Methods and systems including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for generating and displaying object recognition state indicators during object recognition processing of an image. In one aspect, a method includes performing object recognition on an image displayed in an application environment of an application on a user device using an object recognition model having multiple object recognition states including an identification state, where a candidate object in the image is positively identified, and one or more precursor states to the identification state, and where each of the precursor states has a different respective indicator for display within the image during the respective precursor state that visually emphasizes the candidate object and the identification state has a different respective indicator for display within the image during the identification state that visually emphasizes the positively identified object as being positively identified.