Create AR Apps with Unity: Easy Guide for Beginners

Remember the first time you saw a Pikachu pop into your living room through your phone? Or tried on glasses virtually before buying them?

That is Augmented Reality, or AR, bringing digital objects into your real-world space. And thanks to tools like Unity, you don’t need to be a tech expert to create your own AR app.

Whether you are an artist, educator, student, or just curious, this guide will show you how to create AR apps with Unity, even if you have never written a single line of code.

So, What Is Augmented Reality?

AR enhances your real environment with virtual content like 3D models, animations, or overlays. Unlike Virtual Reality, which replaces your surroundings, AR blends digital elements into your physical space using your phone or tablet camera.

From gaming to education to interior design, AR is showing up everywhere. You have probably used it already through face filters, virtual makeup apps, or by scanning a QR code that reveals a 3D object.

Why Unity for AR?

Unity is one of the most popular platforms for building AR apps, and here is why:

• Easy to Use
  Unity’s drag-and-drop tools make it simple to build interactive 3D scenes visually.
• Works Across Devices
  You can deploy to both Android and iOS from the same Unity project.
• Built-in AR Tools
  Unity’s AR Foundation supports ARKit for iOS and ARCore for Android so you can build once and run anywhere.
• Plenty of Learning Resources
  Tutorials, forums, and free templates make the learning curve easier.
• Ready-Made Projects
  Unity offers free sample scenes you can use to get started without coding.

Getting Started: Your First AR App Journey

This walkthrough uses Unity’s free AR Foundation Sample project. It’s one of the easiest ways to create a real, working AR app, no coding required! Just follow along, and by the end, you’ll be able to place virtual objects into your real environment using your phone.

Step 1: Install Unity and Get the Right Modules

To work with Unity, you’ll first need to install two things:

• Unity Hub (a launcher that manages your projects)
  
• Unity Editor (the actual software where you’ll create your app)

You can download both at unity.com/download.

When installing the Unity Editor through Unity Hub, you’ll be asked to select optional modules. Make sure to include:

• Android Build Support(for Android phones or tablets)
• iOS Build Support  (for iPhones or iPads)

Note for iOS users: If you’re planning to build for an iPhone or iPad, you’ll need access to a Mac with Xcode installed later in the process. This is required by Apple for deploying iOS apps

Check if your phone supports AR:
Not all mobile devices are AR-compatible. Before continuing, check if your phone or tablet supports ARCore (Android) or ARKit (iOS).

• For Android, see the full list of supported devices here: developers.google.com/ar/devices
• For iOS, most models from iPhone 8 and newer support ARKit..

These tools are essential if you plan to run your app on mobile devices — and since AR is designed for phones and tablets, you almost certainly will.

Step 2: Download Unity’s AR Foundation Samples

Instead of building from scratch, you’ll use Unity’s official AR Foundation Samples. These are free pre-built scenes that show how to detect surfaces, place objects, and more — no coding needed.

Here’s how to get them:

1. Go to the AR Foundation Samples GitHub page.
2. Click the green Code button, then select Download ZIP.
3. Unzip the folder to a location you can find easily.
4. In Unity Hub, click Open and select the unzipped folder to open the project.

Important: Check which Unity version the sample project was created with. Make sure you’re using the same version or a newer one in Unity Hub. If your version is older, the project might not open correctly.

Once the project loads, don’t worry if it looks complex — you’ll only use a small part of it, and everything you need is already set up.

Step 3: Open a Sample Scene

Inside the project, go to the Assets > Scenes folder and open the SimpleAR scene.

This scene comes pre-configured with everything you need:

• An AR Camera that shows your real-world surroundings
• Built-in tools that detect flat surfaces like floors and tables
• Tap-to-place logic for adding virtual objects
  

You don’t need to set any of this up from scratch — it’s ready to go right out of the box.

Step 4: Replace the Default Object with Something of Your Own

By default, the sample might place a simple cube or a placeholder object. You can change that easily.

If you already have a 3D model (for example, a chair, robot, or animal), you can drag it into the Assets folder. Or, visit the Unity Asset Store from within Unity and download a free 3D object.

Once you’ve got your model:

1. In the Hierarchy, select the XR Origin object. Look for a section named “AR Place Object” in the Inspector.
2. Replace that object with your model by dragging your new prefab into the same slot in the Inspector.

To make an object a prefab, drag the model from the Hierarchy into the Project window. This creates a reusable prefab asset.

Now, when you run the app, your custom object will appear instead.

Step 5: Prepare your Project for Mobile Deployment

Before testing your app on a real device, you need to tell Unity which platform you’re building for and set a few important options.

Here’s how to prepare your project:

1. Go to File > Build Settings and choose either Android or iOS, then click Switch Platform.
2. Click Add Open Scenes to include the current scene.
3. Click Player Settings, and do the following based on your platform:
   

If you’re building for Android:

• Under XR Plug-in Management, make sure ARCore is enabled
• Under Other Settings > Scripting Backend, select IL2CPP
• Under Target Architectures, make sure ARM64 is checked. Most AR devices run 64-bit. Without this, the app might crash or show a black screen.

If you’re building for iOS:

• Under XR Plug-in Management, make sure ARKit is enabled
• Set your Bundle Identifier (e.g. com.yourname.arapp)
• Choose your Minimum iOS Version (usually 12.0 or higher is safe)

Step 6: Build and Run on Your Device

Now it’s time to get your AR app running on your phone or tablet.

For Android:

1. Connect your Android phone via USB.
2. Make sure Developer Mode and USB Debugging are enabled on your device.
3. In Build Settings, click Build and Run. Unity will compile the app and install it directly.
   

For iOS:

1. You’ll need a Mac with Xcode installed.
2. Unity will export an Xcode project when you click Build.
3. Open that project in Xcode, connect your iPhone or iPad, and click Run.

Note: You must use a Mac to deploy to iOS. There’s no workaround for this — it’s a requirement from Apple.

Once installed, open the app on your device, point the camera at a flat surface, and tap the screen. Your 3D object should appear in your real environment.

Beyond the Basics: What’s Next

You’ve just scratched the surface of what’s possible with AR in Unity. Once you’re comfortable placing virtual objects into the real world, there are so many exciting paths you can explore, still using Unity and often still without needing to write code.

Here are a few next steps to consider:

• Image Tracking
  Make AR content appear when your camera sees a specific image, like a movie poster, product label, or business card.
• Face Tracking
  Add AR masks, filters, or effects that move with a person’s face — perfect for fun, interactive experiences.
• Object Tracking
  Recognize real-world items and attach digital content to them, like showing instructions on top of a machine or highlighting parts of a model.
• Persistence
  Let users leave virtual objects in a real location, and have them still there when they return later.
• Multiplayer AR
  Create shared AR experiences where users can see and interact with the same digital content together.

The world of AR is growing fast. It’s no longer just about games or filters — it’s used in education, retail, training, design, and more. The skills you’re picking up by working with Unity and AR Foundation are exactly what companies and creative studios are looking for.

If you’re ready to go deeper and build more advanced experiences, check out the AR and VR programs at MAGES Institute. Their hands-on courses like the Diploma in XR Immersive or Professional Certificate in XR Immersive teach you how to design, build, and deploy full AR/VR applications from the ground up.

So keep going. Keep experimenting. Keep creating.
The real world is just waiting for your digital touch.