What Is WebXR? VR & AR in Your Browser, Explained
A beginner's guide · kept up to date
In one sentence: WebXR is the technology that lets virtual reality and augmented reality run inside a web browser — you click a link and you're inside the experience, with no app store and nothing to install.
If you've ever put on a VR headset, you know the routine: find the app, download it, wait, grant permissions, launch. WebXR throws that out. It's an open web standard — the WebXR Device API — that gives websites direct access to VR and AR hardware. An immersive experience becomes just another thing on the web: a URL you can open, bookmark, and share.
WebXR vs. a VR app: the no-install advantage
| Native VR app | WebXR experience | |
|---|---|---|
| Getting in | Search store, download, install | Click a link |
| Sharing | Send a store listing | Send a URL |
| Updates | Re-download a new build | Always the latest, instantly |
| Device lock-in | Often one store / one headset | Runs across headsets, phones & desktops |
That "click a link" difference is the whole point. It's the same leap the web made over installed desktop software — applied to immersive 3D. For a quick, low-commitment first taste of VR, nothing beats it.
What do you need to try WebXR?
Less than you might think. WebXR is designed to degrade gracefully — the same page can offer full VR to a headset and a simple 360°/3D view to everyone else.
| You have… | What you get |
|---|---|
| A VR headset (e.g. Meta Quest) | Full room-scale VR, hand or controller tracking |
| A modern phone | 360° look-around and many AR experiences |
| A laptop or desktop | A 3D scene you explore with mouse and keyboard |
Tip: On a headset, open its built-in browser (such as the Meta Quest Browser), visit an experience, and look for an "Enter VR" button. On a phone or computer, you can usually just start exploring right on the page.
Try it right now — no setup
The fastest way to understand WebXR is to open one. Here are a few favourites from our directory that work in a regular browser and shine in a headset:
- XR Dinosaurs — wander a friendly prehistoric park (great first demo)
- Moonrider — a slick rhythm/saber game in your browser
- Pet Me! — a tiny, charming "pet the creature" scene
- Project Flowerbed — a calm VR gardening experience from Meta's demo lab
- Mozilla Hubs — shared, multi-user virtual rooms
Want more? Browse the full directory by what you're in the mood for —
Games,
Experiences,
Social or
Art.
How does WebXR actually work?
Under the hood, the browser exposes an XR session in one of three modes:
inline (a 3D view embedded in the page), immersive-vr (full VR), and immersive-ar (digital content layered over your real surroundings). The browser handles the headset, the tracking, and the two-eye rendering; the website provides the 3D world.
Almost nobody writes raw WebXR by hand. Creators build on frameworks that do the heavy lifting — you can read about the main ones, like A-Frame, Three.js, Babylon.js and PlayCanvas, in our Frameworks section.
WebXR vs. WebVR: a quick history
You may still see the term WebVR. That was the original, experimental API for browser-based VR — now deprecated. WebXR replaced it with one modern API covering both VR and AR, better performance, and broader device support. If you're building or choosing experiences today, WebXR is the standard that matters.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a VR headset?
No — many experiences work on a normal phone or computer. A headset just unlocks the full, room-scale version.
No — many experiences work on a normal phone or computer. A headset just unlocks the full, room-scale version.
Is WebXR safe?
Yes. It runs in the browser's sandbox like any website, there's nothing to install, and entering VR always needs your permission. Close the tab to leave.
Yes. It runs in the browser's sandbox like any website, there's nothing to install, and entering VR always needs your permission. Close the tab to leave.
Does it cost anything?
The experiences in our directory are free to open in your browser. WebXR itself is an open web standard.
The experiences in our directory are free to open in your browser. WebXR itself is an open web standard.
Which browser should I use?
On a headset, use its built-in browser. On desktop, a Chromium-based browser (Chrome or Edge) gives the widest WebXR support today.
On a headset, use its built-in browser. On desktop, a Chromium-based browser (Chrome or Edge) gives the widest WebXR support today.
Ready to explore? Browse the VR Sites directory — an open, curated collection of WebXR experiences you can open in one click.