The current state of 3D scanning apps on the App Store is a bit disappointing. Most of them are either paid or have a subscription model. Not doing enough scanning to justify the cost, I decided to look for a free alternative.

I was pleasantly surprised to find that Apple’s own RealityKit framework has a sample app for exactly this purpose. Scanning objects using Object Capture is a free app that lets you scan objects using your iOS device.

To get started, install Xcode and download the sample app from the Object Capture sample code. Build and run the app on your iOS device, and follow the instructions to scan an object.

Once done, you can export the scanned object as a USDZ file or save all the images to your device. The images can then be used with Building an object reconstruction app to create a high-quality 3D model.

Since USDZ is not a widely supported format in the 3D printing world or CAD software, you can convert it to other formats using tools like Blender.