QuickLook Extension
The Preflight QuickLook Extension brings powerful USD inspection capabilities directly to macOS Finder. Without ever opening the main application, you can press Spacebar on any supported 3D file to instantly render it using the fully-featured RealityKit engine.
Supported Formats
Section titled “Supported Formats”The extension seamlessly intercepts and loads standard Apple 3D formats:
.usd.usda.usdc.usdz.reality
Features
Section titled “Features”Native RealityKit Rendering
Section titled “Native RealityKit Rendering”Instead of relying on standard low-fidelity macOS previews, Preflight injects a true RealityKit StageView. This means the lighting, materials, and geometry you see in Finder perfectly match the representation you will get when deploying to visionOS or iOS.
Interactive Variant Selection
Section titled “Interactive Variant Selection”If your USD asset contains Variant Sets, the QuickLook extension detects them automatically.
A custom Variant Picker Panel renders dynamically at the bottom of the preview window. You can freely explore variations—like changing colors, materials, or geometry configurations—on the fly, directly in Finder.
Security-Scoped Access
Section titled “Security-Scoped Access”For complex scenes with external file dependencies (.usdc files loading companion textures), the extension negotiates Apple’s App Sandbox through security-scoped bookmarks ensuring textures and nested references load accurately.
Troubleshooting
Section titled “Troubleshooting”QuickLook is not appearing
Section titled “QuickLook is not appearing”If pressing Spacebar only reveals a standard file icon:
- Ensure the Preflight application has been launched at least once.
- Open System Settings > Privacy & Security > Extensions.
- Select Quick Look and check the box next to Preflight.