What is WebXR? Browsers, headsets and how to play WebXR games
WebXR is the web standard that lets a website run in a VR headset or on an AR-capable phone. With WebXR, a game or experience is just a web page: you open a link, press Enter VR, and you are in, with no app store, download or install.
This guide covers what WebXR does, which browsers and headsets support it, how to play WebXR games, and how it differs from the older WebVR.
What WebXR does
The WebXR Device API is a W3C standard implemented by browsers. It gives a web page access to the pieces a VR or AR app needs:
- Immersive rendering — the page draws a separate view for each eye at the headset's refresh rate.
- Tracking — the position and rotation of your head, and of your controllers or hands.
- Input — controller buttons, triggers and thumbsticks (through the Gamepad API), plus hand tracking where the headset supports it.
- Augmented reality — on AR devices, placing virtual objects in your real room (
immersive-ar).
Developers usually build WebXR games with Three.js, Babylon.js, A-Frame or PlayCanvas, which handle the WebXR plumbing.
WebXR compatible browsers and headsets
| Device | Browser | VR | AR |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meta Quest 2, 3, 3S, Pro | Meta Quest Browser | Yes | Yes (passthrough) |
| Apple Vision Pro | Safari (visionOS 2+) | Yes | No |
| Pico 4 / Pico Neo | Pico Browser | Yes | Varies |
| PC VR (Quest Link, Valve Index, HTC Vive) | Chrome, Edge on Windows | Yes | No |
| Android phones | Chrome, Samsung Internet | Limited | Yes (ARCore) |
| iPhone / iPad | Safari | No | No |
| Desktop | Firefox | No | No |
Support changes as browsers update, so the best test is to open a WebXR game: if an Enter VR button appears, your browser and headset are ready.
How to play WebXR games
- Put on your headset and open its browser (on Quest, the Meta Quest Browser).
- Go to runxr.app/free-vr-games and pick a game.
- Press Enter VR and allow the permission prompt.
- Play with your controllers. To leave, press the headset's system button or use the game's menu.
On PC VR, open the same page in Chrome or Edge while your headset is connected through Quest Link, Air Link or SteamVR. Many RunXR games also play on a normal screen with a gamepad, keyboard or touch.
WebXR vs WebVR
WebVR was the first, experimental attempt at VR on the web. It only handled VR, worked differently in each browser, and has been removed from modern browsers. WebXR replaced it in 2019 with one API for both VR and AR, a consistent input model and better performance. When people say “web VR” today, they mean WebXR.
Why play games through WebXR?
- No store, no install — a link is all you need, and games update instantly.
- Free and quick to try — jump between games in seconds.
- Cross-device — one game can run on Quest, Vision Pro, PC VR and a flat screen.
- Shareable — send a friend the URL and they can join.
Building a WebXR game?
RunXR publishes WebXR and gamepad-ready HTML5 games for free. Read the publishing guide to add your game, or point an AI coding agent at runxr.app/llms.txt.
WebXR FAQ
What is WebXR?
WebXR (the WebXR Device API) is the web standard that lets a website use a VR headset or AR-capable phone. A WebXR page can render in stereo 3D, track your head and hands, and read your VR controllers, all without installing an app.
Which browsers support WebXR?
Meta Quest Browser, Pico Browser, Safari on Apple Vision Pro, Chrome and Edge on Windows with a PC VR headset, and Chrome on Android for AR. Firefox desktop and Safari on iPhone do not support immersive WebXR.
Is WebXR the same as WebVR?
No. WebVR was an earlier experimental API that browsers removed. WebXR replaced it in 2019 and covers both virtual reality and augmented reality.
Do I need to install anything to play WebXR games?
No. Open the game in a WebXR-compatible browser and press Enter VR. The browser asks for permission, then the game runs in your headset.
Does WebXR work on Meta Quest 3?
Yes. The Meta Quest Browser on Quest 2, Quest 3, Quest 3S and Quest Pro fully supports WebXR, including Touch controllers and hand tracking.
How do I enable WebXR in Chrome?
Nothing to enable: WebXR is on by default in Chrome and Edge on Windows. Connect a headset that uses OpenXR (for example through Meta Quest Link or SteamVR), then press Enter VR on a WebXR page.