Build your first Spatial SDK app

Updated: Sep 30, 2025

This tutorial is an interactive walkthrough of the workflow you’ll use when creating or converting an app with Meta’s Spatial Editor and Spatial SDK. If you’re new to Android development and choose to do both the required and optional sections, you’ll probably need at least an hour to complete this tutorial.

This tutorial will teach you how to:

Set up a new Spatial SDK app, or add Spatial SDK to an existing 2D Android app.

Import 3D assets.

Manipulate 3D assets both programmatically and through Spatial Editor.

Create and use custom components.

Embed 2D content into a 3D VR environment as an interactable panel.

Preview your app’s VR environment.

To learn about best practices that will further enhance your app’s user experience and broaden its audience, see the design guidelines.

Before you begin

To start development, you’ll need:

Install Android Studio⁠ so you can develop and launch Android applications.

Install Spatial SDK’s Android Studio Plugin⁠.

Install Meta Spatial Editor for either Windows or Mac, which already includes the CLI needed to export projects.

Install Meta Quest Developer Hub.

A Meta Quest device (Quest 2, Quest Pro, or Quest 3) for testing.

Enable developer mode on your Meta Quest device

Before enabling developer mode, ensure the following prerequisites are met:

You are a registered Meta developer with a verified Meta account. To check your account status, see Verification⁠ in the Developer Dashboard.

You are at least 18 years old.

Your headset does not have any device-level restrictions that prevent enabling developer mode.

Follow these steps to enable developer mode:

On your mobile device, open the Meta Horizon app.

In the app, tap the headset icon in the toolbar.

Your paired headset should appear at the top of the screen. Tap the headset item, which displays the model and status of your paired headset.

Tap Headset Settings beneath the image of your headset.

Tap Developer Mode.

Toggle Developer Mode to the on position.

Use a USB-C data cable to connect the headset to your computer.

Note: To set up without a computer, check the setup documentation for your specific device on Meta Quest Help Center⁠.

Put on the headset.

In the headset, open the Quick Control menu item.

Select Open Settings, displayed as a gear icon. Then, open the Developer tab and toggle MTP Notification on.

When asked to allow USB debugging, select Always allow from this computer.

Important

Developer Mode is intended for development tasks such as running, debugging and testing applications. Engaging in other activities may result in account limitations, suspension, or termination. For more information, see Content Guidelines.