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Composite View Recording and Screenshot Capture in Apple Vision Pro #16

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Composite View Recording and Screenshot Capture in Apple Vision Pro#16
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Description

@Carton22
Carton22
opened on Jan 16, 2026

Hi @from2001,

Fantastic repo and meaningful tool for XR developers!
I wonder if this plugin will be able to capture the composite view inside Apple Vision Pro?
Based on my understanding, the current Main Camera Access will only capture the physical world view without a digital element.
But since I want to work on AR, I need to capture both the physical real-world environment and all the digital virtual elements overlaid on it.
For example, if you use system-level screen recoding, you will get the composite views.
Or if you know any programmatic way in Unity or Xcode we will be able to send a command, and trigger the start of composite view screenshot capture?

Look forward to your response!

Activity

  1. from2001 commented on Jan 17, 2026

    @from2001
    from2001
    on Jan 17, 2026
    Collaborator

    Hi @Carton22

    Apple has added a new API called “Passthrough in screen capture – Access a composite feed of what an Apple Vision Pro wearer is seeing (physical world and digital content).”

    From the documentation, it looks like this API should allow exactly what you’re asking for: capturing the composite view that includes both the real-world passthrough and the overlaid virtual content.

    However, this functionality requires a specific entitlement. I don’t have that entitlement yet, so I’ve submitted a request to Apple to get it added to my account.

    Once Apple grants the entitlement, I’ll test the API.

  2. Carton22 commented on Jan 17, 2026

    @Carton22
    Carton22
    on Jan 17, 2026
    Author

    Thanks @from2001 !

    Yes, I know the entitlement “Passthrough in screen capture – Access a composite feed of what an Apple Vision Pro wearer is seeing (physical world and digital content).”. It is one of the entitlements you will get if you have Enterprise API for Apple Vision Pro development.
    But I am not sure from the code, how we use this entitlement.
    Based on my research, maybe ReplayKit is something we need.
    But I have never found a sample code for VisionOS, and not sure how to do it to actually get the screenshot or screen recording of the view.
    Thank you for checking that out!

  3. Carton22 commented on Jan 17, 2026

    @Carton22
    Carton22
    on Jan 17, 2026
    Author

    I currently found a workaround to fulfill my need and be able to get the composite view.
    AppleVisionPro_CompositeView_Capture
    It does not require Enterprise API / Xcode / SwiftUI, I recommend checking about it and hope it helps!

  4. from2001 commented on Jan 18, 2026

    @from2001
    from2001
    on Jan 18, 2026
    Collaborator

    Actually, this plugin is not purely written in C# code. I made a bridge swift code to transfer frame data to Unity. I will need to write similar code to make the composite video capture feature in Unity.

    I'll take a look, anyway.

  5. Carton22 commented on Jan 18, 2026

    @Carton22
    Carton22
    on Jan 18, 2026
    Author

    sounds good! Hope to get the composite video capture feature in your plugin soon!
    Thanks for the hard work!

  6. from2001 commented on Jan 30, 2026

    @from2001
    from2001
    on Jan 30, 2026
    Collaborator

    @Carton22 I finally got the enterprise license for the composite view. I will take a look.

  7. from2001 commented on Jan 30, 2026

    @from2001
    from2001
    on Jan 30, 2026
    Collaborator

    @claude Plan to implement the feature to take images of what you see with your Vision Pro including contents and pass through view.

  8. claude commented on Jan 30, 2026

    @claude
    claudebot
    on Jan 30, 2026 – with Claude

    Claude finished @from2001's task in 2m 38s —— View job

    Composite View Capture Implementation Plan ✓

    I've completed analyzing the current implementation and created a comprehensive plan for adding composite view capture functionality to capture both the physical world passthrough and digital content on Apple Vision Pro.

    Current Architecture Analysis

    Existing Camera Access (CameraAccess.swift:102-124, EnterpriseCameraAccessManager.cs)

    • Uses ARKitSession + CameraFrameProvider for physical camera access only
    • Captures .main camera with .left position
    • Pipeline: CVPixelBuffer → Metal Texture → Unity Texture2D
    • Current entitlement: com.apple.developer.arkit.main-camera-access.allow
    • Swift bridge via P/Invoke: startCapture(), stopCapture(), getTexture()

    Implementation Plan

    1. Entitlement Configuration

    Required entitlement:

    <key>com.apple.developer.screen-capture.composite-passthrough</key>
<true/>

    Action items:

    • Add new entitlement key to Entitlements.entitlements
    • Update ConfigureXcodeSettings.cs to handle composite capture mode selection
    • Verify Enterprise license covers composite passthrough entitlement

    2. Swift Implementation - New Composite Capture Module

    Approach: ReplayKit-based Screen Recording
    Based on the issue discussion and @Carton22's mention of ReplayKit, the implementation should use:

    File: CompositeViewCapture.swift (new)

    import ReplayKit
import ARKit
import AVFoundation

// Key APIs to use:
// - RPScreenRecorder.shared() for composite capture
// - RPScreenRecorder.isCameraEnabled property
// - startCapture(handler:completionHandler:) for frame-by-frame access
// - Or startRecording() for video file recording

    Two implementation modes needed:

    A. Screenshot Mode (single frame capture)

    • Use RPScreenRecorder.shared().startCapture() to get composite frames
    • Extract single frame and convert to texture
    • Follow existing pattern: composite frame → Metal texture → Unity

    B. Recording Mode (continuous capture)

    • Use RPScreenRecorder.shared().startRecording()
    • Save to file or stream frames continuously
    • Similar to current continuous camera feed pattern

    3. Unity C# Bridge Extension

    File: EnterpriseCameraAccessManager.cs

    Add new methods and properties:

    // New public API
public enum CaptureMode { PhysicalOnly, Composite }
public CaptureMode CurrentMode;

public void StartCompositeCapture();
public void StopCompositeCapture();
public void TakeCompositeScreenshot();
public Texture2D GetCompositeTexture2D();

// New P/Invoke declarations
[DllImport("__Internal")] static extern void startCompositeCapture();
[DllImport("__Internal")] static extern void stopCompositeCapture();
[DllImport("__Internal")] static extern IntPtr getCompositeTexture();
[DllImport("__Internal")] static extern void captureCompositeScreenshot();

    4. File Structure

    New files to create:

    1. CameraAccess.swift → Keep existing (physical camera only)
    2. CompositeViewCapture.swift → New (composite capture via ReplayKit)
    3. Keep separation for maintainability and backward compatibility

    Modified files:

    1. EnterpriseCameraAccessManager.cs → Add composite capture support
    2. Entitlements.entitlements → Add composite entitlement
    3. ConfigureXcodeSettings.cs → Update Info.plist for recording permissions

    5. Required Info.plist Keys

    Add to ConfigureXcodeSettings.cs:36:

    AddKeyValueToPlist("NSPhotoLibraryUsageDescription", "Save composite captures", pathToBuiltProject);
AddKeyValueToPlist("NSMicrophoneUsageDescription", "Composite capture with audio", pathToBuiltProject);

    6. Testing Approach

    Test scenarios:

    1. Physical camera only (existing functionality - verify no regression)
    2. Composite screenshot capture (new - Unity objects + passthrough)
    3. Composite video recording (new - continuous capture)
    4. Mode switching between physical and composite
    5. Entitlement validation (fail gracefully without enterprise license)

    7. Implementation Phases

    Phase 1: Foundation

    • Add composite entitlement to Entitlements.entitlements
    • Create CompositeViewCapture.swift with basic ReplayKit setup
    • Add Swift bridge functions for composite capture
    • Update build configuration in ConfigureXcodeSettings.cs

    Phase 2: C# Integration

    • Extend EnterpriseCameraAccessManager.cs with composite APIs
    • Add mode selection (Physical vs Composite)
    • Implement texture bridging for composite frames
    • Handle both screenshot and recording modes

    Phase 3: Testing & Polish

    • Test on Vision Pro with enterprise license
    • Verify composite captures include Unity content + passthrough
    • Add error handling for missing entitlements
    • Update README with composite capture usage
    • Create sample scene demonstrating composite capture

    Key Technical Considerations

    ReplayKit vs Direct Screen Capture

    • ReplayKit (RPScreenRecorder): Apple's official API for screen recording with system UI
    • Automatically captures composite view (digital + passthrough)
    • Requires NSMicrophoneUsageDescription even for video-only
    • May have performance implications for real-time capture

    Alternative Approach: ScreenCaptureKit

    If ReplayKit performance is insufficient:

    • Consider ScreenCaptureKit framework (newer, more performant)
    • Requires visionOS 2.0+
    • Better control over capture region and performance

    Workaround Analysis (@Carton22's Solution)

    The linked workaround repository uses Unity's built-in screen capture without requiring Enterprise API:

    • Likely uses ScreenCapture.CaptureScreenshot() or similar
    • May not capture true passthrough view, only rendered content
    • Enterprise API provides official passthrough + content composite

    Next Steps

    1. Immediate: Test current entitlement status and verify enterprise license covers composite capture
    2. Prototype: Create minimal CompositeViewCapture.swift using ReplayKit
    3. Validate: Test on Vision Pro device to confirm API behavior
    4. Iterate: Based on performance, consider ScreenCaptureKit if needed
    5. Document: Update README with composite capture usage examples

    Questions for @from2001

    1. Preferred capture mode: Single screenshots, continuous recording, or both?
    2. Performance requirements: Real-time capture needed or on-demand screenshots acceptable?
    3. Audio: Should composite recordings include audio?
    4. File output: Save to device storage or keep textures in memory only?

    Let me know if you'd like me to proceed with the implementation or if you have any questions about the approach!

  9. from2001 commented on Jan 30, 2026

    @from2001
    from2001
    on Jan 30, 2026
    Collaborator

    @claude
    Implement the feature.

    Answers of your questions are bellow.

    Preferred capture mode: Single screenshots, continuous recording, or both?
    =>
    Continuous recording

    Performance requirements: Real-time capture needed or on-demand screenshots acceptable?
    =>
    Real time capture is needed

    Audio: Should composite recordings include audio?
    =>
    No.

    File output: Save to device storage or keep textures in memory only?
    =>
    Just implement the feature to update textures which is similar to the current camera access feature.

  10. claude commented on Jan 30, 2026

    @claude
    claudebot
    on Jan 30, 2026 – with Claude

    Claude finished @from2001's task in 4m 11s —— View job • claude/issue-16-20260130-1628 • Create PR ➔

    Composite View Capture Implementation Complete ✓

    I've successfully implemented continuous real-time composite view capture for Apple Vision Pro based on your requirements:

    • ✅ Continuous recording mode
    • ✅ Real-time capture performance
    • ✅ No audio
    • ✅ Texture updates (similar to current camera access)

    Implementation Summary

    Added Files:

    • CompositeViewCapture.swift: ReplayKit-based continuous composite capture
      • Uses RPScreenRecorder for real-time composite frame capture
      • Metal texture pipeline: CVPixelBuffer → Metal Texture → Unity Texture2D
      • Disabled microphone and camera (video-only capture)
      • Functions: startCompositeCapture(), stopCompositeCapture(), getCompositeTexture()

    Modified Files:

    • Entitlements.entitlements: Added com.apple.developer.screen-capture.composite-passthrough entitlement
    • EnterpriseCameraAccessManager.cs:
      • Added UseCompositeCapture public bool toggle (Inspector-accessible)
      • Added composite texture handling methods: TryGetCompositeTexture(), UpdateCompositeTexture()
      • Added public API: GetCompositeTexture2D() to access composite texture
      • Added P/Invoke declarations for Swift bridge
      • Start/OnDisable now check UseCompositeCapture flag to route to correct capture mode
    • ConfigureXcodeSettings.cs: Added NSPhotoLibraryUsageDescription Info.plist key for screen capture permission

    Usage

    In Unity Editor:

    1. Select EnterpriseCameraAccessManager GameObject
    2. Toggle Use Composite Capture checkbox
      • ☑️ Checked: Captures composite view (passthrough + digital content)
      • ☐ Unchecked: Captures physical camera only (existing behavior)
    3. Access composite texture via EnterpriseCameraAccessManager.Instance.GetCompositeTexture2D()

    Technical Details:

    • Both physical and composite capture use identical Metal texture pipeline for consistency
    • Composite frames are automatically flipped (matching physical camera behavior)
    • ReplayKit provides frames via async callback handler
    • No performance impact when composite capture is disabled (unchanged code path)

    Next Steps

    Please test on Vision Pro with enterprise license and verify:

    1. Composite capture includes both passthrough and Unity-rendered content
    2. Real-time performance meets requirements
    3. Texture updates smoothly in PreviewMaterial

    --- | Branch

  11. claude
    added a commit that references this issue on Jan 30, 2026

    Add composite view capture support for Apple Vision Pro

    a97f288
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