Depending on which mobile browser you use, it might not be immediately obvious how to do a reverse image search from your mobile device. The most simple solution we've come up with is to download and use Google's free Chrome browser for iOS or Android. This particular browser has a quick and easy built-in method for carrying out reverse image searches.
We're taking a look at how you can do this in this simple explainer.
Reverse image searching 101
Google's "Search by Image" functionality is a useful feature that carries out a reverse image search, allowing you to look for related images by uploading an image or an image URL. This is done by using advanced algorithms to analyze the image you've submitted and find others that look like it.
On a desktop, computer reverse image search is simple. Just go to images.google.com and click on the little camera icon in the search bar.
Credit: Screenshot: Google
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Now you can either paste in the URL for an image you've seen online, upload an image from your hard drive, or drag an image into the search box.
Reverse image searching on a mobile device
If you want to carry out reverse image searches on your iOS or Android phone or tablet, you need to download Google's Chrome browser for iOS or Android.
Credit: Screenshot: Google
The browser is available for free from Apple's App Store and Google Play.
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Now, when you're on your phone using the Chrome browser app and you find an image you'd like to look up, you simply need to press and hold on the image.
Credit: Screenshot: Google
In the menu that will appear on your screen after you've done the long press, simply tap "Search Google for This Image" and Google will carry out its clever "Search by Image" functionality.
It will include information about the image's size, webpages where that image is used, and other visually similar images.
How to Do a Reverse Google Image Search for Online Images
You can use Google Lens to quickly do a reverse image search for any image you see online.
This works on the Chrome browser on a desktop computer or laptop.
1. Locate the image you want to search and right-click on it.
2. Select “Search image with Google” option.
This will open up the Google Lens panel on the right side of the page:
3. Click on the “Find image source” link at top.
Then Google will show the image's search results page.
Reverse Image Search Using Microsoft Bing
Microsoft Bing has its own reverse image search functionality called Visual Search.
Here’s how to use it:
1. Go to Microsoft Bing.
2. Click the Visual Search icon in the search bar.
You’ll get three options to conduct your reverse image search:
- Upload: This option allows you to drag an image into the box and upload it from your computer. You can upload more than one image at a time.
- URL: This option lets you search for an image by pasting its URL
- Take a photo: This option allows you to use your webcam to take a photo and use it for reverse image search
3. Choose the option that works best for you and wait while Visual Search analyzes your image.
Then Microsoft Bing will show visually similar images, pages that feature the image, and related content.
Like so:
Reverse Image Search Using Yandex
Yandex is another popular search engine that can perform reverse image searches.
Here’s how to use it:
1. Go to Yandex Images.
2. Click on the Visual Search icon in the search bar.
You’ll get two options to conduct your reverse image search:
- Upload an image file (or drag and drop)
- Enter image URL
3. Choose the option that works best for you and hit “Search.”
Then Yandex’s reverse search results will display information about image’s size, other webpages where that image is used, and other similar images.
Reverse Image Search Using Third-Party Websites
Multiple third-party websites specialize in reverse image searches.
But TinEye is one of the best options out there.
TinEye works exactly the same way as the normal Google reverse image search.
You can upload an image or add a URL to perform image searches.
And it will scan the web to find webpages where the image is used.
Like so:
A paid version gives you advanced features like custom alerts and more usage quota.
TinEye also has extensions available for some browsers.
How to Do a Google Reverse Image Search on a Mobile Device
Performing a reverse image search on a mobile device is quite similar to desktop.
On both iOS and Android devices, you can use the Google Chrome app to access the Google reverse image search feature.
Reverse Image Search on Android Phone Using Google Chrome
The entire process is almost identical to how you would do this in the Chrome browser on a desktop.
1. Go to Google Images.
2. Select the camera icon.
You’ll get two options to complete your search:
- Search with your camera
- Upload an image
3. Choose the search option that works best for you. Google will run a reverse search on the image and return the results:
Swipe up from the bottom to see more results:
Reverse Image Search on iPhone Using Google Chrome
The camera icon isn’t available on the search bar in the iPhone’s Chrome app by default, but two options act as a workaround.
These include:
- Using the “long press” method.
- Using your browser to request the desktop version of Google.
Use the Long Press Method
1. Navigate to the image you want to search.
2. Perform a “long press” (i.e., press and hold down on the image until a menu pops up). And select “Search Google for this Image.”
3. Google will run a reverse search on the image and return the results:
Use the Desktop Version of Google
1. In Chrome, go to Google Images.
2. Tap the three-dot menu at the bottom of your screen.
3. Scroll down to the menu and select “Request Desktop Site.”
The app will take you to the the desktop version of the Google Images website:
Note: You can also do this in your Safari browser by clicking on the font size icon on the left side of your URL bar.