Getting started
- Open Tracer and allow camera access — AR needs the live camera feed
- Move the phone slowly so ARKit can detect the surface you want to trace on
- Tap the photo button (top right) and pick your reference image
- Tap the surface to anchor the image in place
- Pinch to scale, twist to rotate, drag to move — then dial in the opacity slider
- Tap the lock button once it is positioned, so gestures stop moving it while you draw
The image won't stay in place
AR anchoring depends on how much visual detail the camera can see. Tracing works best on a surface with some texture and even lighting.
- Avoid plain white walls, glass and mirrors — there is nothing for ARKit to lock onto
- Turn on more light, or use the flashlight button in the app
- Keep the phone steady in a stand or tripod once the image is anchored
- Lock the image so a stray finger doesn't drag it
Nothing happens when I tap a surface
Tracer needs two things before it can anchor: a reference image loaded, and a detected surface. If the ARKit coaching overlay is still asking you to move the phone, keep panning slowly until it disappears.
Also check that the image isn't locked — a locked image ignores taps and gestures by design.
Camera permission
Tracer cannot work without camera access. If you declined it, you can grant it again in Settings → Privacy & Security → Camera → Tracer, or use the "Open Settings" button on the in-app prompt.
Tracer never asks for photo library permission: it uses Apple's system picker, which only hands over the single image you choose.
Supported devices
Tracer requires iOS 16 or later on an iPhone with ARKit support (iPhone 6s or newer). Devices with a LiDAR scanner get more accurate surface detection, but it is not required.
Privacy
Tracer has no servers, no analytics and no accounts. Everything happens on your device. Full details in the Privacy Policy.
Still stuck?
Email us with your iPhone model, your iOS version and a short description of what happened. Screenshots or a screen recording help a lot.