How to do a reverse image search on Google using your iPhone, Android or computer

Google Images allows you to search for photos and images by entering relevant keywords. You can search Google with an image, also known as a reverse image search, to get more information about a photo or graphic.

Quick Tip: While Google Images is free and simple to use, there are other reverse image search tools that have more advanced capabilities like TinEye or Yandex.

Here are some reasons you might use it. Also, how to Google reverse images search using a desktop browser or the Google chrome app for your iPhone or Android.

What’s a reverse image search?

Google allows you to do a reverse image search. Instead of typing a query, you can enter a photo or link to a photograph in the search bar. Google will then find websites that feature your image and related images.

Google Images can also detect the subject of your photograph and bring up related websites.

Google reverse image search: When should you use it?

In the following situations, it is most useful to search on Google with an image:

• Search for information about a photograph. Reverse image searches could lead to a website with information about a person or a product.
• Find plagiarism. Reverse image searches will return similar images. This will reveal if an image was copied from another person’s work.
• Search for similar images. A reverse search will also show you related photos.

Google reverse Image Search on iPhone or Android

Reverse image search can be done on iPhone and Android by using either a photo taken from the internet or one from your camera roll. Here’s how it works.

Using an Image from the Search Results

To perform a reverse image search on a mobile device, you will first need to download the Google Chrome mobile application.

1. 1. Open Google.com in the Chrome app for Android or iPhone.
2. 2. Please describe the image that you are trying to find. You could, for example, type “tuxedo cat”.
3. To enlarge an image, click on it in the search results.

Quick tip – You can tap and hold an image until it opens a menu. From there, choose Search image using Google Lens for Android or Google Search for This Image for iOS.

4. Tap the Google Lens icon at the top right.
5. Chrome will show you images that match your search term after a while.

Using an Image from Your Files

You must have the Google App installed on your device to use this option.

1. Open the Google app for Android or iPhone.
2. Tap the camera icon on the search bar. You might be asked permission by the app to access your camera or image gallery. If it asks for permission, grant it.

Quick tip To start a reverse image search, you can tap the camera icon in the Google Search widget (if it is on your Home Screen).

3. To take a photo on Android, tap the camera symbol in the top section. Or, you can search for the image in your gallery by tapping on the bottom section. It will open on iOS with the camera selected. To switch to your gallery, tap the picture frame icon near the magnifying glasses icon towards the bottom.
4. After a few seconds, Google will display the images search results.

Google reverse image searching on a computer

Google allows you to do a deeper reverse image search by either uploading a file or searching the internet for an image. Google Images is compatible with Chrome, Firefox and Safari browsers.

Using an Image from the Internet

1. Right-click the image that you are looking for in Google.
2. Select Copy image address from the pop-up
3. In a web browser, open images.google.com
4. To upload an image, click the camera icon
5. Click on the Paste image URL tab to paste the URL.
6. Click the Search by Image button to be taken to a page with results that are related to your image.

Quick tip You can also reverse-image search using Google image search results. Right-click an image to search it with Google Lens.

Using an Image from Your Files

1. In a web browser, open images.google.com
2. To upload an image, click the camera icon
3. Click on the Upload an Image tab. Next, select Choose File to browse all your files. Select an image you wish to search. Drag and drop image files into the browser window.
4. Click on an image in your files and then click on the button to open it.
5. The page will then contain similar images and information about the image.

Reverse Image Search with a Third-Party App

There are several other apps that you can use if you don’t want to use the Google Chrome and Google App for reverse image searches.

Reverse

Resersee can do a reverse image look as long as you have the file or URL. Because the app doesn’t have a search engine of its own, it uses Google as the default search engine to perform the reverse image search.

You can get it for both Android or iOS phones for free. You can however upgrade to the pro version by making in-app purchases of $3.99 You will have access to Yandex and other advanced search engines.

CamFind

CamFind is a great app for anyone who has ever seen an object in real life and wondered what it was. CamFind can help you identify objects by taking a photo of them. You might not always get a hit.