Online Tool Store
AR Marker Size Calculator
AR Marker Size Calculator sizes for the worst-case distance; a quiet border and matte stock decide whether that size actually works.
🔒 This tool runs entirely in your browser. Your files are never uploaded to a server.
Tools
AR Marker Size Calculator
Frontend preview — no upload or external service.
Results
Using AR Marker Size Calculator to calculate and analyze your data.
How the AR Marker Size Calculator works
- Enter the maximum distance the marker must be detected from.
- Enter the camera's horizontal resolution and field of view, both of which are in its specification.
- Print at the calculated size or larger, and add a quiet border — markers without surrounding white space fail at range.
The method
Detection needs the marker to occupy a minimum number of pixels, which depends on distance, sensor resolution and field of view.
pixels across = marker size x resolution / (2 x distance x tan(fov/2))
Halving the distance halves the required size, which is why a marker that works on a desk fails across a room.
FAQ
Why does my marker fail at range?
Because it occupies too few pixels. Detection needs a minimum pixel count across the marker, and that falls linearly with distance — a marker readable at one metre needs to be three times larger at three.
Does the quiet border matter?
Considerably. Marker detection looks for the black border against a light surround, and a marker printed to the edge of the paper or on a dark surface fails even when large enough.
Matte or glossy paper?
Matte. Glossy stock produces specular highlights under directional lighting that wipe out part of the pattern, and a partly obscured marker is not detected at all.
How we compare
| Feature | Online Tool Store | A graphing calculator | A stats package |
|---|---|---|---|
| Uses camera specifications | ✓ | ✗ | Rule of thumb |
| Explains the geometry | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ |
| No sign-up | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ |
| Nothing uploaded | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ |
AR Marker Size Calculator sizes for the worst-case distance; a quiet border and matte stock decide whether that size actually works.