Updates

Arkio 3.0 brings AI-assisted 3D design to your browser. Describe an idea, upload a floor plan, or sketch a change, then work with an AI agent to develop your design in an editable 3D scene. Combine conversations with Arkio’s modeling tools, create images and videos, and invite others to explore your work through a shared link.

Open app.arkio.is to get started. No Arkio installation is needed for the browser experience.

Design with an AI agent

Work with an agent that can take actions directly in your Arkio scene. Start with a design brief, watch the model develop, and guide the next steps through follow-up requests.

• Create building concepts, interiors, and layouts from written instructions.

• Ask for changes to dimensions, geometry, furniture, and materials.

• Select objects to show the agent which parts of the design you want to change.

• Make changes yourself with Arkio’s modeling tools, then continue the conversation.

You can also queue follow-up instructions while the agent is working, then review or discard requests that have not started yet. This makes it easier to plan several changes without interrupting the current task.

For example, start with a garden studio, ask the agent to adjust its roof and openings, then explore furniture layouts inside it. You can inspect and edit the resulting geometry as the design develops.

Learn more about working with the AI agent.

Design from images, documents, and reference files

Bring your project references into the agent conversation to guide layouts, geometry, materials, and design requirements. Use the paperclip, drag supported files into the chat, or paste a copied image, then explain what you want the agent to use from each reference.

• Images and drawings: Upload floor plans, photographs, hand sketches, mood boards, and material references as PNG, JPG/JPEG, WebP, or GIF.

• PDFs: Share drawings, project briefs, specifications, and other reference documents.

• Word documents: Use DOC or DOCX files to provide project descriptions, requirements, and written design guidance.

• Spreadsheets: Add room schedules, target areas, dimensions, and quantities in XLS, XLSX, or CSV format.

• Presentations: Upload PPTX files containing project context, design directions, or visual references.

• Text and structured data: Supply instructions and project information as TXT, Markdown (MD), or JSON files.

Combine references in one request: use a floor plan for the layout, photographs to explain the existing space, and a brief or spreadsheet for the requirements. Include important dimensions and tell the agent which elements to preserve.

The kitchen example below uses photographs of the existing kitchen and a floor plan to develop a renovation concept in an editable 3D scene. For example:

Use the floor plan and kitchen photos to explore a more open layout with a freestanding island. Keep the existing window positions and use the attached material references for the cabinetry and worktops.

You can attach up to 100 files, totaling 50 MB per message. 3D models such as GLB, glTF, and OBJ use the model import workflow described below.

Guide the agent with sketch instructions

Draw directly over your view to show the agent where you want something added or changed. Sketch instructions combine visual marks with a written request, making it easier to communicate ideas that are difficult to describe with words alone.

• Show where to work: Circle an area, trace an outline, or mark the position of a new object.

• Explain different changes: Use different colors for separate instructions, such as adding a feature in one area while keeping another clear.

• Guide a focused edit: Combine your sketch with object selections and describe which parts of the existing design should stay unchanged.

Choose Sketch > On screen to draw over the current view, then use Send to agent to include the marked-up view with your instructions. You can also choose In scene to sketch within the 3D scene.

In the cabin example below, the sketch identifies two locations for the agent:

Add an outdoor fire pit in the red circle and a woodshed at the blue mark.

You can also use AI voice mode to talk through your ideas and discuss follow-up changes while exploring the scene.

Create images and videos from your design

Explore how your design could look with AI-generated renders and videos, directly from the conversation.

• Render your current view, saved viewpoints, or views chosen by the agent.

• Choose photorealistic, pencil sketch, marker, or scale-model styles, or describe your own look.

• Create short videos, including sequences based on renders you have already generated.

• Share generated images and videos with collaborators in the group chat.

The Media library brings completed renders and videos from your chats together. Browse the results, download an image or video, or open its original conversation to continue developing the design.

AI generation uses credits. Review the results alongside your 3D model as you refine the design.

Shape your designs with Boolean modeling

Arkio 3.0 introduces a new Boolean modeling system for working with overlapping solid shapes and voids. Build up a design from solids and use voids to carve out openings, recesses, and interior spaces.

• Explore intersecting forms: Overlap building volumes to develop more complex shapes.

• Carve out space: Use voids to create doorways, windows, courtyards, and other cutouts in Arkio geometry.

• Keep refining: Move or reshape the solids and voids as your design evolves, with the resulting geometry updating to reflect the changes.

The same modeling system supports your manual edits and the AI agent’s work, so you can continue developing an agent-generated design with Arkio’s tools.

Share scenes and review designs together

Invite someone into your scene with a browser link. Share view access for presentations and reviews, or edit access for signed-in collaborators with the required account permissions.

• Let viewers explore a shared scene without creating an account.

• Use Jump and Gather everyone to focus a discussion on the same part of the model.

• Discuss changes and share files, images, and agent results in the group chat.

• Keep feedback connected to the design with scene notes and comment threads.

• Use meeting audio in supported browsers while reviewing together.

Your agent conversation stays private unless you choose to share it. Changes your agent makes to the shared scene are visible to the other participants.

Live collaboration between multiple users and AI agents is still experimental. Coordinate changes and avoid editing the same objects at the same time. Learn more about collaborating and sharing scenes in Arkio Web.

Keep review feedback connected to the model

Scene notes give your team a place to record questions, decisions, and changes in the context of the design.

• Place a note on an object or at a location in the scene, and return to its saved view.

• Assign notes, mark them resolved, and reopen them when more work is needed.

• Discuss notes in comment threads in a shared scene, with replies also connected to the group chat.

• Search and filter notes, or collapse them in the scene for a clearer view.

• Export notes as CSV for a spreadsheet or BCF for compatible BIM review workflows.

For supported BIM imports, you can inspect element properties and control the visibility of imported models and layers with the required plan. Notes can stay linked to the imported elements they refer to, making feedback easier to locate.

Bring your existing models into the browser

Use an existing project as the starting point for your next design conversation.

• Direct imports: Bring in GLB, glTF, and OBJ models, including folders or ZIPs with their supporting files.

• Plugin workflows: Use Arkio 2.3.3 for Windows and the updated plugins to bring exports from Revit, Rhino, and SketchUp into Arkio Web through a shared Arkio Cloud device group.

• Return to your design tools: Download exports for Revit, Rhino, and SketchUp and import them with the corresponding Arkio plugin. GLB, OBJ, and IFC exports are also available, depending on your account and workflow.

The import panel lets you search your files, preview their details, choose an imported version, and update models already placed in the scene. Adjust units and the up axis for generic 3D models, or place a model at its original coordinates. You can also import JPG and PNG images as references inside the scene.

Exports back to your design application require a manual download. Imported reference models and export formats have content and size limitations; see Import models into Arkio Web for the complete workflow.

Return to your chats and scenes

Sign in to save your chats and scenes to your new Arkio account and access them from another supported device or browser. Your Arkio scenes are now persistent and will be available on all browsers and devices that you log into. Use scene history to revisit earlier versions of your work.

Scene history lets you preview earlier saved versions before deciding what to do next. Restore a previous scene, or open an earlier version of a private cloud scene in a new chat to explore an alternative. Restoring keeps the current scene in history first, so you can return to it later.

Check that your latest changes show Saved to cloud before switching devices. You can work on different chats in separate browser tabs; simultaneous use of the same private chat and scene across devices is not supported.

AI credits for individual and team workflows

Manage your plan and AI credits from your account. Plus and Pro provide individual monthly allowances, while Team combines credits from paid seats into a shared pool.

• Review included and purchased credits, with their refresh and expiry dates.

• Buy additional credit packs when you need more capacity.

• Invite colleagues to a Team account using their own email addresses.

• Manage paid seats and set a shared spending-limit percentage for members.

See AI credits and your work, and manage your organization and share AI credits for details.

Model and refine directly in your browser

The browser interface brings Arkio’s modeling and review tools alongside your AI conversation. Move between agent-assisted design and hands-on editing as your project develops.

• Build and reshape: Create geometry, move objects, edit shapes, paint materials, and measure your design.

• Work with precise dimensions: Use on-screen dimension controls to enter sizes and distances while modeling.

• Organize your design: Select multiple objects, group related parts, and pin objects to keep them in place.

• Add detail: Search the libraries for furniture, people, trees, building components, colors, and materials.

• Explore from different angles: Switch between orbiting and walking through your scene, use standard views, and save viewpoints for later.

Clearer modeling controls and widgets

Redesigned on-screen widgets make it easier to see what you are moving, rotating, or reshaping. Handles highlight as you interact with them, while consistent outlines and grips stay readable as you zoom.

• Move and rotate with more control: Use object handles and rotation rings, with visual guides showing the direction of your adjustment. Hold Alt while dragging to place an object onto another surface.

• Enter exact measurements: Click an editable dimension to open the floating number pad. Dimension lines, distance labels, and footprint areas help you judge sizes as you work.

• Choose how you model: Use the tool controls to switch between Move and Copy, Orthogonal and Freeform editing, or painting a whole shape and painting individual faces.

• Create with clearer steps: Define a shape’s footprint and height separately, draw connected wall segments, and size hosted door and window openings on their supporting face.

• Get guidance as you work: Contextual hints explain the current action and available shortcuts.

More control over section views

The updated section tool makes it easier to reveal interiors, inspect a floor plan, or present a cut through your design.

• Choose the cut: Start with a horizontal or vertical section, or align it to a face of Arkio geometry.

• Adjust in the scene: Drag the section widget to move the cut through your model. Use the rotation ring to turn a vertical section, with snapping for controlled angles.

• Fine-tune the position: Use the section slider, or enter a height or offset for horizontal and face-aligned cuts.

• Flip the visible side: Reverse which side of the section is removed without repositioning the plane.

• Present a clean view: Confirm the position to hide the adjustment widget while keeping the cut visible. Turn the section off and back on to return to the same placement.

Get started with tutorials and sample scenes

Try Design with the AI agent to explore a prepared design conversation, or practice with the Modeling tools and Import & export tutorials. Sample scenes give you starting points for exploring Arkio and developing your own ideas.

The prepared guided examples do not use AI credits. Your own live AI requests do.

Follow Getting started with Arkio 3.0 for web for your first steps.

Help us improve Arkio

Use Report an issue in Arkio to send a problem report with relevant diagnostics. Visit our feedback board to suggest improvements, discuss and vote on ideas, and follow our public roadmap.

For current restrictions and workarounds, see Known issues and limitations.

Thank you to everyone who shared feedback and helped shape this release. We look forward to seeing what you create with Arkio 3.0.

Arkio 2.3 brings major improvements to visual quality, mobile AR, and import workflows. Experience more realistic imported materials with PBR support, position and explore your designs more naturally in AR, and work more smoothly with movable elements, improved navigation, and better performance across all Arkio-supported devices.

More Realistic Materials with PBR

Arkio now supports Physically Based Rendering (PBR) materials for imported models, bringing richer, more realistic materials to your designs and improving their overall visual quality—even on mobile devices like Meta Quest 3.

PBR properties from plugins

PBR material properties are now exported from our plugins for Revit, Rhino, SketchUp, and Archicad. The available properties depend on your software's capabilities, so refer to your tool’s documentation for details on configuring PBR materials.

Arkio supports material properties such as reflections, roughness, metallic surfaces, and normal maps. You can also load glTF files with advanced PBR properties, including custom reflection and metallic maps and emissive materials, to bring highly realistic models into Arkio.

You can explore examples of these materials in our updated Arkio sample scenes.

If you prefer Arkio’s previous flat rendering style or want to improve performance for large imported scenes, you can disable PBR materials in View Settings. This toggle also makes it easy to compare your models using the previous and new material systems.

Reflections

New reflection settings in the View Settings panel give you more control over the appearance of glass and other reflective materials, such as metals and polished surfaces.

Choose from several reflection environments:

• Cloudy Sky – blue sky with clouds

• Trees – green field surrounded by trees

• Mountain – distant mountain landscape

• Suburban – residential gardens and surroundings

• Urban – urban square with distant towers

• Highrise – street surrounded by high-rise buildings

Changing the reflection environment affects reflective PBR materials throughout your scene. Your selection is saved with the Arkio scene, together with your sun and location settings.

Mobile AR Improvements

Mobile AR has received a major update, making it easier to position, align, and explore your Arkio models in the real world without needing a VR headset. Using a tablet or smartphone, anyone can experience models at full scale simply by walking around with their mobile device.

Explore and lock your model at 1:1 scale

You can now teleport into your model in AR and explore designs at human scale, making it easier to experience spaces at their true size and in their real-world context.

When you lock a model at 1:1 scale, Arkio creates a teleport marker at that location. You can use this marker to quickly return to your previous locked position, similar to how locking and anchoring work in Arkio on mixed reality headsets.

New AR placement controls

New AR placement controls give you more precise control over your model's position, scale, and orientation:

• Select the plane where you want to place your Arkio scene

• Place, recenter, and lock your model using the new controls

• Adjust the horizontal position by swiping with two fingers or using the left thumbstick

• Adjust the placement height using the right thumbstick

• Scale the model by pinching with two fingers

• Rotate the model using the orbit tool or by swiping outside the model

These navigation interactions are similar to Arkio in 3D mode. For the most accurate alignment at human scale, teleport to a location close to where you are standing in the real world using the Arkio map or other loaded 3D context references.

Once inside the 1:1-scale scene, you can fine-tune the model's position using the left thumbstick for horizontal adjustments and the right thumbstick for vertical adjustments. And use the orbit tool to rotate a corner of the building to a right angle.

When everything is aligned, lock the model in place. You can return to the scale model at any time using the new view reset button, then use your teleport markers to jump back to previously locked 1:1 positions.

AR mode switching and persistence

Your AR placement plane and locked position now persist when switching between AR and 3D on mobile devices. This means you can move between tools and view modes without losing your original AR placement.

Arkio will also maintain your model alignment when your device enters standby or when you switch between apps, allowing you to resume where you left off or pass the device to others to explore the model at scale or 1:1.

Improved Movable Element Workflows

Movable elements and props can now collide with imported mesh surfaces, making it easier to place and align objects directly on imported geometry such as floors, walls, tables, and shelves from your other 3D modeling tools.

This makes movable objects imported into Arkio behave more like Arkio’s native solid geometry. They can be picked up, aligned, and placed against other geometry using the Move tool or simply grabbed with your hands or controllers in VR.

Editing imported buildings with movable elements now feels more natural, as objects can glide along imported floors and walls and snap into place against surrounding geometry.

In VR, you can temporarily disable mesh surface alignment by holding down the controller thumbstick to disable snapping while moving an object.

Archicad improvements

Our Archicad plugins now include additional export options:

• Automatic model placement

• Selecting elements to import as movable objects

• Archicad 29 plugin support on Mac

• PBR material export to Arkio

These improvements bring the Archicad export workflow in line with our Revit, Rhino, and SketchUp plugins. With movable elements and PBR materials, more of your original Archicad model can now be brought into Arkio for interactive editing and realistic visualization across devices.

Underground geometry

Imported geometry modeled below the origin will now automatically cut a hole in the Arkio table when the model is placed at the origin, revealing geometry that would otherwise be hidden below the table.

This makes it easier to work with underground structures and projects on sloping terrain while keeping models at their original coordinates for round trips between Arkio and supported design tools.

Navigation & Workflow Improvements

Navigation and editing in non-VR mode have been refined for smoother desktop and touchscreen workflows.

Improved navigation

• Smoother zooming

• Improved panning

• Improved orbiting

• Improved Move tool interactions

• View reset button in 3D and AR mode

Colocation stability improvements

Some of our users reported issues with colocation since version 2.2; this release will address those issues across different workflows and tracking conditions. We’ve improved colocation stability after restarts, during recentering, and model-position updates, resulting in more stable alignments on all Meta Quest devices.

When users are co-located and the scene is locked, avatars are now hidden to create a cleaner mixed reality experience. Only each user’s nametag remains visible.

Better support & diagnostics

If you run into issues with Arkio, you can use the new report issue button in the settings panel to share logs and traces, giving the Arkio team more information to diagnose and resolve issues more effectively.

Rendering & Performance Improvements

Alongside our new PBR materials, this release includes several visual and performance improvements across Arkio:

• Increased rendering resolution on Quest 3 and Quest 3S

• Improved close-up detail for large models

• Improved sky rendering

• Improved ambient occlusion

• Improved rendering of reflective materials

We’ve also included more sample scenes in the start panel showcasing the new PBR materials and movable-element workflows for Revit, SketchUp, and Archicad. These scenes make it easy to explore the latest improvements and see how realistic materials and movable elements can be used in your own Arkio projects.

Fixes

• Prevented the app from becoming unresponsive on poor network connections

• Prevented performance issues on Quest caused by invalid spatial anchors

• Fixed the white floor briefly appearing during VR startup

• Fixed dual joystick navigation on touchscreen devices

• AI render settings are disabled when there aren’t enough credits available

• Limited plugin exports to a maximum of 3,000 movable elements to prevent performance issues

As always, thank you for your feedback and support. We look forward to seeing how you use these new AR, visualization, and interoperability improvements in Arkio 2.3.

This release focuses on the AI Camera workflow, making it easier to generate high-quality results with less setup, while also delivering several workflow enhancements and interoperability fixes.

AI Camera Improvements

The AI Camera has received a significant update to improve both usability and output quality.

Enhanced Rendering Quality

AI-generated renderings now deliver more accurate, visually consistent results, helping you quickly create compelling visualizations directly from your Arkio scenes.

Better Image Analysis

The AI Camera now does a better job of understanding and following the original source image, resulting in outputs that more closely match your intended composition and design.

Simpler Prompting

Less text is now required to achieve high-quality results, allowing you to iterate faster and spend less time crafting prompts.

Automatic Scene Recognition

You no longer need to specify whether a scene is Interior or Exterior. The AI Camera automatically determines the appropriate context, elements and materials used, simplifying the workflow.

Quality Settings

New quality options give you greater control over rendering speed and image quality:

• Low

• Medium

• High

Choose the setting that best matches your workflow, from rapid concept exploration to higher-quality presentations. Selecting a higher-quality rendering will consume more AI credits (see cost in dropdown) and may take longer to complete.

New Features

Revit 2027 Support

Arkio now supports Revit 2027. The updated Arkio Revit plugin supports movable objects, allowing you to continue using the latest Revit release with your existing Arkio workflows.

Support for More Than 1,000 Movable Objects

The Rhino, Revit, and SketchUp plugins can now export more than 1,000 movable objects, enabling significantly larger collections of movable objects on high-performance devices such as PCs.

For the best experience on mobile and standalone VR devices, including Meta Quest, we recommend keeping projects below 1,000 movable objects.

To validate performance across devices, you can share models via Arkio meetings or synchronize imports through Arkio Cloud, then test them on your target hardware.

Export Sticky Notes as BCF and CSV Issues

Sticky notes can now be exported as BCF and CSV issues, making it easier to integrate design feedback and coordination workflows with external BIM and project management tools.

Workflow Improvements

Improved Desktop Navigation

Desktop navigation has been refined to provide a smoother experience when reviewing and presenting projects, including improvements to:

• Zooming

• Teleporting

• Orbiting

• Looking around

Passthrough Geometry Cages

Geometry cages are once again visible for passthrough-painted primitive shapes in passthrough mode, improving alignment when overtracing existing geometry.

Fixes

• Fixed an issue that could cause primitive shapes to disappear after certain modeling operations or at specific viewing distances.

• Fixed Revit north rotation issues affecting bi-directional workflows.

• Fixed layer and pinning issues for some Rhino models containing movable objects.

• Improved reliability across various import and export workflows.

As always, thank you for your feedback and support. We look forward to hearing what you build with Arkio 2.2.1.