# How to Add Textures to your 3D models

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## What is a Base Texture?

A **base texture** is like digital skin for your 3D model. It’s the image or pattern that gives your model its visible surface details, like wood grain on furniture, fabric on clothing, or skin on a character. Without textures, your 3D models would look flat and lifeless—just blank shapes floating in space.

In this guide, you'll learn how to add base textures to your 3D models to instantly elevate their appearance. Whether you're building for games, AR/VR, or digital art, understanding textures is a game-changer.

Let’s dive in and bring those models to life!

#### ✅ What You’ll Need

* A 3D model (GLB, FBX, or other formats)
* Base Textures
* A SwiftXR account

## 1. Create a new Project Drag and Drop your 3D Model

Open the SwiftXR editor > select components > click on 3D. Then drag and drop the AR component on the Canvas. Choose any of the means available to get your 3D models Upload your 3D model from your device&#x20;

* Upload a 3D model from your device
* Search SwiftXR asset store&#x20;
* Use our AI image to 3D converter
* Request a custom 3D model from SwiftXR

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## 2.  Enable the Customization Feature

Head over to the right hand side of the editor and click on **Properties.**   Under Properties, scroll down to customizations features, toggled on the **enabl**e tab

Note: The SwiftXR Customization feature allows you to add  Material colour variants, base texture and Normal Map to your 3D models.

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## 3. Drag and Drop your Base Textures

Once you have enabled your the customization feature, click on **Add new variant.** Under base textures, drag and drop your base texture image. You can select the part of the model you want to add the textures to

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* You can add as many textures as you want. Simply click on **add new variant**

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Note: You can make simple edits to your base textures. You can reduce the tiling of the texture

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## 4. Preview and Publish your Project

Click on the preview tab to preview your project, then hit publish to make it live

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