A new trend has hit social media that shows people posing with lions, tigers and even penguins in their own back garden. It’s simple to achieve, and here we show you how.
- Launch the browser on your smartphone
- Head to Google and search for an animal of your choice
- In the knowledge panel that appears at the top of search results scroll down to the section that invites you to meet a life-sized version of that animal up close
- Tap ‘View in 3D’
- Tap ‘View in your space’ to launch your phone camera
- If this is your first time trying the AR animals feature, tap Give access, then allow the prompt to ‘allow Google permission to access photos, media and files on your device’
- You will be instructed to point your phone camera to the ground to give the app an idea of the space available
- The animal should then appear in front of you in augmented reality
If you do not see an option to ‘View in your Space’, download and install or update Google Lens.
Further reading: Best Live Zoo Cams & What is Google Lens?
Author: Marie Black, Editorial Director, International, Foundry
Marie is Editorial Director at Foundry. A Journalism graduate from the London College of Printing, she's worked in tech media for almost 20 years, covering all types of consumer tech from smartphones and their accessories to smart home gear. These days she manages our international editorial teams and leads on content strategy, having witnessed first-hand Foundry's transition from print, to digital, to online - and beyond.