Here’s why you might want to use it and how to Google reverse image search on a desktop web browser or the Google Chrome mobile app on your iPhone or Android.
What is a reverse image search?
When you do a reverse image search on Google, you place a photo, or a link to a photo, in the search bar instead of a text query. Google then finds websites featuring your image as well as related images.
Google Images also detects the subject of your photo and brings up other websites related to your image topic.
When to use Google reverse image search
It’s most helpful to search with an image on Google in the following cases:
- Find information about a photo. A reverse image search could bring up a website that includes a person’s name or information about a product.
- Uncover plagiarism. A reverse image search will bring up similar images. This can reveal whether an image was copied from someone else’s work.
- Find other similar images. If you want to find other photos connected to a specific image, a reverse search will also populate related pictures.
Google reverse image search on iPhone or Android
You can reverse image search on iPhone or Android using a photo from the internet or a photo from your camera roll. Here’s how to do it.
Using an image from the search results
Before proceeding with this method, you’ll first have to download the Google Chrome mobile app to do a reverse image search on your mobile device.
1. Open google.com on the Chrome app on your iPhone or Android.
2. Describe the image you want to search. For example, you could type “tuxedo cat.”
3. Select an image from the search results by tapping it to enlarge it.
4. Tap the Google Lens icon on the top right.
5. After a moment, Chrome will give you images that match your search terms.
Using an image from your files
This option requires that you have the Google app installed on your device.
1. Open the Google app on your iPhone or Android.
2. Tap the camera icon in the search bar. The app might ask for permission to access your camera and image gallery. When it does, give them to it.
3. 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 iOS, it will open with the camera already selected, and to switch to your gallery, press the picture frame icon next to the magnifying glass icon towards the bottom to search for an image.
4. After a moment, Google will display the results of the image search.
Google reverse image search on a computer
You can do a more robust Google reverse image search on your computer by uploading a file from your computer or searching for an image you find on the web. Google Images works with Chrome, Firefox, and Safari browsers.
Using an image from the internet
1. Find the image you want in Google and right-click on it.
2. Choose Copy image address in the pop-up.
3. Open images.google.com in a web browser.
4. Click the camera icon to upload an image.
5. Select the Paste image URL tab and paste the URL.
6. Click on the Search by image button, and you’ll be taken to a page of results related to your image.
Using an image from your files
1. Open images.google.com in a web browser.
2. Click the camera icon to upload an image.
3. Select the Upload an image tab, then select Choose File to browse your files and pick an image to search. Or drag and drop an image file into the browser window.
4. Find an image from your files, click on it, then select Open.
5. You’ll then be taken to a page containing similar images or information about the image.
Reverse image search with a third-party app
If you’re looking for something beyond the Google app and Google Chrome for your reverse image search needs, there are a couple of other apps you try.
Reversee
As long as you have the image file or its URL, you can use Resersee to do a reverse image search. The app doesn’t have its own search engine, so it uses others (Google is the default) to do the reverse image search instead.
It’s available for both Android and iOS devices for free. However, you can upgrade to the pro version through in-app purchases for $3.99. This will give you access to advanced search engines like Yandex.
CamFind
If you’ve ever seen an object in the real world and wondered what it is, CamFind can help. All you have to do is take a picture of it, and the app will use its advanced image recognition software to identify it for you. However, keep in mind that you might not always get a hit.
The app is available on both Google Play and App Store, and it’s completely free.
Search By Image
Search By Image is a free reverse image search app that helps you find images or photos that are similar. It uses popular search engines, such as Google, Bing, Yandex, and Tiny, and it’s available completely free for Android devices only.
[Source: This article was first published in businessinsider.com]
