Creality forces update that removes features from their 3D scanners

Creality has removed access to previously available features such as scanning directly with a phone link (connecting the phone directly to the 3d scanner), without the use of proprietary hardware. This worked, and while it was flawed, it was a feature that was advertised and they seem to be going into direction of finally supporting it. At some point after announcing the Creality Scan Bridge, the application, Creality Scan on IOS/Android devices, had received an update, effectively removing the ability to directly scan via Phone->Scanner link. Only way was through their proprietary hardware, which can cost up to $300 USD.

Creality's 3D Scanner lineup, up to that point (Otter, Ferret, Raptor and RaptorX*) had been advertised that they will soon feature ability to scan via simple connection to the phone. The first version to actually allow this of this is not 100% known, however, it is known that the last version to feature this, was 2.2.6v of the Creality Scan, which allowed said lineup, to easily and freely connect your 3D Scanner from the Creality's line up. ^[1]

This while not perfect, worked, and allowed you to somewhat, easily transfer your scans to the PC/Laptop and do the heavily computing on there, while having the freedom to scan with your phone. This allowed easy and fast scanning especially as it did not require for the Point Cloud (points that the scanner grabs), that you drag your PC/Laptop with you and hold it while scanning. It did had numerous issues, but the application was working.

Since the application update from 2.2.6V, onwards, the rhetoric of Creality was that in order to use the application as "intended" you had to buy the aforementioned, Creality Scan Bridge. A 250-300$ (USD) proprietary hardware, that features a battery, and a wireless antenna, all within a specific handle to make scanning easier. While the item in it self is not an issue, the issue was that it suddenly become mandatory to buy it, in order to use it the application for IOS/Android with your scanner, even though that it was already properly working beforehand. ^[2]

They had effectively disabled the application to recognize the scanner if you plugged it directly to your phone, with a USB-C to USB-C cable that connects to your phone and Scanner.

Users could downgrade to said version (2.2.6v), however, after 2025-08-07, they have pushed a forced Mandatory update to all of the scanners before you can open and use it in Creality Scan 4. (Creality Scan 3, as of this point and date, still does not force users to update). Even if you are using Creality Scan on IOS/Android it would not register it from that point. This update changelog can be seen on: "https://www.crealitycloud.com/downloads/other/cr-scan".^[3]

This forced update happens as soon as you have a stable internet connection and you open up the Creality Scan 4 software, their newest software as of writing this article. You are not allowed to not opt-out of this update, but have only the chance to install it. Keeping in mind that some of these scanners have not received any update from 2024 (Otter in particular), that gives no real fixes besides locking your scanner to not work with aforementioned application on your phone. Only with their proprietary hardware.

If you happen to install this update, and try to go back to the application on your phone, this essentially "soft-locks" the scanner so you cannot find you scanner even on previous version of the application on your phone (2.2.6v) that worked. However, if you do not update, you cannot use Creality Scan 4. Only way to use it without updating, is that you have a fresh installation of Creality Scan 4, and disable internet access to the software, before the first start of the application.

To top it off, Creality's software Creality Scan 4, suffers from observable quality degradation issues, that might or might not be intentional. (Even though it is faster and more intuitive, it has been noticed that in Colour Mapping abilities of scans, have been reduced in quality. This may not be intentional, but rather an oversight during the development phase)(This however cannot be overlooked, as Creality Scan 4 software, is no longer in beta since 2025-06-06). *in direct compariosn between Creality Scan 3 software, and 4. ^[4]

As of this moment have not been an official wide response on "why", aside from administrators from official Facebook groups, where they claim it would "drain the battery", and that this seems to be the reason they want you to buy a 250-300$ USD hardware from them, even though this was not an issue or statement before, when the software worked. ^[5][6]

Backlash has been vocal, seeing many posts from Reddit and Facebook official and unoffical groups, shows that what the company has done, has not been received well. Such as a user willing to even pay for the APK version of 2.2.6v, just so the user can use the actual software as it was advertised and intended to. [2]Some people have stated that it is most likely again, for people to switch and buy the aforementioned hardware. ^[6][7]

This has caused quite a stir on what the company actually prioritizes, as the software, up until that point had no issue with working.