Render your AR app using Vulkan on Android SDK (Kotlin/Java)
Stay organized with collections
Save and categorize content based on your preferences.
When the Config.TextureUpdateMode is set to TextureUpdateMode.EXPOSE_HARDWARE_BUFFER, ARCore will provide an Android hardware buffer when Session.update() is called. This hardware buffer can be bound to a Vulkan VkImage.
View the sample application
Vulkan rendering support is demonstrated in the hello_ar_vulkan_c sample app.
Enable the hardware buffer output mode
The configured Config.TextureUpdateMode determines how ARCore will update the camera texture. When it is set to TextureUpdateMode.EXPOSE_HARDWARE_BUFFER, ARCore will provide the camera image through a HardwareBuffer.
Configure the session to use TextureUpdateMode.EXPOSE_HARDWARE_BUFFER:
Java
Config config = session.getConfig();
config.setTextureUpdateMode(Config.TextureUpdateMode.EXPOSE_HARDWARE_BUFFER);
session.configure(config);
Kotlin
session.configure(
session.config.apply { textureUpdateMode = Config.TextureUpdateMode.EXPOSE_HARDWARE_BUFFER }
)
Obtain the hardware buffer
When TextureUpdateMode.EXPOSE_HARDWARE_BUFFER is enabled, use Frame.getHardwareBuffer() to get the hardware buffer:
Java
try {
HardwareBuffer buffer = frame.getHardwareBuffer();
// Use the buffer object in your rendering.
} catch (NotYetAvailableException e) {
// The hardware buffer is not ready yet.
}
Kotlin
try {
val buffer = frame.hardwareBuffer
// Use the buffer object in your rendering.
} catch (e: NotYetAvailableException) {
// The hardware buffer is not ready yet.
}
Use the hardware buffer during Vulkan rendering
See vulkan_handler.cc for an example of how to render an AR application using Vulkan.
Supported devices
Vulkan rendering support is only available on Android API levels 27 and
above. Additionally, the device must support the VK_ANDROID_external_memory_android_hardware_buffer extension.
Require Vulkan in your app's manifest
Google Play uses <uses-feature> declared in your app manifest to filter your
app from devices that don't meet its hardware and software feature requirements.
Devices using Vulkan 1.0 might not support the required extension, but devices
compatible with Vulkan 1.1 must have the required extension starting in Android 10 (API level 29).
Except as otherwise noted, the content of this page is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License, and code samples are licensed under the Apache 2.0 License. For details, see the Google Developers Site Policies. Java is a registered trademark of Oracle and/or its affiliates.
Last updated 2025-07-14 UTC.
[null,null,["Last updated 2025-07-14 UTC."],[[["\u003cp\u003eARCore can provide the camera image as an Android hardware buffer for efficient Vulkan rendering when \u003ccode\u003eTextureUpdateMode.EXPOSE_HARDWARE_BUFFER\u003c/code\u003e is enabled.\u003c/p\u003e\n"],["\u003cp\u003eThis hardware buffer can be accessed using \u003ccode\u003eFrame.getHardwareBuffer()\u003c/code\u003e and bound to a Vulkan \u003ccode\u003eVkImage\u003c/code\u003e for rendering.\u003c/p\u003e\n"],["\u003cp\u003eVulkan rendering with ARCore requires Android API level 27 or higher and device support for the \u003ccode\u003eVK_ANDROID_external_memory_android_hardware_buffer\u003c/code\u003e extension.\u003c/p\u003e\n"],["\u003cp\u003eThe \u003ccode\u003ehello_ar_vulkan_c\u003c/code\u003e sample app demonstrates how to implement Vulkan rendering with ARCore.\u003c/p\u003e\n"],["\u003cp\u003eTo ensure your app is only available on compatible devices, declare the Vulkan feature requirement in your app's manifest.\u003c/p\u003e\n"]]],["To utilize hardware buffer output, set `Config.TextureUpdateMode` to `EXPOSE_HARDWARE_BUFFER` during session configuration. This enables ARCore to provide a hardware buffer via `Session.update()`. Retrieve this buffer using `Frame.getHardwareBuffer()`. It can then be bound to a Vulkan `VkImage`. Vulkan rendering is demonstrated in the `hello_ar_vulkan_c` sample app. Support requires Android API level 27+, with the `VK_ANDROID_external_memory_android_hardware_buffer` extension and ensure your manifest declares Vulkan usage.\n"],null,["# Render your AR app using Vulkan on Android SDK (Kotlin/Java)\n\nWhen the [`Config.TextureUpdateMode`](/ar/reference/java/com/google/ar/core/Config.TextureUpdateMode) is set to [`TextureUpdateMode.EXPOSE_HARDWARE_BUFFER`](/ar/reference/java/com/google/ar/core/Config.TextureUpdateMode#expose_hardware_buffer), ARCore will provide an Android [hardware buffer](https://developer.android.com/ndk/reference/group/a-hardware-buffer) when [`Session.update()`](/ar/reference/java/com/google/ar/core/Session#update-) is called. This hardware buffer can be bound to a Vulkan [`VkImage`](https://registry.khronos.org/vulkan/specs/1.3-extensions/man/html/VkImage.html).\n\nView the sample application\n---------------------------\n\nVulkan rendering support is demonstrated in the [hello_ar_vulkan_c sample app](https://github.com/google-ar/arcore-android-sdk/tree/master/samples/hello_ar_vulkan_c).\n\nEnable the hardware buffer output mode\n--------------------------------------\n\nThe configured [`Config.TextureUpdateMode`](/ar/reference/java/com/google/ar/core/Config.TextureUpdateMode) determines how ARCore will update the camera texture. When it is set to [`TextureUpdateMode.EXPOSE_HARDWARE_BUFFER`](/ar/reference/java/com/google/ar/core/Config.TextureUpdateMode#expose_hardware_buffer), ARCore will provide the camera image through a [`HardwareBuffer`](https://developer.android.com/reference/android/hardware/HardwareBuffer).\n\nConfigure the session to use [`TextureUpdateMode.EXPOSE_HARDWARE_BUFFER`](/ar/reference/java/com/google/ar/core/Config.TextureUpdateMode#expose_hardware_buffer): \n\n### Java\n\n```java\nConfig config = session.getConfig();\nconfig.setTextureUpdateMode(Config.TextureUpdateMode.EXPOSE_HARDWARE_BUFFER);\nsession.configure(config);\n```\n\n### Kotlin\n\n```kotlin\nsession.configure(\n session.config.apply { textureUpdateMode = Config.TextureUpdateMode.EXPOSE_HARDWARE_BUFFER }\n)\n```\n| **Note:** When using [`TextureUpdateMode.EXPOSE_HARDWARE_BUFFER`](/ar/reference/java/com/google/ar/core/Config.TextureUpdateMode#expose_hardware_buffer) on incompatible devices, [`Session.configure()`](/ar/reference/java/com/google/ar/core/Session#configure(com.google.ar.core.Config)) will fail and throw [`UnsupportedConfigurationException`](/ar/reference/java/com/google/ar/core/exceptions/UnsupportedConfigurationException).\n\nObtain the hardware buffer\n--------------------------\n\nWhen [`TextureUpdateMode.EXPOSE_HARDWARE_BUFFER`](/ar/reference/java/com/google/ar/core/Config.TextureUpdateMode#expose_hardware_buffer) is enabled, use [`Frame.getHardwareBuffer()`](/ar/reference/java/com/google/ar/core/Frame#getHardwareBuffer-) to get the hardware buffer: \n\n### Java\n\n```java\ntry {\n HardwareBuffer buffer = frame.getHardwareBuffer();\n // Use the buffer object in your rendering.\n} catch (NotYetAvailableException e) {\n // The hardware buffer is not ready yet.\n}\n```\n\n### Kotlin\n\n```kotlin\ntry {\n val buffer = frame.hardwareBuffer\n // Use the buffer object in your rendering.\n} catch (e: NotYetAvailableException) {\n // The hardware buffer is not ready yet.\n}\n```\n\nUse the hardware buffer during Vulkan rendering\n-----------------------------------------------\n\nSee [`vulkan_handler.cc`](https://github.com/google-ar/arcore-android-sdk/blob/master/samples/hello_ar_vulkan_c/app/src/main/cpp/vulkan_handler.cc) for an example of how to render an AR application using Vulkan.\n\nSupported devices\n-----------------\n\nVulkan rendering support is only available on Android API levels **27** and\nabove. Additionally, the device must support the `VK_ANDROID_external_memory_android_hardware_buffer` extension.\n\n### Require Vulkan in your app's manifest\n\nGoogle Play uses `\u003cuses-feature\u003e` declared in your app manifest to filter your\napp from devices that don't meet its hardware and software feature requirements.\nDevices using Vulkan 1.0 **might not** support the required extension, but devices\ncompatible with Vulkan 1.1 **must** have the required extension starting in Android 10 (API level 29)."]]
