/): The home on the table at 1:20 or at real size, from the buyer’s own phone, with nothing to install.
- [Case study: Costa del Sol villa](https://homeview3d.com/en/case-studies/costa-del-sol-villa/): A villa modelled from a single floor plan, with no photos: figures, renders, viewer, augmented reality and the limits of the case.
- [Interactive 3D floor plans](https://homeview3d.com/en/interactive-3d-floor-plans/): An embeddable 3D viewer for your listing, with rooms, a guided tour and cut-away mode, built from the plan.
- [3D model from a plan, Matterport or 360 tour?](https://homeview3d.com/en/guides/3d-model-vs-matterport/): What each option needs, whether it works off-plan, photorealism, AR, turnaround and price, with sources.
- [For developers selling off-plan](https://homeview3d.com/en/off-plan-3d-visualisation/): Every unit type in 3D, with CGI and augmented reality for the sales suite, fairs and buyers abroad.

## Want to see your property in AR?

Send us the floor plan: we will model one room free of charge and send you the link to open it on your phone, on the table or at real size. No obligation.

## Contact

- Get your demo: https://homeview3d.com/en/contact/
- Email: homeview3d.contacto@gmail.com
- Phone: +34 685 49 49 82
- WhatsApp: https://wa.me/34685494982