How To Get Snapchat's 3D Bitmoji On Your Phone, Because, Yeah, You Need It

My Bitmoji knows me better than I know myself. No matter how I am feeling or appearing, there is always a Bitmoji to sum up my emotions perfectly — and it isn't because I customized the cartoon to look like me (although that helps). Last week, Snapchat unveiled new 3D Bitmoji filters. And if you haven't caught on by now, you need to know how to get Snapchat's 3D Bitmoji so your Bitmoji can be even more of a mini-me...or mini-you for that matter.

Accessing the 3D Bitmoji feature on Snapchat is much like those 3D-like filters that everyone used and still continues to use. In 2015, Snapchat introduced these special lenses as a way for people to get creative in the ways they talked to their friends. In the two years since then, dog ears have become a permanent mainstay on everyone's head — and the lenses are the perfect way to entertain a bored kid for hours on end. But now we've entered a new era — one where your 3D Bitmoji can replace you altogether instead. If you haven't already accessed these 3D Bitmojis, or if they aren't showing up on your phone, then you're more than likely confused. But you don't have to be left in the dust and out of the fun.

Getting Snapchat's 3D Bitmoji onto your phone is super simple if you just follow these quick and easy instructions.

Download Bitmoji (If You Haven't Already)

In order to get 3D Bitmoji integrated into Snapchat, you have to download Bitmoji first. If you haven't downloaded the app yet, you're not alone. Up until two months ago, I too, did not have Bitmoji downloaded (the horror).

Once Bitmoji is on your phone, use it to customize your avatar to look just like you. With Bitmoji on your phone, you can activate a keyboard and use them in text messages (exactly like emoji) or you can use it with other apps, like Snapchat.

Make Sure All Of Your Apps (Ahem, Snapchat) Are Updated

3D Bitmoji is a part of Snapchat's newest update. If your app is still stuck in an outdated version, you might not be able to access the new 3D Bitmoji feature. So head into the App Store on your phone and make sure a Snapchat update isn't pending and that all of your apps are up to date. This way you're not looking for a feature that doesn't exist.

Link Bitmoji With Snapchat

If you already use the 2D Bitmojis in Snapchat, you can skip over this step. But if you haven't linked Bitmoji with Snapchat, do it now. It is super simple. All you have to do is click on the yellow ghost icon at the top of the camera screen, and click on the gear icon on the top right corner. Once you're there, click Bitmoji, and request permission for Snapchat to link to your Bitmoji app. Once you click on that, it will basically walk you through the rest of the very simple process.

Go To Your Camera Screen & Press The Center Of The Screen

Once those steps are complete, now is your chance to finally access your 3D Bitmoji. Head to the camera screen and tap on the center of the screen, like you would to access any of the "elemental" lenses.

Another way to do this is to put the camera into selfie mode, access your selfie lenses, and then flip the camera around using the camera icon in the top right corner. I personally find this to be a little less time consuming.

Pick Your 3D Bitmoji Filter...

Using the filter selection tools at the bottom, go ahead and try out your different 3D Bitmoji options. There are a few fun scenarios for your 3D that are currently available — with emotions ranging from happiness (a dancing 3D Bitmoji) to impatience (waiting at a vending machine) to desperately needing coffee (my current state, all the time).

... & Have Fun!

Now that you have 3D Bitmoji on Snapchat, now is your chance to go wild and have fun with your mini-me. Feel free to use the coffee filter during your 8 a.m. work shift to show your friends how exhausted you are. Or, place your dancing Bitmoji on top of your dog and send a video to everyone to show how cute your pup is.

The 3D Bitmoji is the perfect way to send pictures to friends on those days when you're just not feeling the way you look or feel, but still want to keep people updated. Never has your Bitmoji seemed more real or lifelike until now. So, thank you, Snapchat.

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