OpenXR Spatial Containers Bring 3D Multitasking Rules

OpenXR spatial containers define a system-managed space where several 3D apps can run side by side. The Khronos Group ratified two extensions on October 19 and released them for cross-platform XR multitasking. Google says Android XR will support them.

How OpenXR spatial containers work

Khronos describes a spatial container as a system-managed space for XR content, similar to how a desktop window holds a 2D app. The model lets an app open one or more containers while leaving placement and related system controls to the runtime.

The two extensions are XR_EXT_spatial_container and XR_EXT_spatial_container_self_rendering. The first lets apps create and manage containers. The second lets apps draw into them through OpenXR composition layers.

• The system controls where each container sits.
• Users can place content around them or have it follow them while moving.
• Containers can be shown or hidden.
• A container can be selected for input.
• Each container can switch between bounded mode for multitasking and immersive mode that fills the view.

Khronos says runtime and engine vendors worked on the feature for 18 months. The working group is also developing extensions that would let apps use a system-provided renderer tuned to each device. Khronos expects implementations to roll out during 2026.

Update (2026-11-01): VR.org News reports that both extensions entered the OpenXR registry with specification release 1.1.63 on September 1, 2026. VR.org News also reports that OpenXR SDK 1.1.65, released October 16, added spatial container sample code, Android manifest entries and a command-line switch to hello_xr. The sample creates up to three containers and can switch its third container between bounded and immersive modes. A runtime may support only one of bounded or immersive mode, and mode changes are asynchronous requests that can be rejected. Godot's spatial container integration merged under the 4.8 milestone and was included in Godot 4.8 beta 1. Monado had no spatial container support on its main branch at publication time.

Companies and platforms involved

The Khronos announcement includes statements from Google, Meta, PICO, Unity, Varjo, Collabora and the Godot XR team. Google's Jared Finder said Google is “excited to bring Spatial Container support to Android XR.” The Godot team said its upcoming release will support the feature.

Meta's statement supports the broader idea but does not explicitly commit to spatial container support on Quest. Android XR support is planned, while support on other platforms depends on each runtime's implementation. The OpenXR SDK sample and Godot 4.8 beta show development progress, but they do not establish support on every runtime.

What OpenXR multitasking could change

Road to VR compares this approach with Shared Space on Apple Vision Pro, where several 3D apps can sit next to each other. Quest currently runs one immersive app at a time alongside 2D windows and system menus.

A shared standard could let developers build 3D multitasking apps once for Quest, Android XR, PICO and PC VR instead of writing a different version for each platform. The common model covers container creation, placement, visibility, input selection and transitions between bounded and immersive presentation.

Apple's visionOS and PS VR2 do not support OpenXR, so they are outside this effort. For supported runtimes, actual availability still depends on implementation, including which container modes a runtime accepts and whether asynchronous mode-change requests succeed.