VR Headsets
View and interact with ShapeBox scenes in virtual reality using WebXR-compatible headsets.
VR Headsets
ShapeBox supports WebXR, the browser standard for virtual reality, meaning no app installation is needed on your headset — you visit a ShapeBox scene URL in the headset browser and enter VR with a single click.
Supported Headsets
| Headset | Browser | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Meta Quest 2 / 3 / Pro | Meta Quest Browser | Best support; 6DoF controllers |
| Meta Quest 3 | Chrome for Android (sideloaded) | Full WebXR support |
| Apple Vision Pro | Safari | WebXR through visionOS 2+ |
| HTC Vive / Valve Index | Chrome / Edge on Windows | Requires SteamVR or OpenXR runtime |
| Windows Mixed Reality | Edge | Via OpenXR runtime |
| Pico 4 | Pico Browser | WebXR support available |
Note: All WebXR headsets must use an HTTPS URL — ShapeBox published scenes always use HTTPS.
Entering VR Mode
On a compatible headset browser:
- Open your published scene URL in the headset browser
- A Enter VR button appears in the bottom-right corner of the scene viewer
- Tap Enter VR — the scene switches to stereoscopic rendering and controller input activates
On desktop (with a connected headset):
- Open the published scene in Chrome or Edge
- Click the Enter VR button
- Put on the headset — the view appears inside it
VR Navigation and Interaction
| Action | Quest controller | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Teleport | Left stick forward + release | Move through the scene |
| Grab | Grip button | Pick up interactive objects |
| Interact | Trigger | Activate buttons, links, hotspots |
| Rotate scene | Right stick left/right | Rotate the entire scene |
| Open menu | Menu button | Scene UI layer |
You can design scenes with VR-specific interactions using the Scripting API (device.vrController) or the Visual Scripting VR event nodes.
Designing VR-Ready Scenes
Tips for building comfortable VR experiences:
- Scale: Use real-world scale (1 unit = 1 meter). Overly large or small scenes cause disorientation.
- Locomotion: Prefer teleportation over smooth locomotion to minimize motion sickness.
- Frame rate: Target 72 Hz or higher. Reduce polygon count and disable heavy post-processing effects.
- UI: Avoid flat screen-space UI — use world-space 3D UI panels attached to objects.
- Interaction range: Make interactive objects clearly marked and reachable within arm's length or via teleport.
Testing VR in the Editor
You can preview VR mode from the desktop editor without putting on a headset:
- Press Play to enter preview mode
- Open View → VR Preview
- Use the VR Emulator panel to simulate headset position and controller input with mouse/keyboard