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Google 3D animals and objects: Which ones are available and how to use them

At its I/O conference in 2019, Google announced that it would be adding augmented reality objects to Search. Over the year since, Google has a bunch of 3D animals you can view in Google Search using AR — here’s the full list that we’re constantly updating.

How to find 3D animals on Google

Google’s AR objects in search are incredibly easy to access. The objects are added to search in the belief that the easiest way to learn about something is to see it. By seeing things in augmented reality (AR), users can see the scale of an object and also details they might not notice from just a simple picture.

To keep this easy to access, Google puts its 3D animals and other AR objects right at the top of search. For example, searching for “tiger” will show a Google Search Knowledge Panel. These panels are often shown for movies, famous celebrities, and other subjects. In the case of a 3D animal through Google, you’ll see an overview of what the animal is, a few images or it, and a section that says “Meet a life-sized tiger up close” and a “View in 3D” button. That button launches the AR experience.

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What you need to ‘view in your space’ AR objects on Google

Google’s 3D animals are different on every device. Typically speaking, you might not see AR or 3D objects on a desktop computer or laptop. Rather, you’ll need a supported smartphone to view these objects using Google’s “view in space” option.

The good news? Most modern smartphones are supported! To view AR objects in Google Search you’ll need:

  • Android smartphone or tablet: Android 7.0 or higher w/ pre-installed Google Play Store
  • iPhone/iPad: iOS 11.0 or higher

This includes most popular smartphones, including Samsung Galaxy S8/S9/S10/S20, Note 8/9/10, any Google Pixel smartphone, and other Android devices from LG, Motorola, and other brands. As for Apple devices, iPhone 6S, 7, 8, X, and 11 are all supported as well as most iPads.

How do you access the “view in space” option? After you press “view in 3D,” any supported device will show a “view in your space” button underneath the 3D animal. This can be seen below.

Notably, you can resize the animal from its life-size by pinching on it. Slowly, it will go down in size to better fit into your setting.

If you’re not sure if 3D animals and other AR objects in Google Search will work, just give it a shot!

So, what AR animals can you view on Google Search? For a while, Google didn’t offer an official list, but the viral nature of these objects triggered the company to finally put one up. The list below clearly shows every 3D animal currently available on Google Search. We’ve also gone hands-on with many of them so you can see how they work in action.

Google’s 3D animals, both real and some fictional, include:

There are also over 30 different breeds of dogs on Google’s list including the following:

Google is adding more of these over time, too! This list has expanded since Google originally announced 3D animals in 2019. Google is also expanding the functionality of these panels with video recording tools and quick shortcuts to other animals.

In October 2021, Google added a collection of endangered animals to its list including the adorable arctic fox.

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Google also added dinosaurs in a recent update! The full list of prehistoric creatures includes:

Beyond dinosaurs, too, Google also added a collection of insects to this collection with different kinds of beetles, cicadas, and others such as fireflies, grasshoppers, and others. The full list is below.

There’s more than just 3D animals in Google Search. On top of that, Google can also show some other objects. To do this, Google partners with certain websites and brands to show products, furniture, and even the human body in 3D. We’ve listed some examples that are live right now below, and we’ve got another post that goes into more detail on the other objects that are available.

In November 2021, Google quietly added a selection of landmarks from around the globe to its collection of 3D objects. The various buildings, statues, and other monuments adds a whopping 98 more objects to Google’s overall list.

Google has also worked with Biodigital to deliver a handful of 3D experiences, much like the 3D Animals, about the human body with in-depth models of the body’s different systems. The experiences include:

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There’s also a host of other body parts that have 3D experiences available, but you’ll need to use specific keywords (which we’ve linked) to access them.

Further, a separate partnership with Visual Body shows off 3D models of cells from different animals all within Google Search. Each model specifically details different portions of the cell in an easy way that teachers may find useful for their students. The different experiences include:

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In August, Google once again expanded its collection of 3D objects with molecules that help teach the subject of chemistry. There are 25 new objects, all listed and linked below.

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Some of these examples aren’t quite as straightforward as the 3D animals, though, as the 3D models appear lower in search results alongside the websites that power them. From time to time, too, they just won’t appear. The planets, for example, appear more reliably when you add “in depth” to the search query. There are even more objects on the list, too! Those include:

Cars

In December 2020, Google added over 250 models of cars and trucks to search with 3D models. Unlike Google’s 3D animals, these are more advanced with swappable backgrounds when viewing just the 3D model, and even the ability to view the interior of the vehicle in AR. Much of this information is processed off-device and streamed, leading to a higher quality image.

There’s no published list of every supported vehicle yet, but we’ve captured a handful of them below. Realistically, you’re much more likely to find a car that is supported than one that isn’t, but some notable omissions include Tesla vehicles, Nissan Leaf, Subaru Crosstrek, and Toyota Camry.

In April 2021, Google added another set of AR objects to search alongside its 3D animals. The latest batch includes Japanese characters from video games and more. These include the likes of Pac-Man, Gundam, Hello Kitty, Ultraman, and more. The full list follows:

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Learn more about Google’s AR objects:

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Avatar for Ben Schoon Ben Schoon

Ben is a Senior Editor for 9to5Google.

Find him on Twitter @NexusBen. Send tips to schoon@9to5g.com or encrypted to benschoon@protonmail.com.