Let's be real: Lenses are the best part of Snapchat.

The popular mobile app enables you to capture photos and videos and overlay them with doodles, text, filters, and lenses. Lenses are animated overlays that augment your face. You can see yourself - in real-time - do things like puke rainbows. Other filters morph your face into a noseless blob or a dear or a blowfish. Snapchat's been really creative with the different lenses it's offered so far, including the new World Lenses.

World Lenses are slightly different from the original type of lenses we've seen and used so far in Snapchat. They don't augment your face but rather the background of your photo and video. Here's everything you need to know about how World Lenses works.

What are Snapchat World Lenses?

Snapchat updated on 9 November to include a new type of lenses called “World Lenses". These lenses apply an animation or effect to the world around you. The feature has launched with seven lens options, including lenses that show falling snow and hearts and bursts of stars and bubbles. Like the original lenses, we expect Snapchat to introduce more over time, swapping new creative ones with old classics and visa versa.

How do Snapchat World Lenses work?

First, open Snapchat. While on the Camera screen, whether the camera is facing your face or something else, tap and hold down on your screen. You may see a web graphic, which indicates Snapchat is trying to recognize the environment and serve up lenses. Once it's done thinking, you'll see a row of lens options appear next to the capture button. You'll notice the World Lenses are in the same row as original lenses.

Swipe through this row of lenses to browse them all. The World Lenses will be scattered throughout. If you'd like to see how one looks in real-time, simply tap and select a lens. To change to a different lens, tap the new lens. To ditch the lens experience all together, tap the X button below the capture button. You can do what you want and try what you want. And, of course, you can always share your creation with friends or to your story.

Is there an example of Snapchat World Lenses?

Yep. Right here.

Are Snapchat World Lenses free?

Snapchat World Lenses are free to use, just like original lenses.

What's the point of Snapchat World Lenses?

Snapchat's 9 November update also includes support for the company’s yet-to-be-released AR video camera glasses, called Spectacles. These new lenses were obviously designed for Spectacles, allowing wearers capture and augment the world around them as they're out and about. To learn more about Spectacles, check out Pocket-lint's guide. We don’t yet know a release date for the glasses.

When will Snapchat World Lenses be available?

Snapchat World Lenses are now available in the iOS app and Android app.