To reverse image search, go to google.com, click the camera icon (Search by image) and upload a picture or paste its link. On a phone, tap the Lens icon in the Google app or Chrome and choose a photo. Google shows where the image appears online and similar pictures.
A reverse image search starts with a picture instead of words. You use it to find where a photo came from, check whether a profile picture is stolen, spot a fake product listing, find a higher-resolution version or identify something you can't name. Google now runs it through Google Lens, which changes how the results look, and that's why the old Search by image button seems to have gone. Here's how to do it on a computer, an iPhone and Android, and how to read what comes back.
Reverse image search on a computer
| Method | How |
|---|---|
| Upload a file | On google.com, click the camera icon and upload the image |
| Drag and drop | Drag the image file onto the Google search box |
| Paste a link | Right-click an image online, Copy Image Address, then paste it into Paste image link |
| From any web page in Chrome | Right-click the image, Search with Google Lens |
Google says this works in most browsers, including Chrome, Firefox, Safari and Edge. The Chrome right-click route is the fastest because it opens the results in a sidebar without leaving the page you're on.
Reverse image search on iPhone
- Open the Google app or Chrome. (Safari works too for photos from your camera roll.)
- Tap the Lens icon in the search bar.
- Choose a photo from your library, or take one.
- Drag the corners of the box to focus on the part you care about.
- Scroll up to see the results.
For a picture on a website, touch and hold it and choose Search image with Google Lens. Google notes a catch for Chrome: this only works if Google is your default search engine.
Reverse image search on Android
Open the Google app or Chrome, tap the Lens icon in the search bar and pick or take a photo. On a web page, touch and hold the image and tap Search image with Google Lens. Many Android phones also let you search anything on screen by circling it, which is the quickest route of all.
Find where a photo came from
Google's results can include AI overviews, results about objects in the picture, visually similar images and, most useful here, websites that use the same or a similar image. Look for the oldest or most authoritative page using it, often a photographer's site or a news article, to find the likely source. If Lens shows mostly shopping and object matches, scroll for the option to find the image source or exact matches.
Spot a fake profile or scam
This is where reverse image search earns its keep for small business owners. A new follower, a supplier or a would-be client with a stock-perfect photo? Run it through a search. If the same face appears on other sites under different names, or on a stock photo library, treat the account with suspicion. The same check works on product photos in too-good-to-be-true listings. Pair it with good security habits; if you browse on public Wi-Fi, my reviews of ExpressVPN and Surfshark cover two popular VPNs.
Get better results
- Crop to the subject. Google says selecting a smaller area gives more specific results.
- Add words. After uploading, type in the Add to your search box, for example a colour or a place.
- Flip or straighten it. Mirrored or rotated copies can hide matches; my guide to flipping an image in Canva shows a quick fix.
- Try another engine. Bing Visual Search and TinEye sometimes find matches Google misses, especially exact copies.
A privacy note
Google says browsers don't save the image links you search in your history, but Google may store them to improve its products. Don't upload private photos of other people or sensitive documents just to see what comes up.
Check your own images aren't being misused
Reverse image search works the other way too. Run your headshot, your logo or your product photos through it every few months. If they turn up on sites you don't recognise, someone may be using them without permission, or impersonating you or your business. You'll then know which site owners to contact or which platform to report it to. It's a five-minute job that's worth putting in your calendar.
When nothing comes up
No matches usually means the picture is new, private or heavily edited. That isn't proof it's real; AI-generated faces often have no matches at all because they don't exist anywhere else. Look closely for odd details such as mismatched earrings, warped backgrounds or strange hands, and don't rely on a single search to decide whether a profile is real.
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Save the links you find if you need to report a fake account; platforms act faster when you can show exactly where the original photo lives.
It only takes a minute, so make it a habit.
My verdict
On a computer, click the camera icon on google.com or right-click an image in Chrome; on a phone, tap the Lens icon. Crop to what matters, add a word or two, and look at the pages using the image to trace its source or expose a fake.
Frequently asked questions
How do I reverse image search on Google?
Go to google.com, click the camera icon and upload an image or paste its link.
How do I reverse image search on my iPhone?
Tap the Lens icon in the Google app or Chrome and choose a photo.
Can I reverse image search a picture from a website?
Yes. In Chrome, right-click it and choose Search with Google Lens.
How do I find the original source of an image?
Look at the websites listed with the same image and find the earliest or most authoritative one.
Does Google keep the images I search?
Google may store searched image links to improve its products.
