Floor Plan Editor FAQ

Table of Contents

1. Getting Started
2. Scanning & Room Creation
3. Editing Your Floor Plan

Getting Started

What's the best way to learn the basics of magicplan?

magicplan offers several resources to fit every learning style — whether you prefer reading, watching, or doing.

Help Center
A searchable knowledge base with step-by-step articles, guides, and FAQs covering troubleshooting and feature explanations.

YouTube Channel
magicplan's official video hub with tutorials, feature demos, and customer stories.

magicplan Community
An online forum where users can ask each other questions, share tips, submit feature requests, and connect with magicplan staff and power users.

Webinars
Live and on-demand training sessions hosted by magicplan experts. Topics range from basic onboarding to advanced workflows, with live Q&A opportunities. 

Practice for Free
Download the app for free! With our Starter Plan, you can use one of your free projects to explore the app hands-on. Try scanning a room, adding walls and doors, placing objects, attaching a note or photo, and exporting a basic PDF report. Any floors, rooms, objects, etc. that you add to a project can be deleted if you need to start over!

Scanning & Room Creation

Can I scan a room without LiDAR?

A LiDAR is required to use the Auto-Scan feature. However, iOS devices without LiDAR can still use Manual Scan if the device supports ARKit technology. 

Can I use Auto-Scan or Manual Scan with an Android device?

Unfortunately, due to technical limitations, LiDAR-based scan features — including Auto-Scan and Manual Scan — are not available on Android devices. Android users can still create floor plans using the following methods:

• Add a Square Room
• Draw Room
• Import & Draw

I want to start scanning a new space. How do I access Auto-Scan?

Auto-Scan is accessed by creating your first project, adding a floor level, then adding a room to that floor - you will have several options for adding a room and you will want to select the Auto-Scan option. From there, in-app guidance will walk you through the scan process. If you have completed a scan and wish to re-do it, you can select the room and delete it to start over.

Can you scan a beam using Auto-Scan?

No, beams cannot be scanned using Auto-Scan. You can, however, add a beam manually to your project by selecting it from the "Structural Objects" category in the object library. Similarly, staircases cannot be scanned and must be added after completing your scan.

Editing Your Floor Plan

I tried to add a wall to split my room. Why isn’t it working? 

magicplan is a room-based program. Rather than simply adding a wall, you’ll need to add a new room. You can do this two ways:

• To add a closet or hallway in a space where a room already exists, you'll need to first move walls to create the necessary space. Check out this article for a detailed walkthrough.
• To simply make two rooms out of one space, you’ll want to split the room using the method from this article.

I’m trying to create an open floor plan. How do I do this?

Creating an open-concept floor plan requires a little creativity and effort, since we don’t recommend trying to produce this kind of space using Auto-Scan. 

To create an open concept floor plan that includes separately labeled dining, living, and kitchen areas:

• Pick a center point down which to divide the room. Mark it with a piece of painter’s tape or a small, stationary object so you can use this as your imaginary “corner.”
• Use Manual Scan in corner mode to create a closed room for each space.
• The adjoining walls can then be deleted, leaving one open space with the individual room labels intact. 

How do I change an object's dimensions in my floor plan?

You have two options for adjusting an object's dimensions:

1. Pinch or expand the object using your thumb and forefinger to resize it manually.
2. Enter exact dimensions by accessing the Details section for that object:
   • On a tablet: Tap the "i" icon in the upper right corner.
   • On a phone: Swipe up from the bottom of the screen.

Where can I find the wall area of my room?

You can find wall area measurements within the room's statistics. Here's how:

1. Open your project and tap on the room.
2. Access the Details section:
   • On a tablet: Tap the "i" icon in the upper right corner.
   • On a phone: Swipe up from the bottom of the screen.
3. Locate "Statistics" under Room Details.
4. Tap "See All."
5. Wall area is listed under "Walls with openings" and "Walls without openings."

How do I calculate the surface area for painting, flooring, or tile estimates?

You could do this a few different ways. The easiest way to calculate an area for floor or tile, especially around cabinetry or built-in structures like tubs, is to use magicplan’s Affected Area tool. Originally built for showing damaged or affected areas for the restoration industry, this tool is also a useful aid in calculating square footage for unique shapes or small areas. 

You can also utilize magicplan's built-in floor plan tools to view both the total ground surface area and the living area for your project. Here's how:

1. Open your project in the magicplan app.
2. Tap the "i" icon next to the "Add project description..." box.
3. In the project info menu, select Living Area Calculation at the bottom of the "General" section.

From here, you can:

• Include or exclude interior and exterior walls from the calculation.
• Set a minimum required height for rooms to be included in the surface area.
• Specify what percentage of each room counts toward the living area.

When you open the Statistics Summary of your floor plan, you'll see:

• Living area (based on your settings)
• Ground surface area (total area of all rooms)