When you create an SOP from videos and photos taken with a 360° camera, viewers can look around the step's videos and photos by dragging, swiping, or tilting their smartphone. In the Meta Quest (formerly Oculus Quest) browser, you can enter a video or photo in VR and look around by turning your head. Step splits, subtitles, body text, questions, read-aloud, shapes, and mosaics can be used in the same way as in regular video and photo SOPs.

Uploading 360° videos and photos, and creating and editing 360° SOPs, is available on the Pro plan or higher. Completed SOPs can be viewed on any plan. Video editing is done from a browser on a PC.

What is a 360° SOP?

Videos and photos exported from a 360° camera are wide images that flatten the entire surroundings into one picture (a flat view with a 2:1 width-to-height ratio). Dive projects this image onto the inside of a sphere so viewers can change direction and look around.

• You can set a "starting view" for each step. When the step changes, the view automatically turns to that step's starting view.
• Shapes, area shapes, embedded videos, and mosaics stay fixed to the direction they were placed in. When you change the view, they move together with the surrounding scenery.
• Shapes outside the screen are indicated by an orange triangle at the edge of the screen showing their direction.
• AI analysis, step splits, subtitles, read-aloud, questions, and work records work the same as regular videos and photos.

Supported videos

Use videos exported as 360° MP4 files with the dedicated app of your 360° camera (such as RICOH THETA, Insta360, or GoPro MAX). An exported MP4 includes information that says it is a "360° video," and Dive uses that information to decide whether a video is a 360° video.

• Proprietary formats recorded on the camera itself (such as Insta360 .insv or GoPro MAX .360 files) cannot be imported as 360° videos as they are. Export them to MP4 with the camera's dedicated app before uploading.
• If you edit with video editing software, set it to export as a 360° (VR) video. If you export as a regular video, the 360° information is lost and the video is imported as a flat video.
• Stereoscopic 3D videos (with a separate image for each eye) and 180° videos cannot be treated as 360° videos. They are imported as flat videos.
• The length and file size limits are the same as for regular videos (Supported video and image formats and limits).

We have verified operation with 4K and 5.7K videos from the RICOH THETA X.

Supported photos

Use photos (such as JPEG) taken with a 360° camera (such as RICOH THETA or Insta360) and saved or exported as 360° photos. A 360° photo includes information that marks it as a 360° photo, and Dive determines whether a photo is a 360° photo from this information and from whether its width-to-height ratio is 2:1.

• Proprietary formats recorded on the camera itself (such as Insta360 .insp files) should be exported as 360° photos (JPEG) with the camera's dedicated app before uploading.
• Photos that do not capture the entire surroundings, such as smartphone panorama photos, are not treated as 360° photos. They are imported as regular photos.
• TIFF photos cannot be imported as 360° photos. They are imported as regular photos.
• Even if a photo has no 360° information, a photo with a 2:1 width-to-height ratio and a width of 4,000 pixels or more is imported with the original image kept, for teams on the Pro plan or higher. You can make it a 360° photo later from the material details (see "Converting a video or photo without 360° information to 360°" below).

Creating an SOP

1. Uploading 360° videos and photos

1. Upload the videos or photos from [Materials] using the same steps as for regular videos and photos. The AI analysis settings are also the same as usual.
2. When the import is finished, "360°" appears at the bottom left of the material's thumbnail.

Videos and photos without the "360°" label are imported as flat videos or photos because they do not contain 360° information. Either check "Supported videos" and "Supported photos" above and upload the file again after re-exporting it, or make it 360° by following the steps in "Converting a video or photo without 360° information to 360°" below.

For teams below the Pro plan, selecting a 360° video or photo displays a notice about plans, and it is not uploaded. If even one 360° video or photo is included in the files selected together, none of the files are uploaded. If you import a video from Microsoft 365 or Google Drive, the import fails and a message appears saying "360° videos can be uploaded on the Pro plan or higher."

Depending on the format, some 360° videos need to be converted again in Dive. In that case, the import fails and a message appears saying "Please re-export the 360° video as an H.264 or H.265 MP4 with the camera software before uploading."

2. Making the SOP

When you create an SOP from a material with the "360°" label, the steps for that video or photo become 360° steps. The procedure is the same as for regular videos and photos, whether you create the SOP with AI analysis or insert the video or photo in the SOP editing screen.

AI analysis creates steps with the fact that the material is a 360° video or photo in mind. The 360° camera and tripod that appear in the footage, as well as the actions to start or stop recording, are not treated as work.

For steps created with AI analysis, the spot where the work is being done becomes the starting view for each step. For steps that the AI could not determine a view for, and steps created without AI analysis, the front of the camera (the middle of the flat view) is the starting view. Text added by AI analysis also appears on this starting view. To change the view, use the steps in "Adjusting with the video editor" below for videos, or "Adjusting photo steps" for photos.

Converting a video or photo without 360° information to 360°

Videos and photos without 360° information (such as 360° videos uploaded earlier, or videos exported as regular videos from video editing software) can also be converted to 360° in the material details. This is available on the Pro plan or higher. Only the person who uploaded the material, Owners, and Team Administrators can do this.

1. In [Materials], open the video card to display the material details.
2. Turn on [Treat as 360° video].
3. Click [Rebuild for 360°]. The video is re-converted in 2K and 4K quality. While it is being rebuilt, "Rebuilding for 360°" is displayed. Long videos take more time.

When the rebuild is finished, steps made from that video become 360° steps. If it fails, "Could not rebuild for 360°" is displayed, so click [Rebuild for 360°] again. [Treat as 360° video] appears only for videos with a 2:1 width-to-height ratio and for videos that have already been converted to 360°. If it does not appear for a video you uploaded earlier, upload the video again. A video whose width-to-height ratio is not 2:1 cannot be treated as a 360° video.

SOPs that were already created from that video do not automatically become 360°. Open the video editor on the SOP editing screen, turn on [Show in 360°], and then confirm the edits.

For photos, turn on [Treat as 360° photo] in the material details to make the photo a 360° photo. This switch appears only for photos that were imported with the original image kept (360° photos uploaded by teams on the Pro plan or higher, and photos with a 2:1 width-to-height ratio and a width of 4,000 pixels or more). If it does not appear for a photo, upload the photo again. Steps that were already created with that photo become 360° if you select the photo again with [Replace] in the step image.

Adjusting with the video editor

On the SOP editing screen, click [Edit video] to open the video editor. For 360° videos, drag on the video to look around, and use the mouse wheel to zoom in and out. The 360° buttons are lined up at the top right of the video.

Setting the starting view for a step

1. On the timeline, click the range of the step whose starting view you want to set.
2. Drag the video to turn it to the view you want to show, and use the wheel to adjust the size.
3. Click [Set this view as the step's starting view].

When "Set as this step's starting view" is displayed, the setting is complete. Text added by AI analysis appears on the step's starting view, so it moves along with the view when you change the starting view.

Placing shapes and mosaics

Shapes, area shapes, embedded videos, and mosaics are added using the same steps as for regular videos (How to insert shapes and Editing mosaics). When added, they are placed in the direction you were looking at that time.

When you click a shape that has been placed, the view turns to the direction the shape was placed in, and the shape becomes ready to edit. The direction is fixed while you are editing. To go back to the look-around view, click [Look around] at the top left of the video.

In a 360° step, up to 16 mosaics can be shown at the same time.

When you confirm the video edits, the Thumbnail of each step (the image used in the step list and in exports) is created at the step's starting view.

Stop showing in 360°

When you turn off [Show in 360°], a confirmation screen appears. If you click [Stop 360°], the video's steps are played as a flat video in the wide flat view. Shapes and mosaics that have a direction are moved to positions on the flat view. You can revert this with Undo (Ctrl+Z). To turn it on again, the Pro plan or higher is required.

Adjusting photo steps

On the SOP editing screen, click [Edit] on the step image of a 360° photo step to open a screen where you can edit the 360° photo while looking around it. Drag on the photo to look around, and use the mouse wheel to zoom in and out.

• Click [Set this view as the step's starting view] to make the view you are looking at now the starting view of the step.
• Shapes and mosaics are added using the same steps as for regular photos (Edit image). When added, they are placed in the direction you were looking at that time. When you click a placed shape, the view turns to the direction the shape was placed in, and the shape becomes ready to edit. To go back to the look-around view, click [Look around].
• Up to 16 mosaics are allowed. Crop and rotation are not available.

Click [Apply Edits] to create the image of the step's starting view (the image used in the step list and in exports).

Viewing in the SOP player

In a 360° step, you can perform the following operations on videos and photos. They work the same way in browsers on PC, smartphone, and tablet, and in the Dive smartphone app. This also applies to SOPs opened from an external share URL.

The following buttons appear at the top left of videos and photos.

• Return to the starting view (round crosshair-shaped button): Appears only when the view has been turned far from the starting view.
• Look around by tilting (smartphone-shaped button): Appears on smartphones and tablets. Tap it to look around by tilting the device. On iPhone, you will be asked for permission to use the device's motion when you tap it, so please allow it.
• VR (button labeled "VR"): Appears in the browser of devices that support VR (see "View in VR" below).

Shapes outside the screen are indicated by orange triangles at the edge of the screen. Tap a triangle to turn in that direction.

In addition to "Auto," you can choose 2K (1920×960) or 4K (3840×1920) as the image quality. If the original video is less than 4K, only 2K is available.

Photos are displayed as images up to 4096 pixels wide. On a PC, if the original photo is 8192 pixels wide or more, it is displayed as an image 8192 pixels wide.

View in VR (Meta Quest)

When you open a 360° step in the Meta Quest (formerly Oculus Quest) browser, [VR] appears at the top left of the video or photo. Press it to switch to VR, and you can turn your head to look around inside the video or photo. No app installation is required. We have confirmed operation in the standard browser on Meta Quest.

1. In the Meta Quest browser, open Dive (https://app.divedx.com), log in, and open the SOP. This also works for SOPs opened from an external share URL.
2. In a 360° step, press [VR] at the top left of the video or photo.
3. The view switches to VR. The direction you were looking at before you pressed [VR] becomes the front.

The step title, subtitles, and operation guide are displayed in front of you. Shapes outside your field of view are indicated by an orange arrow, and the starting view of the step is indicated by a white arrow.

VR ends automatically and you return to the browser screen in the following cases. After you operate the screen, such as answering a question, press [VR] again.

• When a question, the step list, or the completion screen is displayed
• When you move to a step that is not 360°

While operating by hand (without holding a controller), you cannot move between steps. Please use a controller to move between steps.

How 360° steps appear in exports, offline use, and smart glasses

FAQ

Are there plan restrictions for viewing 360° SOPs?

No. They can be viewed on any plan. Even if you downgrade your plan, 360° SOPs you have already created can still be viewed in 360°. The Pro plan or higher is required to upload new 360° videos or photos, and to change the starting view or shapes.

I used a 360° camera, but the "360°" label does not appear

The uploaded video or photo may not contain 360° information. For videos, check whether you exported it as a 360° video MP4 with the camera's dedicated app. If you processed it with video editing software, you need to set it to export as a 360° (VR) video. For photos, check whether you saved or exported it as a 360° photo (such as JPEG) with the camera's dedicated app. A video with a 2:1 width-to-height ratio, and a photo with a 2:1 width-to-height ratio and a width of 4,000 pixels or more, can also be converted to 360° in the material details (see "Converting a video or photo without 360° information to 360°" above).

Can 360° videos and photos uploaded earlier be used?

Videos can be used by turning on [Treat as 360° video] in the material details and clicking [Rebuild for 360°]. For photos, please upload them again. For details, see "Converting a video or photo without 360° information to 360°" above.

Related articles

• Supported video and image formats and limits
• How to insert shapes
• Editing mosaics
• Changing the "Still Duration" when inserting shapes (how many seconds to pause during playback)
• Does the SOP support offline playback?
• Differences across devices and apps