Google 3D animals and objects: Which ones are still 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 years since, Google has added a bunch of 3D animals and objects 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.

Google tends to put its 3D animals and other AR objects in different places depending on the topic at hand. 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.

In other cases, you might have to scroll down the page to find the 3D model.

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 those from Samsung Galaxy, Google Pixel, Motorola, and other brands. As for Apple devices, virtually all iPhones and iPads are supported.

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!

• How to fix when Google’s ‘View in 3D’ animals AR object doesn’t work

List: 3D animals available on Google Search

Google originally offered around 100 or more 3D animals via Search, but that list has been drastically reduced as of 2024.

Currently supported 3D animals include:

• Alpine goat
• Ball python
• Bumblebee (Moss Carder Bee)
• Cats:
  • Bengal Cat
  • Maine Coon
  • Norwegian Forest Cat
  • Ragdoll
  • Scottish Fold
  • Siamese Cat
• Dogs
  • French Bulldog
  • Pug
  • Shiba Inu
• Donkey
• Dragon
• Easter bunny
• Great White Shark
• Hamster
• Insects:
  • Stag Beetle
  • Brown Cicada
  • Ladybug
  • Rosailia Batesi
  • Swallowtail Butterfly
  • Morpho Butterfly
  • Hornet (Asian giant)
• Kookaburra
• Macaw
• Tiger
• Quokka
• Unicorn

That’s a huge drop from what was previously supported.

3D Animals that have been removed from Google

Google hit its peak in 2021, when there were well over 100 animals including more cat and dog breeds. Animals that have been removed from Search include what’s listed below.

3D animals that were removed from Search include:

Google also originally supported far more dog breeds. All of the following have been removed from Search.

At one point, Google also supported showing 3D models of various dinosaurs, but these have also since been removed from Search entirely.

Google did also once support dozens of different insects, but now only supports a few. Insects that were previously supported but have since stopped working include:

Google also removed most of its 3D objects and models

There were once far more than just animals and insects in Search, too. Google had 3D models of quite a few locations, NASA objects, planets, and moons, as well as landmarks from across the globe. Virtually all of these have been removed.

Objects that were previously supported but have since been removed include:

Locations and landmarks

Some other 3D models that Google has removed from Search include some Halloween models, a pair of New Balance shoes (which are outdated at this point anyway), and a huge list of cars. Google announced in 2020 that it would roll out over 250 different models of cars and trucks viewable in Search through 3D models, but these have been removed. The car models were unique, too, using streaming to deliver a much higher-quality image of the vehicle in 3D.

Cars and Trucks

Google also removed a huge bunch of 3D models of Japanese characters from Search.

However, there are still two supported:

• Taiko no Tatsujin
• Pac-Man

3D educational models still available in Google Search

In 2020, Google announced an expansion of its 3D models to include educational content about human anatomical systems, parts of cells, and more. Many of these are still supported, thankfully, as they’re among the most useful 3D models Google supports. These experiences were built in collaboration with Biodigital and Visual Body.

Human Anatonmical Systems

Parts of the cell

Chemistry models

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.

Google did, however, remove a selection of 3D models of human body parts. The models that were previously supported but have since been removed include the following.

It’s still unclear why Google has removed so many of its 3D and AR objects and animals from Search, especially as these proved to be a lifeline for parents during COVID-19 lockdowns and still remain useful for education.