Image Search is the ability to search on a term and find images related to what you typed. Most search engines offer it, and it's great. But what if you have an image and want to know its origin? Or find similar photos? That's areverse image search.
Google's reverse image search is a breeze on a desktop computer. Go toimages.google.com(Opens in a new window), click the camera icon, and either paste in the URL for an image you've seen online, upload an image from your hard drive, or drag an image from another window.
Google Image Search on the desktop
But what about when you're on a mobile device and want to do a reverse image lookup? There are options.
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Google Reverse Image Search on Mobile
Google built a reverse image search function into phones and tablets, albeit on a limited basis.
When you fire up images.google.com on mobile, the camera icon won't show up in the search bar. To get it, you'll need to load the desktop version on your mobile device. It works in Safari, but it performs best in theChrome browser app(iOS(Opens in a new window)or Android(Opens in a new window)).
In Safari, tap the aA icon on the top left and select Request Desktop Website. In Chrome, tap the three-dot menu, scroll down on the menu that pops up, and selectRequest Desktop Site. On both browsers, that will load the desktop version of Google Images, and the camera icon will appear. Then you can upload photos from your camera roll.
Google Image Search on Chrome for iOS
Depending on your phone, Chrome also supports a reverse image search workaround. When you see the image in your browser that you want to search, hold your finger on it until a pop-up menu appears; pick Search Google for This Image at the bottom. Note: This will NOT work in the Google app or other browsers (not even in Safari). It only works in Chrome.
If for some reason this doesn't work, you can also select Open Image in New Tab. Then copy the URL, go back to images.google.com, and paste in the URL. With either method, reverse image search results then appear; you may have to click a More sizes option up top to see only the images. You'll get options to narrow your query, such as finding animated GIFs, clip-art equivalents, or looking by the color scheme used in the original image.
Google Lensalso offers a reverse image search option. Lens has its own app, but is also part of the Google app, Google Photos, and Google Assistant, on iOS and Android. However, Lens is really more about helping you perform tasks, like instant translation, identifying things, or finding a product to buy, than it is for finding a source image.
Bing Visual Search on Mobile
Bing Visual Search as viewed in Safari on iOS
That other big search engine,Bing from Microsoft, also does reverse image searches, but calls it "visual search." Click Bing's camera icon on any mobile browser or in the Bing app. A pop-up says that in order to search with an image, you'll need to give Bing access to your camera; accept or decline with a tap.
On the next screen, tap the Browse button on the bottom left. A pop-up menu will let you take a photo, browse your photo library, or browse third-party services. Tap browse to find photos stored in third-party services like iCloud Drive,Google Drive, and Dropbox.
The latest versions of the Bing app (iOS(Opens in a new window)andAndroid(Opens in a new window)) let you snap a photo and image search it immediately. You can upload a photo from your camera roll, scan a QR code, or point your camera at text or math problems (cheaters!).
Third-Party Image Search Engines
There are a few search engines out there dedicated to looking up just pictures, but not all of them work directly with your smartphone or the default browsers.
TinEye(Opens in a new window)
It has crawled over52 billion images(Opens in a new window)to date. TinEye allows search by URL, upload, or drag-and-drop on the desktop. On mobile, just click that upload (up arrow) icon to get options to take a photo, use one from the library, or upload from third-party services.
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Yandex(Opens in a new window)
Russia's Yandex search engine looks a bit like Bing-goes-Cyrillic. It has a unique image search that works on mobile devices right from the browser. Click Images, tap the camera icon in the search bar, and you get the usual options: take a photo, upload a photo, or find a photo in a third-party service.
There are also search engines geared specifically toward helping creatives find out if their creative work has been stolen. Check outBerify(Opens in a new window)andPixsy(Opens in a new window)for options. Be warned, using them might cost you. However, they'll also track stolen images for you automatically and offline, alerting you if an image of yours is used without permission. Then you can go collect on the theft, and that makes them worth using.
Apps for Reverse Image Search
If you prefer apps over the browser, go directly to a reverse image search tool you keep on your smartphone at all times.
CamFind
Free forAndroidandiOS(Opens in a new window)
This is a basic tool for taking shots with your smartphone and searching for similar items, as well as getting price comparisons ifit'sa product shot.
Search By Image
Free for Android(Opens in a new window)
You can manipulate an image all you want before uploading via this app to get results from Google, Bing, TinEye, and Yandex.
Reversee
Free for iOS(Opens in a new window)
This app sends your pics directly into the Google Images database to search for similar images, but upgrade to the pro version for $3.99 via an in-app purchase to get results from Bing and Yandex as well.
Reverse Image Search: Eye Lens
$2.99 subscription for iOS(Opens in a new window)
This one isn't an app you go into, but rather an app that adds an extension to other apps. It will put one of those extension buttons inside Photos, Facebook, and other apps, so along with Copy or Send, you'll have an option toSearch Image. Results appear in your mobile browser and come from Google, TinEye, and Yandex.
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FAQs
Can you reverse image search a screenshot? ›
Can I reverse image search a screenshot? Yes, of course. Doing a reverse image search of a screenshot on a phone is pretty much like how it is on a desktop. If you are on Android or iPhone, just open your favorite mobile browser, visit images.google.com and click on the camera icon.
How do you reverse search an image from your camera roll? ›- Open the Google app on your iPhone or Android.
- Tap the camera icon in the search bar. ...
- On Android, tap the camera icon in the top section to take a picture, or you can look for the image in your gallery in the bottom section and then tap on it to perform the search.
On your iPhone or iPad, go to Google Images. Search for an image. Tap the image. At the top right, tap Search inside image .
Can I take a picture and search it on Google? ›Google Goggles: Take A Picture With Your Phone, Search By Image.
How do I do an image search from my gallery? ›- On your Android phone, open the Google app .
- At the bottom, tap Discover.
- In the search bar, tap Google Lens .
- Take or upload a photo to use for your search: ...
- Select the area you want to use for your search: ...
- At the bottom, scroll to find your search results.
Go to Google Images. On your computer, find the file with the image you want to search with. Click the image. Hold down the mouse, drag the image, and then drop it into the search box.
How do I search by image on iPhone 2022? ›Tap “Upload an Image” > “Choose File.” In the pop-up menu, tap “Photo Library” to select a photo from your Photos app. You can also take a photo with your iPhone camera by tapping on the “Take Photo or Video” option. Tap “Choose.” Once the photo is uploaded, scroll through the search results.
Can you take a picture of something and search it? ›Simply take a picture of any object and CamFind uses mobile visual search technology to tell you what it is. The CamFind app provides fast, accurate results with no typing necessary. Snap a picture, learn more. That's it.
Can iPhone identify a picture? ›Visual Look Up recognizes items from your images like art or landmarks so you can quickly get more information.
Is there image search on iPhone? ›When you tap Search in the Photos app , you see suggestions for moments, people, places, and categories to help you find what you're looking for, or rediscover an event you forgot about.
Is there a reverse image app for iPhone? ›
Google Lens
Now, both iOS and Android users can use Google Lens to reverse search images. On Android, Google Lens is available as a standalone app. iOS users can access Lens within the Google search app (by tapping the camera icon in the search bar) or the Google Photos app.
Google Image Search
If you're looking for an image, the best place to start is at images.google.com. Click on the small camera icon and then screen will change so that you can either paste an image URL or upload an image that you want to search for.
Google recently replaced one of Chrome's most useful features with what they think is a better alternative. The right-click menu option for a reverse image search was swapped out in favor of searching through Google Lens instead. If you heavily depend on the older feature and want it back, then don't worry.
How do you reverse image search on iPhone IOS 15? ›Tap on the “camera” icon located on the right side of the search bar. Now you'll have the option to either search by pasting the image url or you could simply upload/capture an image from your iPhone.
Is there an app I can take a picture of something to identify it? ›Google Lens
The Google Lens object recognition app utilizes your smartphone's camera and skims the internet for information. The working method of this app is similar to the Google Image search. It is excellent for recognizing objects and matching them with contextual information.
Yes, you can use free Aspose Reverse Image Search app on any operating system that has a web browser.
Is there a better image search than Google? ›Bing Visual Search, Yandex Visual Search, and TinEye work similarly. Another way to run an image search using another image is with Pinterest; there's a visual search button on the bottom corner of photos. If you're on a mobile device, check out our article on how to do a reverse image search on a phone or tablet.
How do you use iPhone to identify objects? ›- Open a photo in full screen; ...
- Swipe up on the photo or tap .
- Tap the icon that appears on the photo or at the top of the photo information results to view Siri Knowledge and more information about the object.
- Tap.
Once you upload your photo, you can access a variety of effects options. Tap on "Effects" and choose the "Invert" option to watch your photo's colors change to their inverted versions. This easy process only takes seconds!
How do I reverse a photo image? ›With the image open in the editor, switch to the “Tools” tab in the bottom bar. A bunch of photo editing tools will appear. The one that we want is “Rotate.” Now tap the flip icon in the bottom bar.
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How to Reverse Image Search on iPhone or iPad
How to Reverse Image Search on iPhone (Nov 2022)
How to Do a Reverse Image Search on iPhone and iPad
Optical character recognition, or OCR, is a way to convert typed, handwritten text, or a screenshot into a form that your machine (computer) can understand. You can use it to modify or edit documents in hard form, extract text from screenshots, and much more.
How do I search text screenshots? ›To get started, you need to open the Google app on Android or iOS, tap the Lens camera icon and either search one of your screenshots or take a photo. Then, you can swipe up and tap the “+ Add to your search” button to add text.
Can Google Track screenshots? ›Can websites track screenshots? No, not unless the website has a keylogger that you get and install. A screenshot is local computer activity like running your printer or using your mouse.
How do you tell if an image has been manipulated? ›- Check the Edges. When something has been superimposed into a scene, you can sometimes tell by looking at the edges. ...
- Look for Reversed Text. ...
- Examine Any Shadows. ...
- Missing Reflections. ...
- Bad Perspective. ...
- Look for Remnants of Deleted Objects. ...
- Look for Signs of Cloning. ...
- Try Zooming In.
In "Pictures," locate the folder called "Screenshots." Open it, and any and all screenshots taken will be there.
How can I identify text in an image? ›OCR is the “Optical Character Recognition” technology used to convert any image containing handwritten or printed readable text. Once the file has been processed through the online OCR, the extracted text can be further edited by using word processing software like MS Word.
Do phones have OCR? ›Android users, on the other hand, can use the Google Drive app built into the phone to scan documents, but use the Camera app to digitize text with OCR (see below). If you don't see the Google Drive icon on your home screen, which looks like a colorful triangle, simply search for the word “drive” and it'll pop up.
Does iPhone have built in OCR? ›How to Use iPhone Live Text OCR in iOS 15 [In the Camera App]
Can you search a photo on Iphone? ›When you tap Search in the Photos app , you see suggestions for people, places, and photo categories to help you find what you're looking for, or rediscover a moment you forgot about.
Can you search pictures for words? ›
You can take or upload a picture, and then tap a little bar containing a plus sign and the phrase, “add to your search.” This lets you type words to better explain what you want. The feature works, essentially, by using artificial intelligence in a few ways.
Can you search for screenshots on Iphone? ›Where to find screenshots. Open Photos, then go to Albums > Media Types > Screenshots.
Can someone see if you screenshot their Gmail? ›No, not unless the website has a keylogger that you get and install. A screenshot is local computer activity like running your printer or using your mouse. You should not expect any online script or application to have any control of this without your permission.
Is taking screenshots of Google Images illegal? ›17. Can I take an image from Google search? You cannot download or use images from Google without seeking permission from the copyright holder, unless your use falls within one of the exceptions or the work is distributed under an open licence such as Creative Commons.
Can someone track your location from a screenshot? ›If you don't have location services enabled on the app (android, possibly iPhone- I wouldn't know) then no one can tell where you are regardless of the screenshot. If you don't have location services on in general, your location won't be shared.