Quickstart for Android

Set up your development environment

• Install Android Studio version 3.1 or higher with Android SDK Platform version 7.0 (API level 24) or higher.

• You will need a basic understanding of Android development. If you are new to Android, see Building your first Android app for beginners.

Open the sample project

This quickstart uses OpenGL, a programming interface for rendering 2D and 3D vector graphics. Review the Enable ARCore documentation before getting started with the steps below.

Get the sample project by cloning the repository with the following command:

git clone https://github.com/google-ar/arcore-android-sdk.git

In Android Studio, open the hello_ar_java sample project, located in the samples subdirectory within the arcore-android-sdk directory.

Prepare your device or emulator

You can run AR apps on a supported device or in the Android Emulator:

• In the emulator, you must sign into the Google Play Store or update Google Play Services for AR manually.

Run the sample

Make sure your Android device is connected to the development machine and click Run in Android Studio. Then, choose your device as the deployment target and click OK.

Android Studio builds your project into a debuggable APK, installs the APK, and then runs the app on your device. For more information, see Build and Run Your App.

You may be prompted to install or update Google Play Services for AR if it is missing or out of date. Select CONTINUE to install it from Google Play Store.

The hello_ar_java app lets you place and manipulate Android figurines on detected AR plane surfaces. It is implemented with Android GL SurfaceView, which is used to render the camera preview and basic AR objects such as Planes and Anchors. hello_ar_java's render can be found here.

Note: The lifecycle methods in hello_ar_java are different than those normally found in OpenGL applications. To ensure the correct AR setup for your own applications, follow the lifecycle management logic in hello_ar_java.

Use Instant Placement

The Instant Placement API allows the user to place an AR object on the screen without having to wait for ARCore to detect surface geometry. Object placement is refined in real time as the user moves further around the environment. Once ARCore detects the correct pose in the region where the AR object is placed, the white object automatically updates to be pose-accurate, and becomes opaque.

Place a virtual object using Instant Placement

Instant Placement is automatically enabled in hello_ar_java. Tap the gear icon on the screen and choose Instant Placement in the drop-down menu. The Enable Instant Placement checkbox should already be selected.

Tap on the screen to place an object. Make sure to continue moving the device around after seeing the holographic object appear on screen, so that ARCore can get sufficient data about your surroundings to accurately anchor the virtual object.

Next steps

• Try building and running other sample projects in the ARCore SDK.
• Learn how to Enable ARCore in your app.
• Use Augmented Images to build apps that can respond to 2D images, such as posters or logos, in the user's environment.
• Use Cloud Anchors to create shared AR experiences across iOS and Android users.
• Use the Depth API to ensure accurate depth for realistic and immersive user experiences.
• Use Instant Placement to quickly place AR objects on the screen.
• Review the Runtime Considerations.
• Review the Design Guidelines.