Frequently Asked Questions

What is Live Home 3D?

Live Home 3D is an intuitive and feature-rich home design software that allows anyone to create detailed 2D floor plans and visualize them instantly in a fully interactive 3D environment. Developed for over 15 years by BeLight Software, it serves as an all-in-one solution for drafting floor plans, choosing color schemes, arranging furniture, adjusting lighting, and rendering photorealistic interior and exterior layouts.

What can I design with Live Home 3D?

You can design virtually any residential or commercial space, including single-room renovations, multi-story houses, apartments, office layouts, and complete outdoor landscapes. The app lets you build walls, add roofs, customize doors and windows, arrange thousands of library or custom furniture pieces, apply realistic materials, and edit outdoor terrain.

Is Live Home 3D suitable for beginners?

Yes! Live Home 3D is intentionally engineered with a beginner-friendly, drag-and-drop workflow. It balances accessibility for homeowners and DIY renovators with advanced architectural features (like elevation views and custom material editing) that professional interior designers and real estate agents rely on.

Learn how to create a house from start to finish in Live Home 3D for Mac, iPad and iPhone, Android and Windows.

Can I create 2D floor plans and 3D house models?

Absolutely. In Live Home 3D, when you draw walls, place doors, or add furniture in the 2D Plan View, the software simultaneously maps and generates a complete 3D view model in real-time. You can switch seamlessly between 2D and 3D views with a single click or tap to inspect your layout from any angle.

In our dedicated guide, you can learn how to draw a floor plan in Live Home 3D.

Can I use Live Home 3D for interior design?

Yes, Live Home 3D is a powerful interior design planner. The app comes pre-packaged with a rich built-in library containing over 2,400 customizable 3D objects (furniture, appliances, decor) and more than 2,100 high-quality surface materials. You can easily modify textures, adjust fabric properties, and even simulate accurate daytime or interior light sources to match real-world aesthetics.

Can I create terrain or design a garden or landscape in Live Home 3D?

Yes, comprehensive landscape design and terrain editing are supported, particularly through our Pro Features. You can map real-world site topography using advanced tools like Elevation Points, Elevation Lines, and Elevation Splines. This allows you to design authentic outdoor spaces, complete with pathways, custom cutouts, driveways, gardens, and swimming pools. However, you can design a simple garden or a backyard even in the free version of the app.

Learn how to create terrain in Live Home 3D.

Can I use Live Home 3D instead of SketchUp, Planner 5D or Home Planner?

Yes. Unlike CAD programs like SketchUp, which require you to build assets from scratch, Live Home 3D automates structural architecture (like walls, roofs, and openings) so you can build faster. For a regular interior design enthusiast or a DIY home design creator, Live Home 3D is also easier to navigate than SketchUp.

On the other hand, compared to apps like Planner 5D or Home Planner, Live Home 3D offers more project customization and advanced tools for drawing rooms, houses, entire buildings or creating elaborate terrain. One more feature that separates Live Home 3D from its competitors is the availability of a one-time purchase (for those who want to avoid subscriptions).

What platforms does Live Home 3D support?

Live Home 3D offers robust cross-platform availability, with native software optimized for:

• macOS (including Apple Silicon optimization)
• iOS / iPadOS (iPhone and iPad)
• visionOS (Apple Vision Pro)
• Windows 10 & 11
• Android

Can I use the same project on different platforms?

Yes. Live Home 3D native files use cross-platform compatible architecture. A project file created on one operating system can be seamlessly opened, edited, and saved on another without losing layout data, furniture configurations, or custom materials.

Can I send a project from iPad to Mac (or open a Mac project on Windows)?

Yes. Thanks to the app's file universality and Apple's Continuity features, moving between mobile and desktop devices is effortless. You can transfer projects via cloud services (such as iCloud Drive, OneDrive, or Dropbox), AirDrop, or local file storage. A project saved on an iPad or Mac can easily be opened on Windows or Android, and vice-versa.

Do I need separate purchases for different platforms?

Yes. Because Live Home 3D is developed as a separate native application optimized for each specific platform, they are sold independently through their respective marketplaces. The Mac version is available on the Mac App Store and the Live Home 3D website; the iOS/iPadOS/visionOS version is sold on the Apple App Store; the Windows app is exclusive to the Microsoft Store; and the Android version is available on the Google Play Store.

Is Live Home 3D free?

Live Home 3D is available as a Free version to download on all supported platforms. The free tier allows you to test almost all the Standard layout, building, and furniture tools so you can evaluate the software's capabilities before making any financial commitment.

What limitations does the free version have?

While the Free version gives you access to the bulk of the 2D/3D object libraries and editing controls, it has specific restrictions. Most notably, the Free version allows you to save only one project. If you start working on another project in the Free version of the app, your first project will become unavailable. Also, exported images or walkthroughs will include a Live Home 3D watermark. To unlock unlimited project saving and remove watermarks, you can choose a Standard or Pro feature upgrade.

To further explore the differences between the Free version of Live Home 3D, the Standard Features in-app purchase and the Pro Features in-app purchase, look up our Feature Comparison Chart at the bottom of the Store Page.

What is the difference between Live Home 3D and Live Home 3D Pro?

BeLight Software offers two separate apps: Live Home 3D (the one with a red roof icon) and Live Home 3D Pro (the one with a blue roof icon). Note that Live Home 3D Pro offers exactly the same scope of features as Live Home 3D with purchased Pro Features.

Learn about the differences.

Which version should I choose: Free or Pro?

Choose the Free / Standard tier if you are planning simple home redecorating, a single-room renovation, or want to visualize minor furniture layouts. Choose the Pro version if you are building an entire house from scratch, need to map complex terrains/slopes, require custom multi-level roofing, need structural elevation printing, or want professional-grade, unwatermarked photorealistic presentations for clients.

To further explore the differences between the Free version of Live Home 3D, the Standard Features in-app purchase and the Pro Features in-app purchase, look up our Feature Comparison Chart at the bottom of the Store Page.

How do I restore my purchase?

If you reinstall the application or move to a new device on Mac, iPhone or iPad, you can easily restore your in-app purchase:

1. Open Live Home 3D.
2. Navigate to the Live Home 3D in-app Store.
3. Tap or click Restore Purchases.
   (Note: If you purchased a license code for Live Home 3D for Mac on www.livehome3d.com website, choose Live Home 3D > Licenses... from the top menu, click Add License..., and enter the license code provided in your purchase confirmation email.)

If you purchased Live Home 3D for Windows or Android, reinstall the app from the Microsoft Store or Google Play using the same account you used to make the purchase. Make sure your device is connected to the internet. Your purchases will be restored automatically once the app is reinstalled.

How do I create a floor plan in Live Home 3D?

To create a floor plan from scratch, open a blank project, switch to the 2D Plan View, and select the Room tool or Straight Wall tool. Click or tap and drag to draw your room layout. From there, simply drag and drop windows, doors, and openings directly onto your walls from the object library.

Watch the useful “Creating a Floor Plan” video tutorial to quickly create a floor plan: for iPhone and iPad, for Mac, for Windows and Android devices.

Can I use Live Home 3D as a room planner?

Yes, you can absolutely use Live Home 3D as a room planner.

The software allows you to easily, quickly, and precisely lay out and furnish a single room, as well as an entire house. It functions as a comprehensive home design tool where you can create detailed floor plans and 3D renderings, plan the exterior, and adjust the terrain. You can change wall colors, adjust flooring textures, and test if furniture items and appliances fit your space before purchasing them.

Can I set exact room dimensions?

Yes, precision is built right into Live Home 3D. When you draw a room, you'll see the wall lengths update in real time. To make adjustments, just grab and drag the end of the wall on your floor plan, or type the exact dimensions directly into the Inspector. You can easily switch between metric (meters, centimeters) and imperial (feet, inches) units.

Can I create multi-story houses?

Yes. While the Standard edition supports building up to two stories, unlocking the Pro version removes these limitations and lets you build multi-story buildings with an unlimited number of floors. You can easily add stories above or below the current level using the Building settings.

You can find more information on how to add stories in Live Home 3D in Help: for iOS, for Windows, for macOS and for Android.

Can I design roofs?

Yes. Live Home 3D features an Auto-Roof tool that adds a roof to your structure, with 12 different roof types to choose from. With the Pro version, you get the Custom Roof tool, which allows you to manually adjust segments and design complex, multi-level roofs.

This quick video tutorial will help you design a roof: for iPhone and iPad, for Mac, for Windows and for Android devices.

Can I import an existing floor plan or blueprint?

Absolutely. You can import an image of an existing blueprint (in all popular formats) directly into the 2D Plan View in Live Home 3D. Then match the project scale with the scale of your blueprint, trace your floor plan, and place furniture according to the imported floor plan.

Learn more in our article: “How to Turn a Blueprint into a Digital Floor Plan.”

How do I add furniture and change materials in Live Home 3D?

• How to Add Furniture
  Open the built-in Library, browse through the categories (Chairs, Tables, Beds, Appliances, etc.), and drag any 3D model directly onto either the 2D floor plan or into the 3D project view.
• How to Change Materials
  Open the Material Library, select any texture (wood, fabric, leather, or brick), and drag-and-drop it directly onto the surface of an object or wall in the 3D view.

Can I import custom 3D models and textures?

Yes. If you cannot find a specific furniture item in the built-in library, you can import custom 3D models. Learn more in our article: “How to Import 3D Models Into Live Home 3D”.

You can add your own images to Live Home 3D to create personalized surface materials. Learn how to import a material into Live Home 3D.

You can also download and import custom 3D models from external web sources or connect directly to Trimble 3D Warehouse™ where tons of free 3D models are available for download. Find out how to import a 3D model from Trimble 3D Warehouse™.

What 3D model formats does Live Home 3D support?

Live Home 3D allows importing files in a variety of 3D file formats. Formats differ depending on the platform:

• Mac: import 3D models in the SketchUp, COLLADA, KMZ, FBX, Wavefront OBJ, Sweet Home 3D SH3D or 3DS format.
• iOS and iPadOS: import objects in COLLADA, FBX, OBJ, SH3D or 3DS format.
• Windows: import 3D models of your own in COLLADA, FBX, OBJ, SH3D or 3DS formats.
• Android: import 3D models in COLLADA, OBJ or SH3D formats.

Can Live Home 3D create realistic renderings?

Yes, Live Home 3D can create highly realistic renderings by utilizing built-in ray-tracing engines like Cycles (Mac and Windows versions) and AMD Radeon™ ProRender (Mac version only), which simulate real-world lighting, reflections, refractions, and shadows. How to render with Cycles in Live Home 3D. This article will teach you how to render with AMD Radeon™ ProRender in Live Home 3D for Mac.

Can I walk through a house in 3D or export a walkthrough video?

Yes, you can easily walk through your house designs in 3D across all versions of Live Home 3D (Mac, Windows, iOS, and Android). Depending on your device, you can navigate using touch gestures, keyboard shortcuts, or on-screen Walk Controls like a joystick or a multi-directional pad.

If you use an iPhone or iPad, you can project your project in Augmented Reality (AR) at a 1:1 scale to physically walk inside your digital house in the real world environment.

To share this walkthrough experience with others, you can create movie tracks or interactive 360-degree panorama images. These video tutorials will help you create videos in Live Home 3D: for iOS and iPadOS, for macOS, for Windows and for Android.

Does Live Home 3D have a Room Scanner?

Sure! On iOS and iPadOS devices fitted with a LiDAR Scanner, Live Home 3D features an advanced, built-in Room Scanner. This tool allows you to utilize your device to scan a room or apartment. The app automatically measures the room boundaries, maps the perimeter, and places an accurate 3D model of that space directly into a new project file within seconds. Learn how to use Room Scanner.

Can I view my project in AR?

Yes. Live Home 3D enables you to walk around in the real-world environment using AR on your iPhone or iPad. You can project your 3D house model onto a real-world flat surface (like an office table) at a scaled-down ratio, or walk around it at a 1:1 scale. This allows you to visually overlay your virtual layouts onto a physical building site or empty room. You can also view your project on Apple Vision Pro. How to view a home model in AR.

How do I contact technical support and what information should I include in a support request?

If you run into technical issues, or licensing questions, you can reach our support specialists by filling out the Support Form.

To help our support team resolve your issue as quickly as possible, please include the following details in your ticket:

• The exact operating system and device version you are using (e.g., macOS Tahoe on M5 Mac, or Windows 11 Desktop).
• The Live Home 3D app version and where you downloaded it (e.g., Version 4.8 from the Mac App Store).
• A clear, step-by-step description of what you were doing when the issue occurred.
• Screenshots or video screen-captures displaying the explicit error message or unexpected behavior.
• If applicable, attach the specific project file (.lh3d or .lhzd) you have issues with.