Circle to Search is a visual search feature built into Android that lets you search for anything on your screen by simply drawing a circle, highlight or scribble around it. Instead of switching to a browser, typing a description, or taking a screenshot and uploading it to a search engine, you can identify objects, translate text, look up products, and find information without leaving the app you are currently using.
The feature works across any app — social media, messaging, web browsing, video playback, or even your camera viewfinder — making it one of the most practical visual search tools available on a smartphone.
Supported Devices
Circle to Search is available on:
- Google Pixel: Pixel 8, Pixel 8 Pro, Pixel 8a, Pixel 9 series, and later models.
- Samsung Galaxy: Galaxy S24 series, Galaxy S25 series, Galaxy Z Fold 6, Galaxy Z Flip 6, and later flagship models.
- Additional Android devices are being added over time. Check your device settings to see if the feature is available.
Your device must be running a recent version of Android (typically Android 14 or later) with the latest Google app updates.
How to Activate Circle to Search
To trigger Circle to Search from any screen:
- Navigate to the content you want to search — an image in Instagram, a product in a chat message, text on a webpage, or a frame in a YouTube video.
- Long-press the home button (if using button navigation) or long-press the navigation bar handle (if using gesture navigation).
- The screen dims slightly, and a Google search bar appears at the bottom. This indicates Circle to Search is active.
- Draw a circle, line, or scribble around the object, text, or area you want to search for. You do not need to draw a perfect circle — any shape that highlights the area works.
- Google processes the highlighted area and displays search results, visual matches, product listings, or translations in a panel at the bottom of the screen.
Searching for Objects and Products
Circle to Search excels at identifying physical objects. If you see someone wearing a jacket you like in a social media post, circle the jacket. Google analyses the image region and returns:
- Visual matches showing similar or identical products.
- Shopping results with prices and retailer links.
- Related images for broader context.
This works for clothing, furniture, electronics, food, landmarks, plants, animals, artwork, and virtually any identifiable object. The search results pull from Google’s visual search index, the same technology behind Google Lens.
Searching for Text on Screen
If you want to search for text visible on your screen — a word in a foreign language, a technical term, a restaurant name, or a phone number — draw a highlight over the text. Circle to Search uses OCR (optical character recognition) to extract the text and performs a Google search for it.
This is particularly useful for:
- Translating foreign text in images, screenshots, or video subtitles. Google can detect the language and offer an inline translation.
- Copying text from images or videos where normal text selection is not possible.
- Looking up addresses, phone numbers, or URLs visible on screen without manually typing them.
Searching Within Videos
Circle to Search works while a video is playing. When you activate the feature during video playback, the video pauses on the current frame, allowing you to circle any object or text visible in that frame. This is useful for identifying products in YouTube videos, recognising songs from video content, or looking up items seen in social media reels.
Multi-Search: Refining Results with Text
After circling an object, you can refine your search by typing additional context in the search bar. For example:
- Circle a dress → type “in blue” to find the same dress in a different colour.
- Circle a building → type “history” to learn about the building’s background.
- Circle a food dish → type “recipe” to find how to make it.
This multi-search capability combines visual and text-based search for more precise results.
How to Disable Circle to Search
If you find Circle to Search activating accidentally when you long-press the navigation bar:
- Open Settings.
- Tap Display (or Navigation bar on Samsung devices).
- Tap Navigation bar.
- Toggle off Circle to Search.
On some devices, the setting may be located under Settings > Google > Circle to Search.
Circle to Search vs Google Lens
Circle to Search and Google Lens use the same underlying visual search technology, but they serve different interaction models:
| Feature | Circle to Search | Google Lens |
|---|---|---|
| Activation | Long-press navigation bar from any screen | Open Google Lens app or use camera |
| Works on current screen | Yes — searches anything visible on screen | No — requires camera or uploaded image |
| Works with videos | Yes — pauses and searches current frame | No (requires screenshot first) |
| Precision selection | Draw any shape around the target | Point camera or tap detected objects |
| App switching required | No | Yes |
In practice, Circle to Search is the faster option for searching anything already visible on your screen, while Google Lens is better suited for real-time camera-based searches of your physical surroundings.
Tips for Better Results
- Be specific with your selection: Circle just the object you want to search for, not the entire screen. A tighter selection produces more relevant results.
- Use it on high-resolution content: Higher quality images produce better visual matches than blurry or low-resolution screenshots.
- Combine with text: After circling, add text in the search bar to narrow down results (colour, size, brand, location).
- Pause videos first: While Circle to Search automatically pauses video, manually pausing at the exact frame you want ensures you capture the right moment.
Circle to Search removes the friction between seeing something interesting on your phone and finding out what it is. Whether you are shopping, translating, researching, or simply curious, the ability to search directly from any screen without switching apps makes it one of the most genuinely useful features added to Android in recent years.