It might seem like it should be complicated to explore your 3D photos in your Meta Quest 3/3S headset, but the truth is it’s pretty simple. It's because we figured out how to process and render 3D Gaussian splats—a technology that’s less than two years old—on the devices you already have. (Here's a whole lot more backstory if you're curious.)

With Into the Scaniverse, the new WebXR app for Meta Quest, you can go from capturing to immersing yourself in your scan in just a few minutes.

Still suffering from preconceived notions? Let’s clear up five common myths about viewing your 3D photos in the Meta Quest. It’s easier and faster than you might think—and free.

Myth #1: It takes too long

Open the Scaniverse app on your phone and decide what you want to scan. (Be sure to choose the “splat” option if you want to view your scan in VR).

Once you’re ready to start, it’s a quick process:

  • Capture: 1-3 minutes

  • Processing: 1-2 minutes, thanks to Scaniverse’s unique on-device processing capability

  • Save your scan and close it: 15 seconds

  • Go to Library, open your scan: 20 seconds

  • Hit the “share” button and click “Post to Map” (or click “share link” if you want to upload an unlisted splat that only you can view): 1 minute or less

That’s it! Once your scan has been uploaded, it’s ready to be viewed in VR. You put on your headset, go to IntotheScaniverse.com and click “Launch on Meta Quest 3/3S.” Sign in to your Niantic account, and your splats will be there under “Profile” for you to open and explore.

Here's a detailed tutorial of how to do it all. Not counting travel time from your scan site to a safe spot for putting on your headset, the whole process takes less than ten minutes.

Myth #2: It costs money

Scaniverse and Into the Scaniverse are both free to use. Splats that users publicly share become part of Niantic's Large Geospatial Model, which is an effort to map the world in 3D. Scaniverse also uses your own device to process your splats, which avoids the costs of cloud processing.

Myth #3: It requires sideloading

You access the app just by navigating to IntotheScaniverse.com in the web browser of your VR headset. You don’t need to install any other apps or plug-ins. If you’re reading this on a mobile browser with your headset nearby, here's a magic link to send the link directly to your headset.

A native Into the Scaniverse app will be available in the Meta Store soon!

Myth #4: The images will be low quality

The magical thing about splats is that they produce life-like 3D scans using only 2D images captured from your smartphone. Read more about splats if you haven’t heard about this amazing new technology yet.

That said, you will get the best results by following a few basic tips for scanning. Capture your scene for 1-3 minutes—any longer, and the quality starts to go down. Scan objects and surfaces from a variety of angles. Walk around at a slow, natural pace, and be careful to avoid obstacles.

You can find more tips in the “How To” section.

Myth #5: It’s hard to share your 3D photos

Scaniverse and Into the Scaniverse are great for sharing. Once you create your splat, you can share it to the public map, or you can create an unlisted splat visible only to you.

If you want to look at a splat a friend has created, have your friend share the link to the splat with you and open it in Scaniverse. Tap the heart to “like” the splat. This saves it to your “Liked” folder. To view it in VR, open Into the Scaniverse and find the splat in your “Liked” folder, then click on it.

It gets even easier after you do it a few times. No special knowledge or skills are required. Anyone can create high-quality, shareable VR content with Scaniverse.

Welcome to the future of XR!