How to Measure Objects with iOS 12 Camera

With the release of iOS 12, Apple introduced the built-in Measure app, transforming your iPhone or iPad camera into an augmented reality tape measure. This article provides a clear, step-by-step guide on how to calibrate your device, measure distances between two points, automatically detect rectangular objects, and save your measurements for later reference.

Device Requirements

To use the Measure app in iOS 12, you need an Apple device equipped with an A9 chip or later to support ARKit. Compatible models include the iPhone 6s and later, iPhone SE, iPad (5th generation and later), and all iPad Pro models.

Step 1: Open and Calibrate the Measure App

  1. Open the Measure app from your home screen.
  2. Follow the on-screen prompt to move your device around. This step allows the camera to detect flat surfaces and calibrate the augmented reality tracking.
  3. Continue moving the device until a circular reticle with a central dot appears on the screen.

Step 2: Measure Point-to-Point Distances

  1. Position the dot inside the circular reticle over the starting point of the object you want to measure.
  2. Tap the Add (+) button.
  3. Slowly pan your device along the edge of the object toward your desired endpoint. A dashed line will stretch across the screen, dynamically showing the measurement.
  4. Align the dot over the endpoint and tap the Add (+) button again to lock in the final measurement.

Step 3: Automatically Measure Rectangles

The Measure app automatically identifies rectangular surfaces, such as books, picture frames, or tabletops:

  1. Hover the camera over a rectangular object until a yellow bounding box appears around it.
  2. Tap the Add (+) button.
  3. The app will automatically display both the width and length, along with the calculated area of the surface.

Additional Controls

  • Take a Photo: Tap the circular shutter button in the bottom-right corner to snap a picture of your measured object with the measurement overlay included.
  • Undo/Clear: Tap the Undo arrow in the upper-left corner to remove the last point placed, or tap Clear (the trash can icon) to delete all active measurements on the screen.
  • Built-in Level: Tap the Level tab at the bottom of the screen to access the digital surface and edge level tool.