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QuickLook

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Create previews of files to use inside your app or perform simple edits on previews using QuickLook.

Posts under QuickLook tag

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iOS 26 beta - Crash using QLPreviewController (QuickLook) in simulator.
Using the iOS 26 beta simulator, I am experiencing a crash using the QLPreviewController. This is easily reproduced using a small sample app and a sample excel file in the bundle. It does work in prior Xcode 16.4 and simulators (18.5). I didn't find any mention of this in Xcode 26 or iOS 26 release notes but I could have missed something. I don't have a spare device to update to iOS 26 and try on a real device so it may just be a simulator issue? Any feedback would be helpful. Thanks. Error: QuickLook/QLHostRemoteViewModel.swift:37: Fatal error: No extensions could be found matching '_AppExtensionQuery(extensionPointIdentifier: "com.apple.quicklook.UIExtensionPoint", predicate: nil, hostAuditToken: nil, extensionPoint: nil, allowsDuplicates: true)' Sample view controller... import UIKit import QuickLook class ViewController: UIViewController, QLPreviewControllerDataSource { var excelFileURL: URL! override func viewDidLoad() { super.viewDidLoad() // Load the Excel file (example: from bundle) if let url = Bundle.main.url(forResource: "file_example_XLSX_100", withExtension: "xlsx") { excelFileURL = url presentPreviewController() } } func presentPreviewController() { let previewController = QLPreviewController() previewController.dataSource = self present(previewController, animated: true, completion: nil) } // MARK: - QLPreviewControllerDataSource func numberOfPreviewItems(in controller: QLPreviewController) -> Int { return 1 } func previewController(_ controller: QLPreviewController, previewItemAt index: Int) -> QLPreviewItem { return excelFileURL as QLPreviewItem } }
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How to debug Quick Look Preview Extension
I'm facing the same problem as addressed in this discussion: After switching from legacy QLGenerators to Preview extensions on macOS I cannot debug the extensions' code in Xcode, anymore: I launch the app with the embedded appex from Xcode in debug mode. When trying to attach to the appex process the following error is reported: Code: 6 Failure Reason: Ensure “AppName Preview” is not already running, and matthias has permission to debug it. User Info: {... } System Information macOS Version 15.4.1 (Build 24E263) Xcode 16.3 (23785) (Build 16E140) Timestamp: 2025-05-12T14:07:14+02:00 I'm using a standard user account (no admin) and might miss some obvious steps. Can someone detail the steps to debug a Preview (or Thumbnail) extension with Xcode 16? For legacy Quick Look plugins I was using "qlmanage", but that's not working on extensions. All the best, Matthias P.S.: Pardon me re-posting my reply as a separate thread, to increase visibility, but I'm quite desperate and couldn't find any solution on the web...
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73
May ’25
ar quicklook suddenly is grayed out on iphone 15 pro
ar quicklook suddenly is grayed out on iphone 15 pro, I bought the phone new recently ot was working great, 2 days ago updated to ios 18.1.4, ar mode kept opening but i started getting a move iphone over surface message and the object wouldn’t detect surfaces correctly, updated to ios 18.5, now when i open quicklook modesl ar is completely greyed out, can someone help me fix or detect the issue thank you
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93
May ’25
Spatial Gallery App functionality
Similar to the visionOS Spatial Gallery app, I'm developing a visionOS app that will show spatial photos and videos. Is it possible to re-create the horizontal (or a vertical) scrolling functionality that shows spatial photos and spatial video previews? Does the Spatial Gallery app use private APIs to create this functionality? I've been looking at the Quick Look documentation and have been able to use the PreviewApplication to show a single preview, but do not see anything for a collection of files as the Spatial Gallery app presents in the scrolling view. Any insights or direction on how this may be done is greatly appreciated.
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Increased Memory Limit for QL Preview Generator
we have written a QL preview generator for some 3D data formats not supported by the AR Quicklook generators included in iOS. however, we are struggeling with the 100 MB memory ceiling imposed on an app extension in iOS. we have included the "Increased Memory Limit" entitlement in both the app and in the preview extensions. nevertheless, the preview generator is limited to 100 MB, even on most recent devices like iPhone 16 Pro Max. we can even see 100 MB limit when we attach to the process with Xcode. my question: did we miss anything? are there additional steps necessary to obtain the increased memory limit? must we explicitly apply for it? 500 MB would be fine (our preview generator does not load textures). best regards
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Implement Continuity Markup in Mac app?
Hello, is there a way to implement Continuity Markup in our own apps? (This is what I'm talking about: https://support.apple.com/en-us/102269 , scroll down to "Use Continuity Markup"). Also, why does a QuickLook panel (QLPreviewPanel.shared()) not display the markup options when triggered from my app for png image files in my app's Group Container? Do I need to implement certain NSServicesMenuRequestor methods for that? Sadly, I could not find any docs on that. Thank you, – Matthias
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74
Apr ’25
Add MacOs Finder compatible Quicklook Extension for custom file types to Mac Catalyst App
I have an iOS app which has an embedded Quicklook Extension that works perfectly - in the Files app on iPad/iPhone I can QuickLook view and edit custom file types without problems. However, when I run the app on a Silicon Mac using Mac Catalyst (or (Made For iPad)) while the Finder does recognise the custom file types (allowing "Open in…" or double-clicking to open) it does not show the Quick Look extension. How do I add Finder QuickLook extension functionality to a Mac Catalyst app? Thanks
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Apr ’25
iOS 18.3.1 - QLPreviewControllerView closing triggers AX Lookup problem - errorCode:1100 error:Permission denied portName:'com.apple.iphone.axserver' PID:1022
Since iOS 18.3.1, In lower iOS versions it works fine though. QLPreviewController shows a blank white screen instead of showing the document. Additionally, it does not display the 'Done' option at the top-right to close the view. Presenting the QLPreviewController works fine to display the document, but for the second time, it renders the blank white screen as described. While launching QLPreviewControllerView for the first time. I'm receiving the following message in the console and it displays the document. LaunchServices: store (null) or url (null) was nil: Error Domain=NSOSStatusErrorDomain Code=-54 "process may not map database" UserInfo={NSDebugDescription=process may not map database, _LSLine=72, _LSFunction=_LSServer_GetServerStoreForConnectionWithCompletionHandler} Attempt to map database failed: permission was denied. This attempt will not be retried. Closing the QLPreviewController with the help of the 'Done' option from top-right or swipe to close triggers the following message in the console. Connection to appex interrupted AX Lookup problem - errorCode:1100 error:Permission denied portName:'com.apple.iphone.axserver' PID:1022 ( 0 AXRuntime 0x00000001d2cd7758 _AXGetPortFromCache + 796 1 AXRuntime 0x00000001d2cdd02c AXUIElementPerformFencedActionWithValue + 700 2 UIKit 0x0000000258cdf488 7F0274D9-D3C9-3193-B606-1C74BE53B86C + 1537160 3 libdispatch.dylib 0x0000000101bb888c _dispatch_call_block_and_release + 32 4 libdispatch.dylib 0x0000000101bba578 _dispatch_client_callout + 20 5 libdispatch.dylib 0x0000000101bc2454 _dispatch_lane_serial_drain + 840 6 libdispatch.dylib 0x0000000101bc325c _dispatch_lane_invoke + 408 7 libdispatch.dylib 0x0000000101bd06fc _dispatch_root_queue_drain_deferred_wlh + 328 8 libdispatch.dylib 0x0000000101bcfd0c _dispatch_workloop_worker_thread + 580 9 libsystem_pthread.dylib 0x0000000225ea4680 _pthread_wqthread + 288 10 libsystem_pthread.dylib 0x0000000225ea2474 start_wqthread + 8 ) Trying to open he document again, Ultimately results in the white blank screen to be displayed with no options to close. It displays the Navigation bar only for the fraction of time. Leading users to force close the app and start again.
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Mar ’25
AR QuickLook Frame Rate Questions
When I've made an animated UDSZ, at what framerate will the animation be rendered in QuickLook? Is it the same across all devices? (iPhone, Apple Vision Pro, etc.) and viewing environments? (QuickLook, inside an ARView, etc.) Suppose I export my file at 30fps and the device draws at 60fps, does the device interpolate between frames automatically, animate at a lower frame rate, or play it at twice the speed? What if it were 24fps? My primary concern with understanding frame rates is a bit of trouble I've had making perfectly looping animations. There always seems to be the slightest stutter between iterations. Thanks in advance for any insights you're able to provide!
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Mar ’25
QuickLook Library updated text tampered on PDF
We were using below delegate methods from QuickLook to get modified PDF file URL after the sketching But we are not able see the multi line text properly laid out on PDF and part of text missing. Same time Other pencil kit tools are working as expected. `func previewController(_ controller: QLPreviewController, didSaveEditedCopyOf previewItem: QLPreviewItem, at modifiedContentsURL: URL) func previewController(_ controller: QLPreviewController, didUpdateContentsOf previewItem: any QLPreviewItem)` We tested all code in iOS 18.2. Please let us know if the text edited URL on PDF can be retrieved in any possible way without tampering text
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Feb ’25
QLPreviewingController can access previewed file, but cannot load files referenced by the previewed file
I have an app on the Mac App Store (so sandboxed) that includes a QuickLook Preview Extension that targets Markdown files. It established a QLPreviewingController instance for the macOS QuickLook system to access and it works. I'm in the process of updating it so that it displays inline images referenced in the file as well as styling the file's text. However, despite setting Downloads folder read-only access permission (and user-selected, though I know that shouldn't be required: no open/save dialogs here) in the extension's entitlements, Sandbox refuses too allow access to the test image: I always get a deny(1) file-read-data error in the log. FWIW, the test file is referenced in the source Markdown as an absolute unix file path. I've tried different signings and no joy. I’ve tried placing the referenced image in various other locations. Also no joy. All I can display is the error-case bundle image for 'missing image'. Question is, is this simply something that QuickLook extensions cannot do from within the sandbox, or am I missing something? Is there anything extra I can do to debug this?
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Jan ’25
QuickLook Crash at iOS 18.x
Hello! In our App we found out the сrash at QuickLook after users updated their iPhones up to iOS 18. Crash report: SIGABRT 0x0000000000000000 Crashed: Thread 0 libsystem_kernel.dylib __abort_with_payload + 8 1 libsystem_kernel.dylib abort_with_payload_wrapper_internal + 104 2 libsystem_kernel.dylib abort_with_payload_wrapper_internal + 0 3 libobjc.A.dylib _objc_fatalv(unsigned long long, unsigned long long, char const*, char*) + 116 4 libobjc.A.dylib _objc_fatalv(unsigned long long, unsigned long long, char const*, char*) + 0 5 libobjc.A.dylib weak_register_no_lock + 396 6 libobjc.A.dylib objc_initWeak + 440 7 UIKitCore -[UIViewController viewDidMoveToWindow:shouldAppearOrDisappear:] + 1412 8 UIKitCore -[_UIRemoteViewController viewDidMoveToWindow:shouldAppearOrDisappear:] + 396 9 UIKitCore -[UIView(Internal) _didMoveFromWindow:toWindow:] + 1180 10 UIKitCore -[_UISizeTrackingView _didMoveFromWindow:toWindow:] + 112 11 UIKitCore -[UIView(Internal) _didMoveFromWindow:toWindow:] + 712 12 UIKitCore __45-[UIView(Hierarchy) _postMovedFromSuperview:]_block_invoke + 128 13 CoreAutoLayout -[NSISEngine withBehaviors:performModifications:] + 84 14 UIKitCore -[UIView _postMovedFromSuperview:] + 512 15 UIKitCore __UIViewWasRemovedFromSuperview + 136 16 UIKitCore -[UIView(Hierarchy) removeFromSuperview] + 248 17 QuickLook -[QLToolbarController setAccessoryView:animated:] + 576 18 QuickLook __55-[QLPreviewController _presentLoadedPreviewCollection:]_block_invoke + 120 19 QuickLookUICore QLRunInMainThread + 60 20 QuickLook -[QLPreviewController _presentLoadedPreviewCollection:] + 116 21 QuickLook __48-[QLPreviewController _presentPreviewCollection]_block_invoke_2 + 68 22 QuickLook (Missing) 23 libswift_Concurrency.dylib swift::runJobInEstablishedExecutorContext(swift::Job*) + 252 After research, we found out that a crash occurs in QuickLook when a user tries to open a file with unknown mimeType - application/octet-stream. QuickLook convert that files to known type (for an example - application/pdf), but crashes for the first opening the file. Any help would be greatly appreciated!
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Jan ’25
[SwiftUI Preview] App crashes when previewing on physical device but runs normally
Hello everyone, I've encountered an issue with SwiftUI Preview and would appreciate your help. Problem Description In a mixed Objective-C and Swift project, I'm experiencing the following situation with SwiftUI Preview: Crashes when previewing on a physical device The same code runs normally when launched directly through Xcode Project uses CocoaPods for dependency management with static frameworks Project Environment: Project Type: Mixed (Objective-C + Swift) Dependency Management: CocoaPods Dependency Type: Static frameworks Device: Physical device preview Steps to Reproduce: Write Preview code in SwiftUI file Select physical device as Preview device Click Preview button Application crashes
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Dec ’24
Crash in QLPreviewController on iOS18.1 +
We found some Firebase crashes in QLPreviewController on iOS18.1 +. It shows cash info in QLPreviewController that we haven't changed for some years. Please help with this. Thanks in advance. // stack info from Firebase Fatal Exception: NSInvalidArgumentException *** -[NSURL URLByAppendingPathComponent:]: component, components, or pathExtension cannot be nil. 0 CoreFoundation __exceptionPreprocess 1 libobjc.A.dylib objc_exception_throw 2 Foundation -[NSURL(NSURLPathUtilities) URLByAppendingPathComponent:] 3 QuickLookUICore +[NSURL(_QL_Utilities) _QLTemporaryFileURLWithType:filename:] 4 QuickLookUICore +[NSURL(_QL_Utilities) _QLTemporaryFileURLWithType:uuid:] 5 QuickLook -[QLPreviewController(ScreenshotsSupport) screenshotService:generatePDFRepresentationWithCompletion:] 6 ScreenshotServices __82+[SSScreenshotMetadataHarvester _grabPDFRepresentationForIdentifier:withCallback:]_block_invoke_3 7 libdispatch.dylib _dispatch_call_block_and_release 8 libdispatch.dylib _dispatch_client_callout 9 libdispatch.dylib _dispatch_main_queue_drain 10 libdispatch.dylib _dispatch_main_queue_callback_4CF 11 CoreFoundation __CFRUNLOOP_IS_SERVICING_THE_MAIN_DISPATCH_QUEUE__ 12 CoreFoundation __CFRunLoopRun 13 CoreFoundation CFRunLoopRunSpecific 14 GraphicsServices GSEventRunModal 15 UIKitCore -[UIApplication _run] 16 UIKitCore UIApplicationMain 17 Glip main.swift - Line 13 main + 13
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Dec ’24
Finder File Previews lock files on SMB shares
I've developed a new Quicklook data-based preview extension for a custom file type that generates an image preview of the file. I previously used a Quick Look generator plug-in but support for it was deprecated and now removed in macOS Sequoia. My app opens files using a open(url.path, O_RDWR | O_NONBLOCK | O_EXLOCK) call. The locking flags are used to prevent other clients from writing the file if it's already open. I discovered that when Finder is showing the “large” file previews (such as when in column or gallery modes) from a SMB share, the open call fails with EWOULDBLOCK as if the file is locked. It does work just fine on local files. Opening with O_SHLOCK also has the issue. Surprisingly it does work just fine for previews that return Plain Text data instead of Image data. Using the lsof command, it seems like the Quicklook process has some kind of lock on the file. This is the output of the lsof command: COMMAND PID USER FD TYPE DEVICE SIZE/OFF NODE QuickLook 48487 XXXX txt REG 1,15 125000611 3161369 Attached is a test project that tries a few different opening and locking functions. It also includes a test file and a sample image preview extension that displays a red square. When everything is working, regular console messages show the progress of the tests. When the file is on a SMB share and selected in Finder Gallery mode, the open test will fail with a fault message in the console. Notably, locking with flock works, which is weird because it should have similar semantics according to the man page for open(2). Filed this as FB15051186
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Jan ’25
NSExtensionPointIdentifier key "com.apple.quicklook.preview" - which iOS versions are supported?
I am creating an iOS app to install on legacy iPads running iOS 9 and up, using XCode 13.4.1 which is the latest version that will support iOS below 11. The app is working fine but I just added a QuickLook Preview extension, and on iOS 10.3.1 it will not install due to the following error: This app contains an app extension that specifies an extension point identifier that is not supported on this version of iOS for the value of the NSExtensionPointIdentifier key in its Info.plist. Domain: com.apple.dt.MobileDeviceErrorDomain Code: -402653007 The NSExtensionPointIdentifier key in Info.plist is set by XCode automatically to "com.apple.quicklook.preview". I want to set the iOS Deployment Target to the lowest iOS version that will support this configuration. The documentation does not provide any guide as to which specific NSExtensionPointIdentifier keys are compatible with which iOS version. It just says 8+ for the whole list. Trial-and-error is limited by availability of legacy Simulators. If anyone can point to documentation that indicates which iOS is supported by which NSExtensionPointIdentifier key com.apple.quicklook.preview, I would be very grateful. Thanks (I understand about lack of App Store support etc, this is an app for my use on old iPads)
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501
Nov ’24