To use Google Lens, open the Google app or Chrome on your phone, tap the Lens camera icon in the search bar, and point your camera at something or pick a photo. Drag the box around what you want to search, then scroll for results. On a computer, right-click an image in Chrome and choose Search with Google Lens.
Google Lens lets you search what you see. Point your phone at a plant, a landmark, a pair of shoes or a page of text, and Lens tells you what you're looking at, finds similar items, translates the words or lets you copy them. It's built into the Google app, Chrome and Google Photos, so most people already have it. Here's how to open it and the everyday jobs it's best at.
Open Google Lens on a mobile
| Device | Where to find Lens |
|---|---|
| Android | Lens icon in the Google app or Chrome search bar; also in Google Photos |
| iPhone | Lens icon in the Google app or Chrome search bar; Google recommends the latest Google app |
- Open the Google app (or Chrome).
- Tap the Lens icon, the small camera, in the search bar.
- Point the camera at the object and tap the shutter, or choose a photo from your gallery.
- Drag the corners of the box around the part you want to search.
- Scroll up to see the results.
Google's tip: the smaller and tighter your selection, the more specific the results.
Ask a follow-up question
This is the feature most people miss. After Lens finds something, tap Ask about this image (on iPhone, Add to your search) and type a question or extra words, such as in blue, how do I care for it or what year is this. Lens combines the picture with your words. On iPhone, Google says this option only works in the Google app, not Chrome.
Everyday things Google Lens does well
- Identify plants, animals and landmarks from a photo.
- Copy text from a sign, whiteboard or printed page into your phone, ready to paste.
- Translate menus, labels and signs by pointing the camera at them.
- Find similar products by photographing something you like.
- Help with homework by scanning a question for step-by-step explanations.
- Scan a business card and add the details to your contacts.
For business owners, the copy-text trick saves a lot of typing: photograph your whiteboard after a planning session and paste the notes into a document. And if you use AI assistants on your phone too, my guide to using Gemini on Android shows how it can work alongside Lens, with an iPhone version in Gemini on iPhone.
Use Lens on images you already have
Lens works on screenshots and photos too. In Google Photos, open a picture and tap the Lens button. In the Google app, tap Lens and pick from your gallery. On a website in Chrome, touch and hold any image and choose Search image with Google Lens. Google notes that in the Chrome app this needs Google as your default search engine.
Google Lens on a computer
In Chrome, right-click any image and choose Search with Google Lens; results open in a sidebar. Google says Lens also works through google.com in Firefox, Safari and Edge, using the camera icon in the search box.
When Lens gets it wrong
- Get closer and fill the frame with the object.
- Use good light; blurry, dark photos confuse it.
- Crop tightly around one thing rather than a whole scene.
- Add a word or two with Ask about this image.
- For plants and mushrooms, never rely on Lens to decide whether something is safe to eat.
Privacy
Lens sends the image to Google to analyse it. Be thoughtful about photographing documents with personal details, other people's faces or anything confidential. For anything sensitive, type the information instead.
Translate with your camera
Point Lens at a menu, sign or label in another language and switch to the Translate option at the bottom. The translation appears over the original text, which is handy when you're travelling or reading a product label. You can also copy the translated text to keep it. It's not perfect for long documents, but for everyday signs and menus it's quick and surprisingly good.
Copy text into your notes
Lens's Text option highlights words in the picture. Tap to select what you need, then Copy, and paste it into an email, a note or a document. If you're signed in to Chrome on your computer, you can even send the copied text straight to it. I find this far quicker than retyping a long code, an address from a letter or quotes from a printed book. If you plan in documents and calendars, my guide to Google Calendar pairs well with it.
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Shop smarter with a photo
Spotted a lamp, a jacket or a piece of kit you like? Photograph it with Lens and you'll see similar items and where they're sold. Add a word such as a colour or material with Ask about this image to narrow it down. It's also a quick way to check whether a product in an ad looks the same as the one you're being shown.
My verdict
Tap the camera icon in the Google app or Chrome, point, crop and scroll: that's Google Lens. Its best everyday tricks are copying text from the real world and translating signs, and the Ask about this image box turns a vague match into a useful answer.
Frequently asked questions
How do I open Google Lens?
Tap the camera icon in the Google app or Chrome search bar.
Is Google Lens on iPhone?
Yes, in the Google app and Chrome. Google recommends the latest Google app.
Can Google Lens copy text from a photo?
Yes. Point it at text, select it and copy it to paste elsewhere.
How do I use Google Lens on a computer?
In Chrome, right-click an image and choose Search with Google Lens.
How do I get better Google Lens results?
Crop tightly to the object and add words with Ask about this image.
