Using the uncovAR app

Getting the app

Download uncovAR free from the App Store or Google Play.

The first time you open it, the app asks for two permissions:

• Camera: required. Scanning doesn't work without it.
• Location: optional. It is only needed for experiences tied to a specific place.

Creating an account (optional)

You don't need an account to scan. Creating one saves your scan history, so it follows you to other devices and stays if you reinstall the app.

1. Tap the profile icon on the home screen.
2. Select Create Account.
3. Choose a username and enter your email and a password, or use Sign in with Google. Your username is how you appear in uncovAR and can't be changed later.

Already have an account? Tap Sign In instead. If you scan as a guest first, those scans move to your account when you create one.

Scanning an image

1. Open the app to the home screen.
2. Tap the scan button to start scanning.
3. Point the camera at the image.
4. Hold the phone steady. The app usually finds the image in a second or two.
5. The AR content locks onto the image and starts playing.

Point the camera away to pause and point it back to pick up where you left off. Tap a video to watch it full screen.

YouTube videos: some images are linked to a YouTube video. When you scan one, the video opens in YouTube right away instead of appearing on the image. Scanning stops while you’re away, so tap the scan button again when you come back to scan something else.

Lighting and the flash

The light on the image affects the whole experience. Too little light and the app may struggle to find the image. Too much and the content may not sit on it properly.

In a dim space, tap the flash button to light up the image. On iPhone each tap makes the light brighter, going from low to medium to high, and the next tap turns it off. On Android the flash simply turns on and off.

Start with the lowest setting and only go brighter if you need to. Strong light can cause glare, especially on glossy prints, framed pictures and screens. Glare hides parts of the image from the camera, which can make the overlay shift, flicker or lose its place. If that happens, lower the flash or tilt the phone slightly so the reflection moves off the image.

Scanning tips

• Make sure the image is evenly lit, without harsh glare or deep shadows.
• Keep the phone steady and fit the whole image in the frame.
• Face the image straight on. Sharp angles make it harder to track.
• If nothing appears, move closer or change your angle slightly.

Location-based content

Some experiences only unlock when you are near a particular place, such as a mural, a venue or an exhibit. These need location access turned on for the app.

Scan history

Recent scans appear on the home screen. If you are signed in, your history is saved to your account and follows you between devices. As a guest it stays on that one device until you create an account, and then it moves over.

Managing your account

When you're signed in, tap the profile icon on the home screen.

• Profile lets you add your first and last name.
• Advanced settings lets you change your sign-in email or password, clear your scan history or delete your account.

These pages open in your browser on portal.uncovar.app, using the same account as the app.

Signing out

1. Tap the profile icon on the home screen.
2. Select Sign Out.

You can keep scanning as a guest afterward.

Troubleshooting

If an image won't scan, start with the lighting and the scanning tips. Light and angle cause most problems. If the content still doesn't appear, the image may not have been uploaded yet or it may have been removed.

For help with a specific experience, contact the creator or business that shared it. For anything else, our support page has answers to common questions and a form to submit a ticket.