Preparing high-quality graduates is a pressing challenge in teacher education, particularly among vocational high school graduates in Indonesia who face elevated unemployment rates. This experimental study explores the impact of integrating augmented reality (AR) and higher order thinking skills (HOTS) into vocational teacher education, empowering future educators with essential skills to meet evolving educational demands. The proposed learning media served to assist students in better comprehending abstract content through HOTS-based learning activities, improving subject mastery. We investigated the effects of AR-based HOTS learning media on learning performance based on self-regulated learning, digital literacy, and critical thinking, using a mixed-method research design with 241 participants. Our results demonstrate a positive impact on these factors, underscoring the significance of effective AR-based learning tools in enhancing the quality of vocational teacher education.