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A guide to reverse image search with multiple devices.
Logo displayed on a laptop screen as an illustration photo.Photo via Getty Images Key Facts Only
Although Google is usually the platform of choice for reverse image search, there are other sites like Behave a girl, Labnol, and Dupilchecker.
One of the most controversial ways to use reverse image search is to catch a catfish (a person pretending to be someone they are not), which was used on the MTV show Catfish.
What is reverse image search?
A reverse image search is using a photo to search online without text. If the exact image is not displayed, very similar images are displayed. There are three main ways to use this feature: The first is to check if the text being sent contains plagiarized information. The second method is to find information about a photo. For example, when someone uploads a picture of you, they usually find personal information like your phone number and home address. Finally, you can use Google Images to find similar things. You might find the cheaper version of something you like by searching with Google.
Reverse image search on mobile
To perform reverse image search on a phone, you must first download either Google Chrome or the Google app – Safari doesn’t support this feature.
Search with an image from files. First you need to open the Google app. Then click on the camera icon and give the app permission to access your camera and gallery. Once done, images from Gallery and Camera Roll will appear. Select the image you want to reverse to reverse image search. The app will then start generating images similar to what you are looking for. It even provides the ability to select different items in the image to search, such as a shirt or pair of pants. Search with a picture taken with the phone. Open the Google app and click on the camera icon. Then click “Search with your camera” at the top. Use the camera to take a photo of each item you want to search. The platform then retrieves images that it believes represent visual matches. And if it is a product, it will generate similar products for you to buy. Find images from the search results. Open the Google app and click on the search bar. Next, either enter the text for the image you want to search for or use the voice-to-text option by clicking on the microphone. Click the Images tab at the top to view only image search results. In the search results, tap an image to select it, and then click the camera icon in the lower-left corner of the image. The platform then fills in images related to the search.
If you want to save any of the results, just click on the three dots and choose save. This will add the image to the “Favorite Pictures” folder, which you can access via the “Tabs” icon.
Reverse image search on a computer
To reverse image search on a computer, Google must be used. There are two methods for doing this:
Search with an image from files. Navigate to Google and click the camera icon to search for images. You can either browse for the image in your files or drag and drop it into the Drop Image Here section. Once uploaded, you will be taken to a page with similar images. Search with a URL. The second way is to use a website’s URL to search. Go to Google and click on the camera icon. Below there is an option to insert an image link. Put your link in this section. Once that’s done, related images will appear.
There is also a plugin extension called RedEye Reverse Vision available in Google Chrome. The extension has the same features as the website.
further reading
Google Introduces Powerful Google Photos Search Upgrade (Forbes)
Google Introduces Smart New Search Feature for Google Photos (Forbes)
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I’m from Texas and on the Breaking News team, I cover the latest trends in technology, science and healthcare through explanatory posts. Previously, I was a Forbes HBCU grantee and wrote on the Innovation and Health & Science teams. In 2022, I graduated from Clark Atlanta University, where I was fashion editor for CAU’s official newspaper, the Panther, and managing editor of Her Campus CAU. During my enrollment, I did internships at top companies like Warner Bros. Discovery and The Walt Disney Company. Do you have a tip? Don’t hesitate to contact me via email ([email protected]) or DM me on any social media platform.
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