How to Do a Reverse Image Search From Your Phone | PCMag

Google's reverse image search is a breeze on a desktop computer. Go to images.google.com, click the camera icon, and either paste in the URL for an image you've ... PCMageditorsselectandreviewproductsindependently.Ifyoubuythroughaffiliatelinks,wemayearncommissions,whichhelpsupportourtesting.Learnmore. Home How-To MobilePhones By EricGriffith Updated April21,2021 facebook twitter flipboard socialshare Flipboard Pinterest Reddit LinkedIn Email Copied Error! CopyLink https://www.pcmag.com/how-to/how-to-do-a-reverse-image-search-from-your-phone Comments ImageSearchistheabilitytosearchonatermandfindimagesrelatedtowhatyoutyped.Mostsearchenginesofferit,andit'sgreat.Butwhatifyouhaveanimageandwanttoknowitsorigin?Orfindsimilarphotos?That'sa reverseimagesearch.Google'sreverseimagesearchisabreezeonadesktopcomputer.Goto images.google.com,clickthecameraicon,andeitherpasteintheURLforanimageyou'veseenonline,uploadanimagefromyourharddrive,ordraganimagefromanotherwindow. Butwhataboutwhenyou'reonamobiledeviceandwanttodoareverseimagelookup?Thereareoptions.GoogleReverseImageSearchonMobileGooglebuiltareverseimagesearchfunctionintophonesandtablets,albeitonalimitedbasis.Whenyoufireupimages.google.comonmobile,thecameraiconwon'tshowupinthesearchbar.Togetit,you'llneedtoloadthedesktopversiononyourmobiledevice.ItworksinSafari,butperformsbestinthe Chromebrowserapp (iOS orAndroid).InSafari,taptheaAicononthetopleftandselectRequestDesktopWebsite.InChrome,scrolltothebottom,tapthethree-dotmenu,andselect RequestDesktopSite.Onbothmobilebrowsers,thatwillloadthedesktopversionofGoogleImages,andthecameraiconwillappear.Thenyoucanuploadphotosfromyourcameraroll. GoogleImageSearchonChromeforiOS Dependingonyourphone,Chromealsosupportsareverseimagesearchworkaround.Whenyouseetheimageinyourbrowserthatyouwanttosearch,holdyourfingeronituntilapop-upmenuappears;pickSearchGoogleforThisImageatthebottom.Note:ThiswillNOTworkintheGoogleapporotherbrowsers(noteveninSafari).ItonlyworksinChrome.Ifforsomereasonthisdoesn'twork,youcanalsoselectOpenImageinNewTab.ThencopytheURL,gobacktoimages.google.com,andpasteintheURL.Witheithermethod,reverseimagesearchresultsthenappear;youmayhavetoclickaMoresizesoptionuptoptoseeonlytheimages.You'llgetoptionstonarrowyourquery,suchasfindinganimatedGIFs,clip-artequivalents,orlookingbythecolorschemeusedintheoriginalimage.GoogleLens alsooffersareverseimagesearchoption.Lenshasitsownapp,butisalsopartoftheGoogleapp,GooglePhotos,andGoogleAssistant,oniOSandAndroid.However,Lensisreallymoreabouthelpingyouperformtasks,likeinstanttranslation,identifythings,orfindaproducttobuy,thanitisforfindingasourceimage.BingVisualSearchonMobileThatotherbigsearchengine, BingfromMicrosoft,alsodoesreverseimagesearches,butcallsit"visualsearch."ClickBing'scameraicononanymobilebrowserorintheBingapp.Apop-upsaysthatinordertosearchwithanimage,you'llneedtogiveBingaccesstoyourcamera;acceptordeclinewithatap.Onthenextscreen,taptheBrowsebuttononthebottomleft.Apop-upmenuwillletyoutakeaphoto,browseyourphotolibrary,orbrowsethird-partyservices.Tapbrowsetofindphotosstoredinthird-partyserviceslikeiCloudDrive, GoogleDrive,andDropbox. ThelatestversionsoftheBingapp(iOS and Android)letyousnapaphotoandimagesearchitimmediately.Youcanuploadaphotofromyourcameraroll,scanaQRcode,orpointyourcameraattextormathproblems(cheaters!).Third-PartyImageSearchEnginesThereareafewsearchenginesouttherededicatedtolookingupjustpictures,butnotallofthemworkdirectlywithyoursmartphoneorthedefaultbrowsers.TinEye It'scrawledover 46billionimages todate.TinEyeallowssearchbyURL,upload,ordraganddroponthedesktop.Onmobile,justclickthatupload(uparrow)icontogetoptionstotakeaphoto,useonefromthelibrary,oruploadfromthird-partyservices.YandexRussia'sYandexsearchenginelooksabitlikeBing-goes-Cyrillic.Ithasauniqueimagesearchthatworksonmobiledevicesrightfromthebrowser.ClickImages,tapthecameraiconinthesearchbar,andyougettheusualoptions:takeaphoto,uploadaphoto,orfindaphotoinathird-partyservice. RecommendedbyOurEditors HowtoScanOldPhotosWithYourPhone HowtoGetPhotosOffYouriPhone(orAnySmartphone) HowtoWirelesslyTransferPhotosFromYourPhonetoYourPC Therearealsosearchenginesgearedspecificallytowardhelpingcreativesfindoutiftheircreativeworkhasbeenstolen.Checkout Berify and Pixsy foroptions.Bewarned,usingthemmightcostyou.However,they'llalsotrackstolenimagesforyouautomaticallyandoffline,alertingyouifanimageofyoursisusedwithoutpermission.Thenyoucangocollectonthetheft,andthatmakesthemworthusing.AppsforReverseImageSearchIfyoupreferappsoverthebrowser,godirectlytoareverseimagesearchtoolyoukeeponyoursmartphoneatalltimes.CamFindFreefor Android and iOSThisisabasictoolfortakingshotswithyoursmartphoneandsearchingforsimilaritems,aswellasgettingpricecomparisonsif it's aproductshot.SearchByImageFreeforAndroidYoucanmanipulateanimageallyouwantbeforeuploadingviathisapptogetresultsfromGoogle,Bing,TinEye,andYandex.ReverseeFreeforiOSThisappsendsyourpicsdirectlyintotheGoogleImagesdatabasetosearchforsimilarimages,butupgradetotheproversionfor$3.99andgetresultsfromBingandYandexaswell.ReverseImageSearchExtension$0.99foriOSThisoneisn'tanappyougointo,butratheranappthataddsanextensiontootherapps.ItwillputoneofthoseextensionbuttonsinsidePhotosandFacebookandotherapps,soalongwithCopyorSend,you'llhaveanoptionto SearchImage.Resultsappearinyourmobilebrowser,andcomefromGoogle,TinEye,andYandex. 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Signupforothernewsletters TableofContents TableofContents ReturntoTheTop GoogleReverseImageSearchonMobile BingVisualSearchonMobile Third-PartyImageSearchEngines AppsforReverseImageSearch Advertisement DigDeeperWithRelatedStories HowtoBlockRobocallsandSpamCalls By LanceWhitney HowtoFigureOutIfYourPhoneHasMalware By JasonCohen TheBestPhonesfor2022 By SaschaSegan & StevenWinkelman TheBestAndroidPhonesfor2022 By SaschaSegan & StevenWinkelman PCMagStoriesYou’llLike Editors'Choice AboutEricGriffith Erichasbeenwritingabouttechfor28years.HewasonthefoundingstaffofWindowsSources,FamilyPC,andAccessInternetMagazine(alldefunct,andit'snothisfault).He'stheauthoroftwonovels,BETATEST(anunusuallylightheartedapocalyptictale--Publishers'Weekly)andKALI:THEGHOSTINGOFSEPULCHERBAY.HeworksfromhishomeinIthaca,NewYork. 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