Reserve image search - Find similar photos on iPhone

It's a lazy Sunday afternoon, you're lounging on your favorite couch, going through your iPhone gallery. That's where you see it, the perfect picture that depicts the content of your recent draft. But you need more pictures like that. Is there an easy way to find similar photos? Yes! You can perform a reverse image search to find similar photos.

In addition, a quick google reverse image search can save you the inconvenience of copyright infringement, and if you’re a journalist, stop you from further spreading misinformation.

What is a reverse image search?

Reverse image search is exactly like image search, except you already have the picture in hand. It’s a technique used to search for the source or other sources of an image.

You can also use reverse image search to find content related to a specific sample image, the popularity of an image, and, if there are, manipulated versions and derivative works.

Can you reverse image search on an iPhone?

The short answer is yes. The long answer is, that it’s a little trickier than with a desktop. Keep reading to find out how you can reverse image search on an iPhone.

What is a reverse image search used for?

The internet keeps a record of many things, including the first time a picture, graphic design, or meme first appeared. Journalists can do a reverse search to know the exact date a picture was first published on the internet. This information can help determine if the pictures tally with the event they’re reporting or if it’s fake news.

Perhaps you want a clearer image or you want to know the breed of the dog you just passed or where to shop for that pretty dress from a movie. You can find out the answers to all these with a reverse image search.

People using online dating sites benefit tremendously from using this technique. They can find out the original source of someone’s profile picture, and by extension, if they’re being catfished.

Similarly, photographers and graphic designers can use this feature too to check for websites or blogs using their pictures or designs without permission.

Find similar photos on an iPhone using a reverse image search

Using Google:

With an iPhone, Google reverse image search is possible if you follow these steps:

1. Open up the Safari browser 

2. Go to images.google.com.

3. When this site opens up on a phone, it doesn’t show the camera icon in the search bar. To get that feature, you’ll need to open the site in desktop mode on your mobile device. 

4. Tap the aA icon on the bottom left and select Request Desktop Website. 

5. Now the search bar will include the camera icon, tap on it.

6. Now you have the choice to either paste the URL of the picture you want to reverse search or upload it from your phone. Paste the URL and tap Search by image. Or upload the picture from your phone. Or take a picture directly with your camera. It might ask for permission to access your files, grant it.

7. After pasting the URL or uploading a picture, it’ll direct you to a page that displays your picture and similar pictures on the web. 

8. Next to your picture at the top, there’ll be links to other sizes of your selected image. Tap on All Sizes to see every website using that image.

The same steps apply for chrome if Chrome is your preferred browser and not Safari. Also, depending on your phone, Chrome supports a reverse image search shortcut. When using Chrome, hold your finger down on the image you want till a pop-up menu shows. Tap on the Search Google for This Image option at the bottom. However, this feature only works on Chrome. It doesn’t work on other browsers, not even the Google app.

Another bonus from Google is the Google lens. With Google lens you can reverse search for an image on your iPhone. Here’s how:

1. Open up the Google lens app (stored as Lens). 

2. You can Search with your camera or select pictures from your gallery. 

3. When you select a picture, the Google lens automatically identifies key objects in a picture (it shows as a tiny circle icon). Tap the icon. Lens offers other options too like translating, selecting text, homework, and others.

4. Scroll down to see the search results. 

All in all, Google reverse image search on iPhone does a nifty job of reverse searching. 

Using Bing:

Bing is another huge search engine, from Microsoft, that offers the reverse image search function, though refers to it as “visual search.”

1. Open your browser and head off to Bing. Or open up the Bing app if you have it. 

2. Tap on the camera icon. You’ll get a pop-up that says Bing requires access to your camera, tap accept.  

3. Your camera app will open up. Tap the album icon on the bottom left. 

4. Another pop-up menu will let you take a picture, browse your photo library, or browse third-party services like iCloud Drive, Google Drive, and Dropbox.

5. After selecting a picture, it’d direct you to a page that shows your picture and all similar ones on the web. 

Bing also offers a “text mode” where you can select a text on an image you uploaded and reverse search.

Using ImageReverse:

ImageReverse is a website dedicated to looking up pictures on the web.

1. On your iPhone, open Safari or Chrome and head off to ImageReverse

2. Tap the Upload icon and you’ll be given the option to take a picture, use one from the library, or upload one from third-party services. With ImageReverse, you don’t have to adjust your browser setting to desktop mode.

Using third-party apps:

Image reverse search isn’t restricted to search engines and websites. Some apps are created for that purpose alone. They make a better option than any of the previously mentioned ones because they’re very handy and they reference multiple search engines at once.

Reverse Image Search is a free, top-rated iOS reverse image search app. Other great apps to try out are Reverse and Camfind.

Conclusion

Whether you’re looking for royalty-free images to spice up your content, or you’re hunting down websites using your pictures without your permission, now you know how to find them. The best part is it is free on most search engines, websites, and apps.