How to Use the Measure App on the iPhone

By Leanne Hays Updated 08/15/2022

* This post is part of iPhone Life's Tip of the Day newsletter. . *

One of my favorite iPad and iPhone features is the handy Measure app. The Apple Measure app uses augmented reality (AR) to function as a tape measure and level all in one. You can use this free tape measure and ruler app as long as you have an iPhone SE, the iPhone 6S or later, a fifth-generation or later iPad, any iPad Pro, or the seventh-generation iPod Touch. In this tip, we'll go over how to use the Measure app on the iPhone and iPad as you would a tape measure or ruler; we'll cover how to use the level tool in another tip. Let's get started learning how to use your iPad or iPhone as a tape measure with Apple's free Measure app. 

Related: Is Augmented Reality for More Than Just Gaming? Yes! This App Proves It 

  1. Open the Measure app.
  2. Make sure Measure is highlighted at the bottom of your display.

    image shows measure app iconpicture shows measure highlighted at the bottom of iphone display
     
  3. You'll see instructions on the screen to move your device to start; when you do, you'll see a white dot in a circle appear.
  4. Position the white dot over the place you'd like to start your measurement, tap the plus sign, move your device to the point where you want to stop measuring, and tap the plus sign again; you'll see a dotted line as you move your iPhone or iPad.

    image shows user tapping the plus sign to begin measuringimage shows user tapping plus sign to end measurement
     
  5. To start a new measurement on the same object, move the plus sign to the new location, and repeat the process.
  6. If you'd like to measure from the endpoint of your last measured line, tap the plus sign while the white point is over the previous endpoint, then move your phone again to create another measurement as before.

    second measurement of same object using measure apptake a continuous measurement of the same object
     
  7. Your device automatically detects when you measure a square or rectangular object. Tap the plus sign to see measurements for length and width.
  8. Move your iPhone or iPad slightly, and the area of your shape will appear.

    measure app giving length and width of rectangular objectmeasure app gives the area of a rectangle
     
  9. To take a photo of a completed measurement, tap the shutter release button to the right of the plus sign.
  10. Swipe left on the photo icon that appears to save it and tap the icon to make edits with Markup. 

    tap the shutter button to take a photo of measure app measurement

Now you can take measurements on your iPhone and iPad!

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Author Details

Leanne Hays's picture

Author Details

Leanne Hays

Leanne Hays is a Feature Writer at iPhone Life, and has written hundreds of in-depth how-to and troubleshooting articles. She's a former Associate Editor for iPhone Life magazine, and has written for the Iowa Source, as well as web content for education marketing. Leanne has an associate's degree in education, with a focus on curriculum development, as well as a bachelor's degree in science. She has over nine years of experience with SEO, social media management, and web development and writing. Despite years of web work, Leanne is by no means an early adapter; she's only owned a smartphone for five years, which makes her highly sympathetic to the learning curve of new iPhone owners. She enjoys making reader's lives easier and putting her education experience to work by walking them through the most practical ways to use Apple devices, step-by-step.

In off-work hours, Leanne is a mother of two, homesteader, audiobook fanatic, musician, and learning enthusiast.