If a known object is embedded in an environment, like the Berlin TV Tower in the example above, ‘Berlin TV Tower’ may not necessarily appear in the results of the reverse image search. In the results, you get the pixel dimensions of the uploaded image as well as search results in text form and search results as ‘similar images’. If the location of the PC, mobile phone, or tablet that you are using is known, local search results will appear first. You can also use Google search operators to perform a refined and detailed search with the input field. By entering text, you can display specific images as search results.

You’re probably already familiar with Google’s direct image search.

The principle is the same: Google compares the photograph that you input with all available image databases. It works best in a browser on a PC, but you can also try to use ‘Google Lens’ on mobile devices that have a camera. To get the search results, you must input the photograph that you want to search for into Google. The search results display individual or multiple identified objects, similar images, or websites that contain either your search image or similar images.

It uses outlines, structures, lettering, logos, colours, and combinations of these different features to identify certain objects in an image. Google’s reverse image search tries to identify distinctive features in an image.

Reverse picture search