Using a Bluetooth Laser Measuring Device with Chief Architect's Desktop Applications

Reference Number: KB-01846
Last Modified: October 1, 2026
This article also applies to the following legacy products:
Pro | Architectural | Suite

QUESTION

Is there a way to use my bluetooth laser measuring device with my Chief Architect desktop application so I can take measurements of an existing job site?


ANSWER

A number of laser measuring devices have bluetooth capabilities, which allow you to interface with a computer that supports bluetooth connectivity.  

Though other devices may connect and work with Chief Architect desktop software, only the Leica DISTO X1 has been tested and verified for compatibility. 

Note: If you have a supported Apple device, instead consider using a bluetooth laser measuring device in unison with Chief Archiect's As-Built application to capture measurements of an existing space. Please see our ChiefBlog article on the topic to learn more. 


To use a bluetooth laser measuring device with Chief Architect's desktop applications

  1. Pair the bluetooth laser measuring device to your computer.

    Note: If you have trouble pairing your bluetooth laser measuring device to your computer, please refer to your device's documentation.


  2. Select a wall or other object in your Chief Architect/Home Designer program and click on the wall's controlling dimension line.

    Dimension input field for the length of a wall


  3. With the input field active, use your bluetooth laser measuring device and take a measurement.


  4. The bluetooth laser measuring device will transmit the data to the open dimension field and will automatically press Enter/Return to move the object to the new distance.

    If the dimension field does not close, press Enter/Return on your keyboard.

    Note: If you notice that the unit of measurement (", ') is not following the measurement value, enter this in using your keyboard and then select the Enter/Return key. 


  5. Repeat the process until you are done measuring the rest of the structure.


MORE INFORMATION

If you'd like to use a different Leica laser measuring device model that supports bluetooth, consider installing and configuring DISTO™ Transfer, a program designed to accept input from your Leica device for use on your Windows-based computer. This software is not compatible for the macOS platform. For additional information on how to use the mentioned software with your Leica device, please refer to your device's documentation or Leica's Support.

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