We’re always striving to improve Lens Studio, and in our latest update, we’ve got everything from security and convenience enhancements to brand new features and key improvements to existing features.

Ultimately, every new update is focused on your creative output. Even logistical enhancements are designed to make your professional work easier so you can focus on what really matters — pushing your craft and AR to a whole new level. We’ll continue upgrading our platform so we can provide you with the tools to continue leveling up your creativity.

Here are some key updates and enhancements to Lens Studio.

Custom Landmarkers

For the first time, we’re fully democratizing Landmarkers and enabling creators to choose their own locations to build AR on with Custom Landmarkers. Through your helpful feedback, we saw a demand for more location-specific AR experiences, and we’re excited to release these new features to our community. Now creators can anchor Lenses to local places they care about — from statues to storefronts — to tell richer stories about their communities through AR. Using this feature, you can scan a structure or building with LiDAR and load it directly into Lens Studio. Then, you can author AR on top of that structure and publish a Lens with a Custom Landmarker. Custom Landmarkers are discoverable through physical Snapcodes at the landmark or on a Lens Creator’s profile. We can’t wait to see what our community builds and how they transform the spaces around them — the possibilities are endless!

Keyboard

Edit your text on the fly! We’ve integrated your device’s keyboard into Lens Studio so you can change your text in a Lens using features like 3D Text and Text-to-Speech. Check out our templates to test out the brand-new Keyboard feature.

Physics Enhancements

The Snap AR community asked and we answered! We’ve added enhancements to Physics in Lens Studio for a more realistic and streamlined experience, including Physics Material properties to adjust object bounciness and friction. Other refinements include improvements to tunneling issues like simulation rate, kinematic smoothing, speed limits, additional collision shapes like cones and cylinders, and hand colliders.

Custom Components

Managing Lens Studio Assets has never been easier! With the introduction of Custom Components, bundled script components are available in the Asset Library. This is a great option for quicker, more efficient work, especially for creators who aren’t familiar with scripting. Expect more exciting developments with this feature in future releases!

SnapML Face Effects

We’ve introduced various Face Effects in the form of a Custom Component to let our creators quickly utilize face filters powered by SnapML. Popular filters such as Baby, Bald, Anime, 3D Animated, and Poster Style are now available as a Custom Component. We’re constantly building out our Asset Library to help you bring fresh and unique elements of expression to your projects.

Auto-Updater

We’re continually upgrading Lens Studio, and now you don’t have to constantly download new updates from our site every time we release an update. Now Lens Studio will update directly in the app, with options for immediate installation or “remind me later” so you can keep creating and managing your experience on your own terms.

Draco Compression

Manage your large files more easily than ever with Draco compression in Lens Studio. Apply it to any high-res model through the mesh inspector to dramatically reduce your Lens size. This new tool is particularly useful wherever high-poly 3D models are used, like AR Shopping features.

Authentication

You will now be able to log in via your Snapchat account whenever you use Lens Studio. This update streamlines authentication for a more seamless experience.

VoiceML Improvements

Our VoiceML tools are continuing to improve. We’ve added support for Spanish and German Speech Recognition, added new System Commands like “Send to” and “Favorite,” added new male voice styles, and now include timing information for each phenome in the TTS result.
Additionally, with the new Spectacles Voice Control template, Lens Creators can learn how to incorporate transcription and keyword detection to their wearable experience.



All of these features and enhancements are designed to work seamlessly together in Lens Studio so you can be at your creative best, no matter the project. We can’t wait to see what you’ll make with these new tools and enhanced features!