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Untethered VR experiences with the new SketchUp Viewer for Meta Quest

SketchUp Viewer is now available for Meta Quest 2, Meta Quest Pro, and Meta Quest 3. New sharing features and wireless capabilities create a powerful, immersive experience you can take on the go.

SketchUp model viewed in the new home environment in the updated SketchUp Viewer for Meta Quest

On top of our existing viewing and presentation features — including the recently released Presentation Mode on iPad and augmented reality (AR) viewing using QR codes on 3D Warehouse — it's time to welcome our latest innovation for experiencing your ideas: SketchUp Viewer for Meta Quest.

With older PCVR technology, headsets had to be plugged into a personal computer, meaning the user’s experience was anchored to a point. Now, you can view SketchUp models in virtual reality (VR) completely untethered on Meta Quest 2, Meta Quest Pro, and Meta Quest 3 devices. Without the need for a wired connection, you’re now free to fully explore your designs. Let’s check out the new features specific to the Meta Quest headset that make navigating your virtual world easier than ever.

Reimagine what's possible and immerse collaborators in a new reality with new workflows made possible using the SketchUp Viewer for Quest. Model by DA Architects and Planners. Footage captured on Quest 3.

Bring anyone into your vision

Building trust and giving stakeholders the tools to make informed decisions helps drive project progress and consensus. With the new Presentation Mode in VR, you can confidently hand over the headset to a client without worrying about a steep learning curve — sharing your vision with non-technical stakeholders has never been this seamless. 

Hone in on home 

Power up SketchUp Viewer on a Meta Quest headset and arrive in a new home environment. A dynamic table helps you load and manipulate models while in tabletop mode. The upside? Models in VR are easy to scale, orbit, and move, so you can explore them as required.

Rotate and drop into a model from the home environment in SketchUp Viewer. 

“I love using tabletop mode. It's neat that you can go directly into the model or view it from an exterior perspective.”  

-Sarah Vitale, Planning Director | Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council

Navigate with greater ease 

Our controls will be familiar to those who have used other VR applications, but they are also intuitive enough for a complete novice. Customized support for the Meta Quest controllers’ thumbstick and grip buttons make it more natural to scale, pan, and rotate your models in VR.

"Moving around with SketchUp Viewer in the Quest headset is very seamless! One of the most interesting functions is manipulating the model with just your hand.”

-Daniel Tal, Digital Studio Manager, Author, Developer | Confluence 

Load large files ultra-fast — from anywhere 

Enjoy faster load times and import more complex files (up to 100MB or 2.7 million faces) with this performance boost. Combined with Trimble Connect integration, you can now create and publish your SketchUp model on web, iPad, or desktop and see it instantly in the Trimble Connect menu of the Quest Viewer.

Features you know and love 

SketchUp Viewer for Quest includes all the tools you may have encountered using HoloLens 2 and other VR applications. Access native SketchUp tools like Scenes, Tags, Outliner, and Tape Measure in VR, reducing onboarding time and flattening your learning curve with Meta Quest 2, Meta Quest Pro, and Meta Quest 3. 

Why add VR to your workflow?

VR combines computer modeling and simulation to allow users to view, walk through, and interact with a virtual or rendered environment via a purpose-built headset. If you have not used VR in your design workflow, now is the time to explore what's possible.

Project stakeholders in a conference room use virtual reality presentation technology in the new SketchUp Viewer for Meta Quest

Using VR technology helps build trust and gives stakeholders the right information to make informed decisions.

In today's fast-paced world, designers and construction professionals are constantly looking to share their ideas in ways that are easy to understand. VR offers the immersive experience needed to convey your vision faster and more clearly than ever, and our new Meta Quest viewer elevates this experience. 

“I like that you can just press a button, and it will play the VR recording for our customers, which will be especially helpful for our older customers.”

-Kevin Guernon, Conceptual Designer | VAD

Your quest is complete

SketchUp for Quest is simple to navigate and boasts high-powered performance and collaboration tools. Unlike older VR headsets, Meta Quest 2, Meta Quest Pro, and Meta Quest 3 require minimal setup and do not need to be connected to a desktop computer. Explore the possibilities of VR with a headset that can travel with you. 

Download the app!

SketchUp Viewer for Quest is a free viewing application for anyone with a Meta Quest headset. You can check out the sample projects we've included with the app or view any SketchUp models published or shared in your Trimble Connect account.

You will need a SketchUp subscription to create your own 3D models on desktop, mobile, or web. 

About the Author

We’re the folks who work on SketchUp, so we spend most of our time thinking about how to make drawing in 3D better. We also enjoy nerf gun wars, disc golf, board games, coffee, beer, donuts, and looking at mountains. A few of us eat quinoa.

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