Reverse Image Search: Guide and Tools

Have you ever seen an image somewhere and wondered, Where have I seen that before? Or maybe someone shared an image online and you want to know if it was real or Photoshopped? Maybe you need to track down an image to see if it is copyrighted. There are plenty of reasons why you might need to find out the origins of an image, but the question is: how can you find out where a picture came from? 

The answer, of course, is to use a reverse image search tool! 

A reverse image search is one of the most useful tools on the internet – but lots of people don’t know how to use it. 

This tool allows you to take an existing image file or URL and search for matching or similar images across the web. Instead of typing keywords into a search bar, you simply upload or link to the image you have to initiate the search.

Major search engines like Google and Bing have built-in reverse image lookup functions. There are also specialized sites like TinEye, which focus solely on image search. 

Whichever platform you choose, it will scan millions of images and identify duplicates, edits, or variations of your photo.

Why would someone need to do a reverse image search? 

There are plenty of reasons why someone might need to do a reverse image search. 

• Finding the original source of an image
• Identifying edited/Photoshopped images 
• Checking for copyright/plagiarism 
• Researching/collecting images 
• Online shopping 
• Tracking viral meme images 
• Identifying people or places in images
• Verifying facts and claims

Instructions for a Google Reverse Image Search

Because of Google’s popularity, many people go to Google’s Reverse Image Search first when they need to track down the source of an image. 

The steps are actually quite easy! There are just some small differences in the process, depending on what kind of device you are using. 

How to do a reverse image search on a computer

• Visit the Google homepage or Google images site: images.google.com
• In the search bar, click on the camera/image icon.

• You can upload an image, drag and drop a file, or search by an image’s URL.

• Click “search” and review the results!

How to do a reverse image search on a phone 

If you are using a smartphone, you can do an image search from your Google search browser or by using the Google Lens app. 

If you have an Android phone, Google Lens is likely already installed as part of your system. However, if you have an iPhone, you can simply download the Google Lens app. 

The search bar with a camera image will show up on most Android devices, including their flagship phone, the Google Pixel. Click the camera icon on the right side of the search bar to search by image. This also allows you to upload a saved image on your phone or take a new photo and search that way. 

Other Reverse Image Search Options

Google isn’t the only image searching tool. You can also use one of the following: 

• Visual Search from Bing 
• Yandex search engine
• TinEye Reverse Image Search engine 

Karma Decay Beta Reverse Image search for Reddit

How to get the results you’re looking for 

As easy as it is to upload an image and search for it using one of these tools, there are some strategies to get the results you want. 

Here 5 tips to make sure you find what you’re looking for when you conduct a reverse image search: 

1. Use multiple search engines. Each search engine has its own database of images, so it can be helpful to try more than one. 
2. Crop out unimportant backgrounds. This reduces clutter and allows the search engine to focus on the image’s main subject. 
3. Use the highest image resolution possible. Lower-quality image files are more difficult to match effectively. 
4. Crop the photo into sections to search for one portion of the image at a time, such as faces, objects, or text.  
5. Double-check the search results to verify the accuracy of your results. Check the captions, descriptions, etc. 

The importance of reverse image search 

Reverse image search lookup, which is now often referred to simply as “image search,” is an indispensable internet tool. It is the most effective way to trace the origins and history of images. 

Search engines like Google and Bing provide user-friendly interfaces to upload an existing image and find matches across the web. Meanwhile, specialized sites like TinEye and KarmaDecay offer additional reverse image search power for unique cases. 

With the right search strategies, these tools can help you uncover everything from original sources to copyright infringement and more. Reverse images lookup has lots of everyday, practical uses, like shopping for products or identifying a beautiful vacation spot from a photo. 

Although there are some limitations in tracking down obscure or very old images, reverse image search technology is always improving! New AI advancements may someday index the visuals of the entire internet. 

For now, taking time to search images across multiple platforms can give you powerful insights into the origins of images. It’s definitely a tool worth learning to use!