---
title: Tracking preregistered images in 3D space
framework: visionos
role: article
role_heading: Article
path: visionos/tracking-images-in-3d-space
---

# Tracking preregistered images in 3D space

Place content based on the current position of a known image in a person’s surroundings.

## Overview

Overview Use ARKit’s support for tracking 2D images to place 3D content in a space. ARKit provides updates to the image’s location as it moves relative to the person. If you supply one or more reference images in your app’s asset catalog, people can use a real-world copy of that image to place virtual 3D content in your app. For example, if you design a set of movie posters and provide those assets to people in the form of real-world environments, they can view the trailer for the movie in a fully immersive experience. The following example tracks a set of images loaded from an app’s asset catalog: let session = ARKitSession() let imageInfo = ImageTrackingProvider(     referenceImages: ReferenceImage.loadReferenceImages(inGroupNamed: "playingcard-photos") )

if ImageTrackingProvider.isSupported {     Task {         try await session.run([imageInfo])         for await update in imageInfo.anchorUpdates {             updateImage(update.anchor)         }     } }

func updateImage(_ anchor: ImageAnchor) {     if imageAnchors[anchor.id] == nil {         // Add a new entity to represent this image.         let entity = ModelEntity(mesh: .generateSphere(radius: 0.05))         entityMap[anchor.id] = entity         rootEntity.addChild(entity)     }          if anchor.isTracked {         entityMap[anchor.id]?.transform = Transform(matrix: anchor.originFromAnchorTransform)     } } If you know the real-world dimensions of the images you’re tracking, use the physicalSize property to improve tracking accuracy. The estimatedScaleFactor property provides information about how the scale of the tracked image differs from the expected physical size you provide.

## See Also

### ARKit

- [Happy Beam](visionos/happybeam.md)
- [Setting up access to ARKit data](visionos/setting-up-access-to-arkit-data.md)
- [Incorporating real-world surroundings in an immersive experience](visionos/incorporating-real-world-surroundings-in-an-immersive-experience.md)
- [Placing content on detected planes](visionos/placing-content-on-detected-planes.md)
- [Tracking specific points in world space](visionos/tracking-points-in-world-space.md)
- [Exploring object tracking with ARKit](visionos/exploring_object_tracking_with_arkit.md)
- [Object tracking with Reality Composer Pro experiences](visionos/object-tracking-with-reality-composer-pro-experiences.md)
- [Building local experiences with room tracking](visionos/building-local-experiences-with-room-tracking.md)
- [Placing entities using head and device transform](visionos/placing-entities-using-head-and-device-transform.md)
- [Drawing in the air and on surfaces with a spatial stylus](visionos/drawing-in-the-air-and-on-surfaces-with-a-spatial-stylus.md)
- [Preparing spatial accessories for tracking in your visionOS app](arkit/preparing-spatial-accessories-for-tracking-in-your-visionos-app.md)
- [Working with generic spatial accessories](visionos/working-with-generic-spatial-accessories.md)