Tutorial — Vision Pro Builds

Augmented Traveler local tutorial. Back to Unreal — Tutorials · surface: Apple Vision Pro — Process · other headsets: Tutorial — OpenXR Headset Builds

What Unreal can and can't do on Apple Vision Pro in September 2026, how to make a test build, and the other routes if we need mixed reality.

1. Where things stand (September 2026)

Fact Detail
Support level Experimental, since UE 5.4
Mode Full immersion only. No mixed reality or passthrough, no shared space, no "progressive" immersion
Epic's position (January 2026, forums) "Still considered experimental and we have no roadmap to take it to Beta… unlikely you'll see significant improvements"
Reported issues (5.7) MSAA renders black, SMAA renders one eye, vr.PixelDensity has no effect, the app breaks after pressing Home, world-space UI text is pixelated. Users report 5.7 worse than 5.6.1
UE 5.8 requirements visionOS 2.4 with Xcode 26.1.1 recommended (26.0 minimum); macOS Sonoma 14.5 or later on the build Mac

Consequence for us: Unreal on Vision Pro is fine for an internal test of a full-immersion room (the Vestal House room with Mitchell). It is not a dependable public product, and it can't do the "figure standing in your real room" experience that makes Vision Pro attractive.

2. Our decision

  1. Kiosk and Quest remain the priority surfaces. Vision Pro stays optional and unfunded until a partner asks for it (see the optional visionOS developer in Year One Budget — Personnel).
  2. For a mixed-reality Vision Pro piece (the figure in your own room), plan a native RealityKit or Unity PolySpatial build using exported assets, not Unreal:
    • the figure: export an animated USD (skeletal animation plus baked face animation) of an authored monologue. This is a performance, not live conversation;
    • props: USD from Maya (Tutorial — USD for Maya);
    • live conversation would need a separate lip-sync solution on device or streamed. Treat it as research.
  3. Revisit when UE6 plans for visionOS are announced.

3. Making a Unreal full-immersion test build (Mac seat)

  1. Hardware: an Apple silicon Mac with Xcode 26.1.1, an Apple Developer account and a Vision Pro in developer mode.
  2. Engine: the same UE 5.8 project, opened on the Mac. Install the iOS/visionOS target components in the launcher.
  3. Project settings:
    • turn on the visionOS platform;
    • set the bundle ID and signing team;
    • use a headset level (baked lighting, Optimized MetaHuman, cards hair, skinned clothing);
    • avoid MSAA until checked (it rendered black in 5.7 reports).
  4. Package for visionOS and deploy through Xcode (Tutorial — Packaging Builds for Each Surface).
  5. On-device checks:
    • both eyes render;
    • text readable;
    • frame rate steady;
    • Home and return works;
    • microphone permission string set.
  6. Record every issue on this page with the UE and visionOS versions.

4. Alternatives at a glance

Route Mixed reality Our assets Effort
Unreal (visionOS target) ❌ Full immersion only Direct Low to try; unreliable
Unity PolySpatial (needs Unity Pro, Enterprise or Industry) ✅ RealityKit, Metal or hybrid modes Via FBX/USD; MetaHuman look won't match Medium; see Unity — Process
Native RealityKit / Reality Composer Pro ✅ USD (animated) Medium; Swift developer needed
Native Metal (Compositor Services) Full immersion (passthrough via Apple's newer APIs) Custom renderer High

Sources