Skala Preview was a Mac app that sent your Photoshop canvas directly to an iOS device over Wi-Fi. As you designed, your iPhone or iPad showed a pixel-perfect, color-accurate preview in real-time. The appeal was testing mobile designs in context without saving files or using cables. Before Figma and Sketch had built-in device preview, Skala Preview was essential.
Key Specs
| Price | Paid (pricing varied; development paused) |
| Platform | Mac + iOS; required Skala View iOS app |
| Best for | Photoshop-based iOS design preview |
| Learning curve | 5 minutes to connect and preview |
How Designers Use Skala Preview
For Testing Designs at True Size
Mockups on a 27-inch monitor look different than on a 4-inch iPhone screen. Skala Preview let designers see their work at actual size and pixel density. Text that seemed readable on desktop might be too small on device. Buttons that looked tappable might feel cramped. Preview on device before finalizing.
For Color and Contrast Validation
Mac displays use different color profiles than iOS devices. Skala Preview automatically converted colors to match how they’d appear on the phone. This caught issues like insufficient contrast that looked fine on desktop but failed on device, especially outdoors in bright light.
For Client Presentations on Real Hardware
Hand a client your iPhone with the prototype running. They interact with it like a real app, swiping and tapping through screens. More convincing than pointing at a laptop. Skala Preview’s real-time sync meant designers could adjust designs during the meeting based on feedback.
Skala Preview vs. Modern Alternatives
| Feature | Skala Preview | Figma Mirror | Sketch Mirror | Adobe XD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Platform | Mac + iOS | iOS, Android | iOS only | iOS, Android |
| Design tool | Photoshop | Figma | Sketch | Adobe XD |
| Price | Paid | Free | Free | Free |
| Real-time sync | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Color accuracy | ✅ Strong | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Zoom modes | ✅ 100%, 200% | ✅ Fit/fill | ✅ | ✅ Fit |
| Multiple devices | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Development status | ❌ Paused | ✅ Active | ✅ Active | ✅ Active |
Choose Figma Mirror if: You’ve moved to Figma and want device preview that works on both iOS and Android.
Choose Sketch Mirror if: You use Sketch and want the most integrated iOS preview experience with the same rendering engine as the Mac app.
Choose Adobe XD if: You’re in the Adobe ecosystem and want device preview plus interactive prototyping on mobile.
Getting Started with Skala Preview
These instructions are historical since development is paused:
Step 1: Install Skala Preview and Skala View
Download Skala Preview for Mac from the Bjango website. Install Skala View on your iPhone or iPad from the App Store. Make sure both devices are on the same Wi-Fi network (enterprise networks with device isolation won’t work).
Step 2: Connect your device to Photoshop
Open Skala Preview on your Mac and a Photoshop document. Launch Skala View on your iOS device. It auto-detects available Photoshop files on the network. Tap your file name to connect. The canvas appears on your device.
Step 3: Enable real-time preview
In Skala Preview preferences, enable “Auto-send on document change” for Photoshop CS5 12.0.4 or newer. Now edits appear on your device as you work without manually triggering updates. Move layers, change colors, adjust text, and see results instantly on device.
Skala Preview in Your Design Workflow
Skala Preview fit into Photoshop-era mobile design workflows.
- Before Skala Preview: Design all screens in Photoshop
- During design: Skala Preview for testing on actual hardware
- After Skala Preview: Iterate based on what you saw on device
Common tool pairings (historical):
- Skala Preview + Photoshop CS5+ as the primary workflow
- Skala Preview + Composite for preview (Skala) plus interactions (Composite)
- Skala Preview + Slicy for exporting assets after previewing on device
Common Problems (and How to Fix Them)
“Skala View can’t find my Mac”
Check Wi-Fi. Both devices must be on the same network. Guest networks and enterprise networks with client isolation prevent device discovery. Try a personal hotspot from your phone as a test. Also check firewall settings on your Mac (System Preferences > Security & Privacy > Firewall).
“Preview is laggy or doesn’t update”
Photoshop file size affects performance. Large files (100MB+) with many layers slow down real-time preview. Flatten unnecessary layers, reduce canvas size, or disable auto-update and trigger manually. Also check Wi-Fi signal strength.
“Colors look different between Mac and device”
This is expected. Skala Preview’s color accuracy depends on Photoshop’s color management settings. Make sure your Photoshop document uses sRGB color space (not Adobe RGB or Display P3). Skala converts to sRGB for iOS devices, but source color space matters.
“Retina scaling is wrong”
Skala Preview supports zooming to 100% (actual size) or 200% (to view non-Retina designs on Retina devices). Use keyboard shortcuts Cmd + and Cmd - in Skala Preview to change zoom level. Make sure your Photoshop document is designed at the correct resolution (2x for Retina).
“Should I still use Skala Preview?”
No, unless you’re stuck on old software. Figma Mirror and Sketch’s View and Mirror app offer better device preview with active development. If you’ve already moved to Figma or Sketch, use their native solutions. Skala Preview belongs to the Photoshop-for-UI era that ended around 2015.