Are you doing odd jobs, but don’t have any measuring instruments nearby? iPhone has a standard measuring app with a built-in spirit level. We explain where to find it and how to use it.
The iPhone ‘Measure’ app
Do you want to know how long something is, but don’t have a ruler nearby? With the ‘Measure’ app in iOS you can find out with your iPhone camera. In this simple app you only have two tabs: measure and level. It works surprisingly easily.
- With your camera you aim at something you want to measure. A point appears in the center with a circle around it. If the object you want to measure has a delimited shape, dotted lines will automatically appear around it;
- If not, tap the plus sign to fix a point;
- Then you point the camera at the point to where you want to measure. You will now see a dotted line appear;
- Press the plus sign to lock the line.
You will now see the measured length on the line. It works best if you hold your iPhone’s camera directly above something. If you do it from a certain perspective, it is sometimes difficult to pick the right point. The app provides an estimate of the length; it is therefore less useful for very precise measurements.
Level
The spirit level is incorporated in the ‘Measure’ app. There are two circles on the screen. The more straight you hold the iPhone, the more these two circles come together. In the middle you can see how many degrees you tilt the iPhone. If you keep the iPhone level, so at 0 °, your screen will turn green. With this handy tool you can quickly and easily check whether, for example, your desk or dining table is completely straight.
Other tips
On iPhone you regularly read news and useful tips about everything related to Apple. Are you new to iOS? We explain everything you need to know as a novice iPhone user. If you have too many apps on your homescreen and you can no longer see the forest for the trees, read our tips to organize your iPhone homescreen.