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
How do you search pictures with answers? ›
Search with an image from a website
Go to the website with the image. Touch and hold the image. Tap Search Image with Google Lens. To search an object in an image, if available on the object, tap Select .
You can reverse image search on your Android device with Google Chrome. You can also reverse image search on a web page by tapping and holding the image and then choosing to search with Google Lens. If the image is stored on your phone, you can tap on the Google Lens icon in Chrome's search bar.
Can I take a picture of something and find out what it is? ›Best App for Searching for Anything and Everything: Google Lens. With Google Lens, all you have to do is point and shoot at any object, and Google Lens does a pretty good job of telling you what it is. I took a picture of a flowering plant I'm growing on my terrace and found it's an Alyssum.
Does Reverse Image Search work with screenshots? ›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. Then, choose the screenshot you just took and upload it.
Can I take a picture of something and search it on Google? ›You can learn more about an image or the objects around you with Google Lens. For example, you can take a photo of a plant and use it to search for info or other similar images.
Is there a better reverse image search than Google? ›Bing Image Search
Bing's reverse image search is even easier to get to than Google's because the image search icon is available in the search box on the Bing home page — no need to go to the Image Search page. Click the Instagram-like Search using an image icon to use Bing's visual search.
Google Image Search
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. If the image you are wanting to search for is online, just right-click on it and choose Copy Image Address/Copy Image URL if using Google Chrome.
Reverse image search engines are not using Artificial Intelligence or 3D as yet. They simply divide an image into groups of pixels and conduct a pixel group match with other images. It would be foolish to expect it to be a hundred percent accurate.
Can you reverse look up a picture on iPhone? ›To reverse image search on your iPhone or iPad, you can use Google or a third-party app. You can reverse image search on Google with an image from the search results or your device. Reverse image search allows you to look up photos to see where else they appear or find out more about them.
Is Google reverse image free? ›Image search by Keyword Tool is a free instrument that will help you to find information online with a reverse image search. If you see a product, object on anything around you, and would like to know more about it - simply take a picture to search for it! Search Google by Image (FREE!)
What is the most accurate reverse image search? ›
Google Images
Google's image search is the most effective reverse search engine tool you can use on your desktop. They have billions of pictures from millions of web pages to list. So, if you fail to find a match for your image using other tools, Google Images should be the best bet.
The websites will not know. But some apps will be notified. Can websites track screenshots? No, not unless the website has a keylogger that you get and install.
How do I do a reverse image search without getting caught? ›Use the noimageindex directive as such: <meta name="robots" content="noimageindex">. Once Google no index that image, it should not show up in Google reverse image search.
Is there an app that can identify items? ›- Pinterest.
- Google Lens.
- Amazon Shopping.
- Snapchat.
- CamFind.
- Search By Image.
- Reverse Image Search.
- PlantNet Plant Identification.
The Identify Anything app combines the power of artificial intelligence (A.I.) with deep machine learning to identify anything.
Why did Google get rid of reverse image search? ›Google added that the changes were partly due to its settlement with Getty Images. "They are designed to strike a balance between serving user needs and publisher concerns, both stakeholders we value," said Google. Google noted that the Search by Image button is also being removed.
Which search engine has the most accurate results? ›- Google. Besides being the most popular search engine covering over 90% of the worldwide market, Google boasts outstanding features that make it the best search engine in the market. ...
- Bing. ...
- 3. Yahoo. ...
- Baidu. ...
- Yandex. ...
- Duckduckgo. ...
- Contextual Web Search. ...
- Yippy Search.
On your Android phone or tablet, open the Google app or Chrome app. Go to the website with the image. Touch and hold the image. Tap on Search with Google Lens.
What's the best free reverse image search? ›- TinEye Reverse Image Search Engine. ...
- Google Images. ...
- 3. Yahoo Image Search. ...
- Bing Image Search. ...
- Pinterest Visual Search Tool. ...
- Openverse. ...
- Flickr. ...
- Getty Images.
In short, what you see in the mirror is nothing but a reflection and that may just not be how people see you in real life. In real life, the picture may be completely different. All you have to do is stare at a selfie camera, flip and capture your photo. That's what you really look like.
Why does my reverse image look so weird? ›
When what we see in the mirror is flipped, it looks alarming because we're seeing rearranged halves of what are two very different faces. Your features don't line up, curve, or tilt the way you're used to viewing them.
How do I Google an image from my camera roll? ›...
Using an image from your files
- Open images.google.com in a web browser.
- Click the camera icon to upload an image.
- Select the Upload an image tab, then select Choose File to browse your files and pick an image to search. ...
- Find an image from your files, click on it, then select Open.
- Open Safari on your iPhone or iPad and go to.
- Next, tap on Upload an image → Choose File → Photo Library (or one of the other options)
- Select the picture and tap on Done to upload it and see results for this image.
Reverse - Image Search is a FREE smart utility. The app empowers you to search images via Google Image Search, Bing Image Search, Yandex Image Search & TinEye Search engines. + Reverse Image Search is a useful tool to verify the source of photographs, screenshots, and memes.
How can I mirror an image for free? ›Fotor's free mirror image app for IOS and Android allows you to reverse an image at any time. It is a great way to achieve a picture mirror effect. Just open Fotor's app, click "+" to upload the image, then select "Rotate and Flip". There are “Flip Horizontally” and "Flip Vertically" for you to choose from.
Which images can I use for free on Google? ›Google Images is free to use and you can find almost any image you can think of.
What is the code for image source? ›The <img> tag has two required attributes: src - Specifies the path to the image. alt - Specifies an alternate text for the image, if the image for some reason cannot be displayed.
› Mobile › Android › Guides ›How to Perform a Reverse Image Search in Android or iOS
Google Reverse Image Search: iPhone, Android, Computer
Search Google By Image ⚠️ FREE【Reverse Image Search】
Google's reverse image search is a breeze on a desktop computer. Go to images.google.com(Opens in a new window), click the camera icon, and either paste in the image link (URL) for an image you've seen online, upload an image from your hard drive, or drag an image from another window.
How do I upload a picture from my phone to Google? ›- On your Android phone or tablet, open the Google Drive app.
- Tap Add .
- Tap Upload.
- Find and tap the files you want to upload.
- View uploaded files in My Drive until you move them.
Why did Google remove reverse image? ›
The change comes as part of a settlement with Getty Images that aims to improve attribution for their contributors, Google said. The search engine also removed its “search by image” button, but users can still reverse image search by dragging images to the Google search bar.
How do I reverse image search without Google Lens? ›Disable Chrome's Lens Search Option on Android
To deactivate the Lens search option on your Android phone, first, launch Chrome on your phone. In the search results, find “Google Lens Powered Image Search in the Context Menu.” Then, beneath this option, tap “Default.” From the menu that opens, choose “Disabled.”
How To Transfer Photos from an Android Smartphone - YouTube
How do I upload photos from my mobile phone? ›With a USB cable, connect your phone to your computer. On your phone, tap the "Charging this device via USB" notification. Under "Use USB for," select File Transfer. An Android File Transfer window will open on your computer.