Deemed　as　a　challenging　task　for　second/foreign　language　learners,　writing　is　highly　context-dependent　and　requires　a　high　level　of　self-regulation　while　current　technology-supported　approaches　to　writing　instruction　are　still　de-contextual.　Spherical　video-based　virtual　reality　(SVVR),　allowing　learners　to　observe　and　interact　with　the　authentic　environment,　may　seem　a　potential　way　to　address　the　problems　in　the　EFL　writing　class.　Grounded　in　Sociocultural　Theory,　this　study　employed　an　explanatory　sequential　mixed　methods　design,　commencing　with　a　quasi-experiment　followed　by　post-intervention　interviews　to　triangulate　the　findings.　In　the　quasi-experimental　phase,　the　experimental　group　(n　=　31)　engaged　in　SVVR-based　viewing　activities　prior　to　writing　exercises,　while　the　control　group　(n　=　31)　received　traditional　instruction　involving　video　watching　before　writing.　Subsequently,　nine　students　from　the　two　groups　participated　in　post-intervention　interviews　to　provide　qualitative　insights　into　their　experiences.　The　findings　demonstrated　the　use　of　the　SVVR　technological　pedagogy　carried　good　potential　to　facilitate　learners’　argumentative　writing　performance,　especially　reflected　in　their　writing　content　and　language　use.　Students　in　the　SVVR　group　also　exhibited　enhanced　self-regulation　in　writing,　with　participants　noting　a　heightened　frequency　in　the　use　of　metacognitive　and　motivational/affective　regulation　strategies.　However,　there　was　no　marked　improvement　in　their　use　of　cognitive　and　social　strategies.　Analysis　of　the　interview　data　revealed　four　emergent　themes:　multimodal　scaffolding,　mediation　by　environmental　context,　sociocultural　interaction,　and　motivation　and　enjoyment,　which　reinforced　and　elucidated　the　quantitative　outcomes.　The　implications　of　integrating　SVVR　in　EFL　writing　instruction　are　discussed,　highlighting　its　potential　to　facilitate　comprehensive　self-regulated　learning.　©　2025　Informa　UK　Limited,　trading　as　Taylor　&　Francis　Group.