Have you ever found a beautiful photograph online and wondered where it was taken? Or perhaps you found an unlabeled picture of a product and want to know where to buy it. Instead of guessing keywords and hoping for the best, you can use Google’s Reverse Image Search. Instead of typing words into Google, you upload a picture, and Google finds where that exact image (or similar images) exists on the internet.
How to Reverse Image Search on a Desktop PC
Using reverse image search on a Mac or Windows PC is incredibly simple using the Google Images website.
- Open your web browser and go to images.google.com.
- In the right side of the search bar, click the Camera icon (Search by image).
- A box will appear giving you two options:
- Drag an image here: If the photo is saved on your computer, simply click and drag the file directly into the box, or click “upload a file” to browse your hard drive.
- Paste image link: If you found the image on a website, right-click the image, select “Copy image address,” and paste that URL into the Google search box.
- Click Search.
Google will instantly show you a list of websites that contain the exact image, along with visually similar photos. It will also attempt to identify the subject of the photo (e.g., guessing the name of the celebrity or the landmark).
How to Reverse Image Search on a Smartphone
Because mobile web browsers do not have the same drag-and-drop functionality as desktop computers, the process on an iPhone or Android device requires the Google App.
- Download and open the official Google App (not the Chrome browser) from your App Store or Play Store.
- In the search bar at the top, tap the Camera icon. This opens Google Lens.
- You can now choose to either:
- Point your physical camera at an object in the real world (like a plant or a pair of shoes) and tap the search button.
- Tap the Photos icon in the bottom left corner to upload a screenshot or picture you already have saved in your phone’s camera roll.
Google Lens will analyze the photo and highlight specific objects within the frame. You can tap on different parts of the image (like a specific chair in a living room photo) to find out exactly where to buy it.
Conclusion
Reverse image search is one of the most powerful diagnostic tools on the web. It is perfect for identifying unknown locations, finding the original source of an uncredited artwork, or verifying if a suspicious social media profile picture is fake.