Pixel Magnifier 2.0 adds text search, lens selection, and PiP mode

As mentioned at Made by Google 2024, Pixel Magnifier 2.0 is rolling out with a number of major additions since it was introduced last year.

In Magnifier settings, there’s a new “Manual lens section” toggle that adds a picker above the shutter button. On a Pixel 8 Pro, it’s Ultrawide, Wide, Telephoto, and Auto.

You can also set “Volume key action” in preferences: Shutter, Zoom, Flashlight, or None.

When zooming in to 16x or greater (“extreme zoom conditions”), a Picture-in-Picture window appears. You can turn this off in settings, but it helps you preserve context.

For example, if you’re at a deli counter and want to take a closer look at the menu board, snap a photo and use picture-in-picture to check out all of your options without losing your place.

After taking a picture, “Find” appears at the bottom of your screen. This lets you “Search in photo” with Magnifier highlighting by zooming in, while a different PiP appears in the top-right to show the location and let you pan. Partial matches will also be highlighted. Google warns that:

The quality of the captured image affects the quality of search. For example, some text from the original may not be recognized if the captured image is blurry or if the text is too small (less than 24 pixels).

The final addition is Selfie Illumination when you switch to the front-facing camera. This turns the top and bottom bars white for an impromptu mirror.

Magnifier 2.0 is available on the Pixel 5 and newer, but the Pixel Fold and Tablet are excluded for some reason. Besides the app icon, you can access it from a Quick Settings Tile.