Google’s Pixel 9 lineup is here with four brand new devices: the base model Pixel 9, Pixel 9 Pro, Pixel 9 Pro XL, and the Pixel 9 Pro Fold. All of these phones use the new Tensor G4 chip with plenty of RAM, so you’ll have plenty of power to take advantage of all the new AI tools.

Like it or not, AI is here to stay. And one of the new features across the Pixel 9 lineup is the “Add Me” tool in the Camera app. If you’re wondering how to use this new tool, read on.

What is “Add Me”?

The “Add Me” feature is designed for group photos so that no one is missing from the picture, including the photographer.

We’ve all been there: you’re with friends or family and you want to take a photo with everyone as a souvenir of the occasion. Usually, you either ask a stranger to take the photo for you or take a selfie. With the former, you might get someone who’s good at photography, but there’s a higher chance they won’t take a great photo. And selfies only turn out really well if the person taking the selfie has very long arms (or a selfie stick).

But Add Me solves this problem by using AI. Last year, Google presented us with Best Take, which lets you take multiple group photos and combine them into a single image, using each person’s best facial expression to create the “perfect” shot. This was all achieved using AI, and Add Me works in a similar way.

With Add Me, you basically take two group photos, one without the person in the photo and one of that person. The Pixel 9 uses AI to stitch them together into a single seamless shot so no one is left behind.

How to use Add Me on Pixel 9

Now that we know what it is, the question is how can we access this feature? It’s quite simple.

Step 1: Start the camera app on your Pixel 9.

Step 2: Switch to Add me Mode.

Step 3: Take your first photo.

Step 4: Have the photographer swap places with someone else in the photo.

Step 5: The second photographer uses the overlay in the viewfinder to give the original photographer clues as to where to stand in the photo.

Step 6: Take the second photo.

Step 7: “Add Me” combines the two photos into a single image.

As cool as Add Me is, it’s not perfect. There are some limitations you need to keep in mind when using it if you want to get the best results.

Add Me works best with static backgrounds because it basically stitches two photos together and you want the background to be the same. Add Me probably won’t work as well if you have a busy background like a street or a large crowd of people. And with the latter, Add Me can get confused about who should be in the photo or in the background.

Also, when taking the photos, you have to pay attention to the orientation of the Pixel 9 itself. If the first photo was taken with the camera on the right, the second photo must also be taken with the camera on the right and not the left, otherwise the internal sensors will be completely off when positioning the photo.

And for optimal results, positioning using augmented reality guidance needs to be as accurate as possible. Since precision is key, it may require a bit of a learning curve for some people to properly use this feature without issues.