How to Create a Virtual Tour
Virtual tours have become one of the most powerful ways to present places online. Whether you’re showcasing a property for sale, introducing a hotel or resort to future guests, or sharing a cultural space like a museum or gallery, a virtual tour allows people to immerse themselves in an environment without physically being there. This not only improves accessibility but also helps build trust, inspire engagement, and drive faster decision-making.
At the heart of a virtual tour is the 360-degree panoramic image. Unlike traditional photos, which show only one angle, a 360° image surrounds the viewer in every direction, creating the feeling of actually standing inside the space. When multiple images are linked together, users can “walk” through the environment, moving from room to room or location to location as if they were truly exploring it. Additional features like hotspots, embedded videos, and info panels can further enhance the experience, making virtual tours not just visual, but interactive.
The process of creating a tour is easier than many think. Modern platforms like 360are are designed to remove the technical complexity, so you don’t need coding knowledge or specialized software. All you need are 360-degree photos (captured by a 360 camera or created through stitching software) and a simple workflow to upload, customize, and publish your tour. In this guide, we’ll walk you through the exact steps to create your own virtual tour using 360are.
Step 1: Log In to Your Account
- Visit 360are.
- Click the Login button at the top-right corner of the homepage.
- Enter your username and password, then click Sign In.
Don't have an account yet? Create one by registering — it’s quick and free to get started!
Step 2: Navigate to the VR Tour Editor Section
- Once logged in, click on the VR Tour Editor link on the left side menu.
- Click + Add Assets button to select images for the tour.
- Once selected and added, you can click each thumbnail image to load the panorama view to customize further.
Step 3: Add Hotspots to Virtual Tour
- To add a Hotspot, click + Add Transition Hotspot button and select another image to link to.
- Click Disconnected button to select desired hotspot icon image.
- Click anywhere within the main panoramic image to set the hotspot. When hotspot is added, the button will turn to Connected.
- Modify the hotspot as needed following the same steps.
Step 4: Setting Initial Tour Entry View
You can set your desired initial point of view for the virtual tour when it loads on the web page.
On the VR Tour Editor page, select a thumb image to load a large panorama view.
When the panorama is loaded, drag around to select your desired entry view for the panorama.
Once satisfied with selection, navigate to General settings and click the button Set Current View to set your initial viewpoint.
This process sets an initial entry view for your virtual tour as it gets loaded on the page.
Step 5: Creating a Custom Thumbnail Image for Virtual Tour
You can set your custom thumbnail image for the virtual tour.
- On the VR Tour Editor page, select a thumb image to load a large panorama view.
- When the panorama is loaded, drag around to select your desired view for the thumb image.
- Once satisfied with selection, click the button with vertical dots — it is a round button on the top right of the panoramic image — and select Set as Thumb Image from the drop-down menu.
This process sets a thumbnail image for your virtual tour to display it on some 360are.com pages to enter your virtual tour.
Step 6: Customize Your Virtual Tour
Go to Tour Configuration Options to learn how to customize your virtual tour.
Need Help?
If you encounter any issues while following the above steps, feel free to reach out to our support team via contact form.
Start showcasing your 360-degree photos and building amazing virtual tours today with 360are!