Indoor navigation without an app, in the phone browser
Visitors scan a QR code, the route opens in the phone browser and AR arrows appear on the real floor. No download, no account, no beacons in the building.
How does indoor navigation work without an app?
The visitor scans a QR code or taps a link, and a web page opens in iOS Safari or Android Chrome. The phone camera looks around, a visual positioning system matches the view with a 3D map of the venue, and AR arrows guide the visitor across floors to the destination.
- 01
Scan or tap
A QR code at the entrance, a link in a ticket or an email, or a button on your website.
- 02
Allow the camera
The browser asks once. The visitor holds up the phone for a moment.
- 03
Position found
The camera view is matched with the 3D map in under 100 ms.
- 04
Follow the arrows
AR directions on the floor, with escalators, lifts and step-free routes.
Browser-based indoor navigation at a glance
- App to download
- None
- Browsers
- iOS Safari and Android Chrome
- Opens from
- QR code, link, website or kiosk
- Positioning
- Phone camera + 3D map, no beacons
- Relocalization
- Under 100 ms, centimeter-level
What does the QR code do in QR code indoor navigation?
The QR code only opens the web link. It is not a positioning marker, so visitors do not scan a new code at every corridor. After the page opens, the camera and the 3D map keep track of the position. You can place one code at entrances, on directory boards, tickets or kiosks.
Classic QR code wayfinding prints a static map or a fixed route on each code. Here the code is a door into the live route, from wherever the visitor stands.
Is WebAR indoor navigation as accurate as a native app?
Accuracy comes from the positioning, not from the app. OVER uses a visual positioning system that relocalizes the phone in under 100 ms with centimeter-level accuracy, inside the browser through WebAR. That is precise enough for AR arrows to sit on the real floor, next to escalators and store fronts.
Browser-based indoor navigation vs a native app
A native app still makes sense for loyalty programmes and frequent visitors. For first-time visitors who just need directions, the browser removes the biggest step.
| Criterion | Browser (OVER) | Native indoor navigation app |
|---|---|---|
| First step for the visitor | Scan a QR code or tap a link | Find the app, download, often sign in |
| Reaches one-time visitors | Anyone with a camera phone | Few install for a single visit |
| Updates | Live: change once, every phone sees it | App store releases |
| Positioning | Phone camera + 3D map, no beacons | Depends on the app: beacons, Wi-Fi or camera |
| AR directions on the floor | Yes | Only if built in |
| Same map on website and kiosks | Yes, one 3D map | Separate projects |
General comparison by approach. Native apps vary; check each vendor.
What is needed before visitors can navigate in the browser?
One mapping walk. Our operator captures the venue with a 360° camera; at Città Fiera, 150,000 m² took 90 minutes during opening hours. No floor plans are needed. We build the 3D map, add stores, lifts and accessible routes, and you place QR codes. Nothing is installed in the building.
See it working in a real mall
The same technology is live in a 150,000 m² multi-floor shopping mall. Real visitors scan a QR code and follow AR directions in the browser.
Read the Città Fiera case study →Indoor navigation without an app, by venue
- Mall indoor navigation →
Shoppers scan a QR code at the entrance and walk to the store.
- Hospital wayfinding →
From the car park to the clinic, with a link in the appointment reminder.
- Campus wayfinding →
Lecture halls, offices and meeting rooms for students and guests.
- Museum wayfinding →
Routes between rooms and AR stories next to the works.
Other venuesEvent wayfinding →Airport wayfinding →
Integrator or agency? Partner with us →
Questions buyers ask
Does it work on iPhone without an app?
Yes. It runs in Safari on iPhone and in Chrome on Android. The visitor scans a QR code or taps a link, allows the camera, and the route opens. There is nothing to install from the App Store or Google Play.
Is indoor navigation without beacons possible?
Yes. The phone camera finds the position against a 3D map of the venue, so no beacons, Wi-Fi sensors or markers are installed. See the full comparison of camera positioning with BLE, UWB and Wi-Fi.
Do visitors have to hold the phone up the whole time?
They hold it up for a moment to find their position, then follow the AR arrows as they walk. If they lower the phone, they can raise it again and the position is found again in under 100 ms.
Can visitors find a store without using the camera?
Yes. The interactive 3D web map shows the venue, a search and the route on screen, with no camera needed. It runs on your website and on wayfinding kiosks, from the same 3D map as the AR directions.
How much does browser-based indoor navigation cost?
It is quoted per venue, based on the area in m², the number of floors and the parts you choose: mobile AR, web map, kiosks or the full suite. Mapping is included. Send rough numbers and we reply with a preliminary quote.
Project scoping
Request a quote
Tell us the venue, its approximate size and the number of floors. Rough numbers are fine.