Working with SketchUp Files

Last updated: Sep 25, 2026•6 min read.

SketchUp offers several ways to help you access your projects across multiple devices and apps. These options include saving models locally on your iPad, storing them in the cloud using Trimble Connect, or saving them to other cloud storage services.

Creating and Opening Files in the SketchUp App

Tap Create New to start a new model. When you create a new model, that model will be saved in the SketchUp app folder on your iPad. You can find the SketchUp app folder by launching the Files app and then choosing On My iPad in the Locations sidebar. From there, you can manage your SketchUp files just like you would with any other type of file on your iPad.

Recent Files

On the Home Screen, recent files saved locally appear with a folder icon (

). Files saved to Trimble Connect appear with a cloud icon (

Open From

Tapping Open From in the Home screen opens the iPad Files app browser within the SketchUp app. The Files app offers the option to add a wide range of third-party cloud service providers. You can then use the Files app to search or browse any added services.

Once you find the SketchUp file you're looking for, simply tap it to open it in the SketchUp app. A tile for the file, which includes a bookmark, appears on the Home screen.

Warning: Bookmarked files from a third-party cloud service are not saved locally on your iPad. When saving changes to bookmarked files, those changes automatically save to the original cloud service.

3D Warehouse

To download and open files from 3D Warehouse:

Open your preferred web browser.
Visit 3dwarehouse.sketchup.com.
After locating the model you're looking for, download it.
Tap Open from in the Home screen and find the model on your device.

AirDrop

SketchUp for iPad supports the ability to AirDrop a file from any iOS, iPadOS, or MacOS device. You will receive a message from the device sending the shared file to choose the app you want to use to open the AirDropped file. Simply choose SketchUp and you're ready to go.

Tip: If you are currently on the Home screen, you can open a file that is AirDropped to you. If you already have a file open, the AirDropped file opens into that open model.

When a model is stored locally, you can open the menu (

) to access the following options:

Details – Opens the File Details dialog, which provides detailed information about the model, including file version, size, and location. It also lets you open, download, and delete the file, and create a duplicate in the same location as the current version.
Duplicate – Creates a copy of the file in your local SketchUp app folder with "copy" added to the original file name.
Rename – Renames the local file.
Save to Connect – Opens the Publish to Connect panel. You'll have the option to choose a project to save your model to, or create a new project, if needed.
Share:
- Model Copy – Opens your iPad’s sharing options.
- Model Link – Shares models through SketchUp's collaboration tools. For more information, see Sharing a Model.
Export – Exports the file to a supported format. After choosing an export option, it might take a moment for SketchUp to convert the file. After converting the file, SketchUp opens your iPad's sharing options.
Delete – Deletes the model from the SketchUp app folder on your iPad and removes the model from the Recent Models list. This action cannot be undone.

Warning: Uninstalling the SketchUp for iPad app will also permanently delete the SketchUp app folder on your iPad. This includes any locally saved models you have in that folder. These files do not appear in your Recently Deleted folder and this deletion cannot be undone.

If you need to delete or uninstall SketchUp for iPad from your device, we recommend first publishing your files to Trimble Connect, saving them to a third-party cloud storage service, or copying them to another location on your device.

Files saved to Trimble Connect do not save locally on your iPad. Each time you open a file stored in Trimble Connect, SketchUp for iPad checks if you are opening the latest version of the model.

When saving changes to the files stored in Trimble Connect, those changes are saved as a new version of that file. Changes to these files save automatically when you return to the Home Screen. All versions are accessible through the file’s history.

The menu for files saved to Trimble Connect (

) contains the following options:

Remove from recent list – Removes this model's card from the Recent Models list on the SketchUp app Home screen. The model will remain available in Trimble Connect.
Make available offline – Makes the file in Trimble Connect available for offline use. SketchUp downloads a copy of the file you can open and continue to work on it even if you go offline.
- If you are online, SketchUp will still check each time you open the model to make sure that you are working on the latest version.
- While offline, you can save changes to your models and SketchUp will keep those changes saved on your iPad. When you go back online, you will have the option to publish those changes back to Trimble Connect as a new version of the model.
Details – Opens the File Details dialog, which provides detailed information about the model, including file version, size, and location. It also lets you open, download, and delete the file, and create a duplicate in the same location as the current version.
History – Shows the file’s version history, which includes each version’s number, saved date, and file size. You can open any past version, then restore that file as the current version, save it as a new file, or return to the Home screen without taking any action.
Tip: File version history lets you copy geometry from an older version and paste it into your current model without restoring the old file.
Remove offline version – Removes the offline version of the file.
File Actions:
- Download model copy – Creates a duplicate of the file in the SketchUp app folder. This copy no longer has any association to the original file stored in Trimble Connect.
- Duplicate – Creates a copy of the file in the Trimble Connect folder with "copy" added to the original file name.
- Rename – Renames the file.
- View in browser – Opens the model in your default browser upon logging in with your Trimble ID. For more information, see Trimble ID.
Share:
- Model copy – Opens the iPad’s sharing options, including the option to save your file locally.
- Model link – Opens the Sharing interface where you can share your model through SketchUp’s collaboration tools.
Export – Exports the file to a supported format. After choosing an export option, it may take a moment for SketchUp to convert the file. After the conversion is finished, SketchUp opens your iPad’s sharing options.
Delete – Deletes the model from Trimble Connect and removes the model from the Recent Models list on the SketchUp app Home screen. This action cannot be undone.

For more information on how to use Trimble Connect to manage your SketchUp files, see Trimble Connect in SketchUp for iPad.