Documentation

Built-in model editor

An experimental mode allows editing models independently of SketchUp. It is included with VR Sketch 24, for now only on the standalone Quest or Pico Neo versions. See the "local files" tab in the initial dialog box.

In this mode, files are saved in VR Sketch's internal format directly on the Quest or Pico Neo device. No PC/Mac nor internet connection is required to view and edit these files.

To import an existing model from elsewhere, you need to have the model displayed in the Quest or Pico Neo headset, and then pick the "local files" tab's "save model to new local file". In more details:

  1. You need SketchUp on a PC/Mac (for now; this might change in the future). You can use the free SketchUp 2017 Make with the VR Sketch extension installed.

  2. On PC/Mac, open or import your model into SketchUp.

  3. In the SketchUp menu, pick Extensions -> VR Sketch -> Send to VR on Quest/Pico. (Other ways to send the model to the Quest are OK too, e.g. collaborative editing or viewing a cloud model.)

  4. Put the headset on. You should see the model in the Quest.

  5. Go to the cloud dialog box ("cloud" icon on the bottom right of the tools).

  6. In the "local files" tab, click on the "≡" button and choose "save model to new local file".

A local file can be freely edited on the Quest with no outside connection. Changes should be automatically saved. A few functionalities are not implemented yet; when you try to use them, you will get an error in a dialog box (for example, trying to load a texture image; adding tags a.k.a. layers; making new scenes).

To export a local file, the only option for now is to export it to a COLLADA file (.dae). Find the file in the list of local files, click on its associated "≡" button, and choose "export to COLLADA".

The COLLADA is written as a file with the .dae extension on the headset itself. To find it, follow the instructions below.

Finding the exported files on the headset from a PC/Mac

  • Mac only: you first need to install extra software for transferring files from an Android Device to a Mac. See for example https://www.macworld.co.uk/how-to/mac-software/transfer-android-mac-3683573/.

  • Plug in the headset into the computer using a USB cable. The charging cable of the headset should work fine.

  • Put your headset on and accept some dialog box that requests permission. This allows the connected PC to access the headset's files. The details of how you do that changes quite often, but in February 2025 it was as a small message that appears for 5 seconds in the main environment. You have to click on it before it disappears. You can unplug and plug the cable again to get another chance.

  • On the PC/Mac, the headset should appear as an extra drive like any other external device. On PC, open the explorer; it should be called e.g. "Quest 3" under the top level "This PC". If you don't see it, try again the previous point.

  • Open this "Quest 3" drive, then follow "Internal shared storage", "Documents", "VRExport". This folder contains the .dae files. If there are textures, they are found in a subfolder with the same name as the .dae file. You can copy them to your PC/Mac.

  • Note that the "Documents", "VRSketch" folder contains all the local files in the internal file format. You can copy them for backup purposes or to move them to another Quest, for example. You can delete and duplicate and rename them here, too.