xScope is a Mac utility created for graphic designers who wish to analyze and measure layouts and illustrations on your desktop. It might come in handy if you wish to check if your iOS app designs fit an iPhone or iPad screen, measure distances on your desktop, zoom in a certain area from an image, and so much more.
The program comes with status bar menu, a toolbar on your desktop, and icon on your Dock. You can also change the way it operates and get access to its built-in utilities by using shortcut keys. Personally, I prefer using the toolbar as it's pretty difficult to remember each and every global hotkey (they're too many).
I tested all of the integrated utilities. They all worked perfectly and offered me the info I needed. I especially liked the Loupe as it provided me with an easy way to zoom in on my screen, identify color codes, and check how a user with vision problems sees the elements from the desktop.
Sadly, the app comes with two flaws: it fails to take screenshots when using the global hotkeys and SmartTools will not work if you use the xScope toolbar (it works only if you're using hotkeys or the status bar menu).
Still, xScope comes with many useful features which prove to be of good use when measuring, inspecting, and testing graphics and layouts on your screen. This program might be the app for you if you need a quick way to complete the aforementioned tasks.
v4.3 [Dec 1, 2016]
- Full compatibility with macOS Sierra.
- Guides have a new preference setting to keep the text on the indicators aligned.
- Measurement units or Guides and Frames display can be set with Dock menu.
- Guides and Frames no longer appear after you launch the app.
- Ruler settings are now restored correctly so they won't get tiny anymore.
- Fixed an problem with Dimensions working on complex backgrounds.
- The Overlay works with the iOS Simulator window again.
- Screenshots taken by xScope now include a color profile for the display.
