Not long ago, “searching the web” just meant typing words into a search bar and hoping for the right results. Now, those limitations are a thing of the past.
Today, you can also upload a photo from your phone’s camera roll or computer’s photo gallery instead of typing a phrase. After you do, your browser will find matching or related images from across the internet. In other words, you can now search for an image online the same way you search text.
This process—known as a reverse image search—has plenty of useful applications for business owners. Here’s an explanation of how the technology works, plus a step-by-step guide for doing a Google reverse image search on your computer or mobile device.
What is a reverse image search?
A reverse image search allows users to search the internet using images instead of text. Normally, when you use a search engine, you type words into a search bar and the application retrieves internet content—websites, images, videos, and ecommerce listings—that align with your perceived search intent.
A reverse image search takes a different approach by starting with an image it’s trying to match, rather than a string of keywords it’s trying to interpret. When you perform reverse image searches, you upload an image or provide its URL. The search engine then scours the web to find matching images (or at least visually similar images). You can also use reverse search to identify the source of the image or find websites that display the same image online.
How reverse image search helps businesses
The ability to search by image provides some notable upside to business owners. Many use image recognition technology for protecting brand assets, identifying unauthorized use, and gaining competitive insights via market research. Here are some core use cases:
Monitoring your brand image
By searching for your logo or product photos, you can discover where your brand is being discussed, reviewed, or otherwise invoked online. This could be on blogs, forums, ecommerce pages, or other sites you might not otherwise monitor.
Checking for copyrights
Image search results may show whether an image you plan to use is available or under someone else’s copyright. This helps you properly credit creators before including the image in content or social media posts.
Detecting counterfeits
If you sell unique or branded products, you can use a reverse image search to detect counterfeit versions of your products from unauthorized sellers.
Researching competitors
If you want information about your competitors, upload images of competitor products or marketing materials to see where else those images appear online. This may help you gauge how widely distributed a competitor’s visual content is online. Perhaps they’re partnered with more retailers than you realize, or maybe they use marketing channels you’d like to leverage for your own business.
What is Google Lens?
Google Lens is an AI-powered visual search tool developed by Google. It uses the Google app, Google Photos, the Google Chrome browser, and smartphone cameras to achieve its goals. As an AI product, Google Lens aims to understand the content within an image and provide context for it. The app can translate text, identify an object, and even perform actions based on what it “sees.”
For example, it could scan a barcode, identify the product associated with that barcode, and load an ecommerce website that sells the product. If you point Google Lens at a flower, it can identify the species. If you scan a menu in a restaurant, it can highlight popular dishes or translate text in real time. If you point it at someone’s outfit, it can find similar clothing items and tell you where to buy them. It can do everything a standard Google image search can do, but that’s only the jumping-off point.
Google Lens uses Google’s image database to operate, but it’s fundamentally a more advanced tool than Google’s reverse image search. While a traditional image search aims to find similar images or identify the original source of a photo or graphic, Google Lens leverages AI and machine learning to interpret and understand the objects within an image.
How to reverse image search via desktop
There are three ways to conduct a reverse image search on your desktop browser:
1. Right-clicking an image
This is the simplest way to run a reverse image search.
1. To reverse search an image you find on a website, right-click on the image itself.
2. Select the option that reads “Search image with Google Lens” (or sometimes “Search Google for image”).
3. You’ll then see a sidebar on the right side of your screen that displays your search results. These results may cover objects in the image, similar images, and websites where the image appears.
2. Uploading an image
You can upload images to Google and run them through the search engine.
1. Start by going to google.com or images.google.com.
2. Click the Google Lens icon (which looks like a camera icon) in the search bar. It will say “Search by image” when you hover over the icon.
3. You can then drag the image file directly from your computer into the search box. Or, click “Upload a file,” then navigate to and select the image on your computer. Then click “Search.”
4. Your results will appear in a sidebar on the right side of your screen.
3. Searching via an image link
Use this method to essentially combine the prior two options.
1. Start by right-clicking an online image.
2. From the pop-up menu, select “Copy image address.” The URL will automatically copy to the clipboard.
3. Paste that URL into the “Paste image link” box in Google Lens.
4. Click “Search” and let Google do its work.
How to reverse image search via mobile devices
There are three ways to search images on your mobile phone or tablet. Here’s an overview of each method:
1. From the Google or Chrome apps
To use this method, download and open the Google app or Chrome app on your phone or tablet. Android devices come with these pre-installed.
1. On the search bar, tap the Google Lens (camera) icon.
2. The app will prompt you to either upload an image from your device’s photo gallery or take a new picture with your camera (simply tap the shutter button).
3. Google will immediately analyze your image and present search results.
2. From a website on Chrome
This method is essentially the same as right-clicking an image in your desktop browser.
1. Open the Chrome app, which launches Google’s signature web browser.
2. Navigate to an image in your web browser. Instead of right-clicking, you’ll tap and hold on an image until a pop-up window appears.
3. Select “Search image with Google Lens” or “Search Google for image.”
4. Depending on your settings, your search results will either appear in a sidebar or in a new tab.
3. From a website in a non-Chrome browser
This lets you run Google searches in other browsers like Safari and Firefox. Each browser contains its own image feature, so this method is only necessary if you wish to use Google Lens or another Google product.
1. Open your browser and navigate to images.google.com.
2. Look for the Google Lens (camera) icon on the right side of the search bar. Tap it and the browser will activate your camera (it may need user permission), and you’ll get Google Lens functionality.
3. If you’re running an older operating system, you may not see the camera icon. In this case, open your browser’s settings window and select “Request Desktop Site” or “Desktop site.”
4. The browser will load the desktop version of images.google.com. You’ll see the camera icon, and you can then upload an image or paste a URL as you would on a desktop browser.
How to reverse image search FAQ
Can you reverse image search from a screenshot?
Yes, you can reverse image search from a screenshot after saving it to your device as a .png or .jpg file. Upload your screenshot to Google Lens or another reverse image search tool to conduct your search.
How do I put an image into Google search?
You can put an image into Google search by clicking the Google Lens icon on a Google search web page or within the Google app. If you’re using a desktop web browser, you can drag and drop the image when prompted by Google Lens. On a mobile device, you can launch the Google Lens feature and then click on the Image Gallery icon. This icon will vary depending on your operating system. You’ll then have the option to upload images already on your device.
How can you do a reverse image search on an iPhone?
You can run a reverse image search on an iPhone using the Google app or Chrome app by tapping the Google Lens camera icon in the search bar. The app will prompt you to either take a new photo or select one from your camera roll (you’ll have to grant access in your Settings app). Or, if you’re using the Chrome browser, you can long-press an image on a webpage and choose “Search image with Google Lens.”
