Your iPhone Has A Hidden Feature That Can Measure Furniture

When picking out a new sofa, you'll probably want to bring a tape measure to the store. Otherwise, you risk buying one that's too big or too small for your space. While a tape measure is handy for furniture shopping, it can be a hassle to carry around. Thankfully, your iPhone comes with a useful feature that can do the job instead: The Measure app. This essential iPhone app is designed to measure furniture (and other objects) with the built-in camera. 

It gives you an estimate of the length, width, and height of a piece of furniture, which is particularly convenient when you're rearranging your home but are unsure whether there is enough space for your items. Or when you're moving and want to know if everything fits in the truck. Since Measure only gives you a rough estimate, though, it's best not to rely on it for projects that need precision, like creating a custom bookshelf or ordering a glass top for your table. But for more basic projects, Measure is a great tape measure alternative.

The iPhone Measure app is straightforward and intuitive to use. It works as follows:

1. Open the Measure app on your iPhone.
2. Make sure you're two to ten feet away from the furniture you want to measure.
3. Move your iPhone so that the dot on the screen aligns with one end of the furniture.
4. Tap the plus button to mark that position.
5. Pan the iPhone to the end point you're measuring.
6. Hit the plus button again.

A ruler with the measurement will then appear on top of the furniture. To save a photo of this, select the small shutter button on the right, or simply note it. All measurements will automatically be deleted when you exit the app or remove it from your recent apps. When you're ready to measure another side of the furniture, press the back or delete button to clear the screen.

A tape measure is an essential gadget for any handyman, thanks to its precise measurements. But while the iPhone's Measure app is considered best for estimates, it's actually fairly accurate. I tested Measure on several pieces of furniture and found that the app's measurements were only slightly different from those of a tape measure. For instance, my bedroom wardrobe measures 46.75 inches wide with a tape measure, while the app said it was 46 inches. 

My home office desk has a width of 31.6 inches with a tape measure and 31 inches on the app. Meanwhile, our sofa in the living room came in at 70.5 inches using the tape measure, but 71 inches with the app. It's important to note that how you use the app can affect the accuracy. First off, the angle of the camera plays a part. When I tried measuring the table with the camera above it, the measurement was off by 1.5 inches. But when I moved the camera to the same level as the table, there was only a 0.5-inch difference. 

Where you are when measuring is also a factor. Make sure to position yourself in the middle of the furniture instead of on the side, and stay at least two feet away. When measuring furniture with straight edges like a wardrobe or table, you'll get the most accurate figure if you snap the start and end points to the yellow guide lines. These guide lines automatically appear along the furniture's edge when your camera detects a straight edge. You just need to wait for it to show up before marking the start and end points.