Google Lens: How to use your phone to access Google’s visual search engine
Smartphone users often encounter unfamiliar items. While you can search using a typed description, this approach doesn’t work for every object. Here’s where Google Lens comes into play. It is a Google search engine behind your phone camera. It recognizes any object your device captures in real time, such as QR codes, garments, plants, animals, and text in different languages.
Sign up forfree
Forgot your password?
Create an account
*Required: 8 chars, 1 capital letter, 1 number
By continuing, you agree to thePrivacy PolicyandTerms of Use.You also agree to receive our newsletters, you could opt-out any time.
What is Google Lens, and how does it work?
Google Lens is an image recognition software developed usingmachine learning technology. Lens looks at saved pictures, screenshots, or your smartphone’s camera feed and uses Google’s search engine and artificial intelligence to find relevant results. The result is a tool that offers helpful information about what your device’s screen displays.
When you point your camera at an object or scene, Google Lens snaps the photo or takes a recording and sends it to cloud-based servers for processing. It goes through sophisticated analysis using computer vision algorithms to detect objects, text, landmarks, and other visual elements. The system retrieves relevant information and compares it with extensive databases of images, text, and other data to identify matches and related details.
The process doesn’t happen on your device. While it can translate languages offline (given you downloaded the relevant language packs), Google Lens requires an active internet connection to identify objects in real time. It is integrated with Google Gemini, so it’s possible to upload a photo and let the AI bot analyze the image and retrieve relevant information and creative prompts based on content.
The feature is deeply integrated in Android devices, such as Google Pixel and Samsung Galaxy, and is available on iOS. Google Lens supports many neat features. It has built-in Google Translate support and can identify objects in the real world.
Here are a few examples of things you can do with Google Lens:
Search, shop, translate, and more with Google Lens
Use the Google Lens app for Android and iOS
The Google Lens app is the most straightforward way to access the tool. This is the recommended approach for Android and Apple devices.
Google Lens is built into the operating system on an Android phone, so you don’t need the Lens app. To use it on your home screen, download the Lens app from the Google Play Store. If you prefer to use the integrated Lens options in other apps, keep reading.
Access Google Lens in the Google Photos app for Android and iPhone
Google Photosis the default photo app on most Android devices. Lens is built into the app. Whether you use an Apple or Android device, download Google Photos with images synced to use Lens.
Use Google Lens in the Google app
The Google Search app is another good option for accessing Lens on various devices. This app is preinstalled on most Android devices, but iPhone or iPad owners mustdownload it from the App Store. If you have an Android phone, swipe right to access the Google Discover feed and tap the Google Lens icon at the top. you may search with your camera and select one of the images from the Google Photos library. You can also access Google Lens from the Google Chrome search bar on mobile apps.
Explore Google Lens features in Android phone’s Camera app
If you have a Pixel phone, you can use the default Camera app to scan the QR code and documents. Both features are powered by Google Lens and enabled by default under Settings. You can launch the Camera app and point it towards a QR code or a document.
The Camera app detects a document and offers an option to scan it. It also provides editing tools such as crop and rotate, filters, clean, and more to get the job done.
Pixel phones have a Google Lens icon in the persistent search bar at the bottom of the home screen.
Google’s latest foray into visual search, explained
Use Google Lens to record videos and ask questions
Google rolled outAsk with Video to Google Lens at the end of September 2024. The update allows users to ask questions using recorded videos in Google Lens. To get started with this feature, open the Google Lens app on your iOS or Android and point your phone’s camera to the object in question. If you use a Pixel device with a stock launcher installed, Google Lens can be found in the persistent search bar at the bottom of the home screen.
You cannot upload a pre-recorded video from your phone’s media gallery; the feature only works with a clip you take with Google Lens.
Explore Google Assistant integration in Google Assistant
AlthoughGemini has replaced Google Assistant, Assistant is still an integral part of millions of Android devices. If you prefer the company’s outgoing chatbot, here’s how to use Google Lens with it.
This command brings up Google Lens for your use.
Check your Google Lens activity
Information you learn from Lens can be useful. To check items that you previously searched for, use the My Activity page. Here’s how to access it:
You can modify the information that is saved to your Google Account.
Use Google Lens to unlock your phone’s hidden power
Whether you are a student, frequent flyer, or professional, Google Lens is a must-have tool in your workflow. Thanks to its neat integration with the company’s services, Google Lens is only a tap away on your iPhone and Android. It translates text in real time, finds products through a reverse image search, scans QR codes, saves info from business cards to contacts, and a lot more.
Although Google Lens is a great tool for recognizing items in photos, it can’t make your photos look better. Check out our tutorial on the bestGoogle Photos editing tips and tricksto refine your memories in no time.
We want to hear from you! Share your opinions in the thread below and remember to keep it respectful.
Your comment has not been saved
The note-taking app I should have used all along
Broader branding hints at wider paid-tier ambitions
Keep privacy a priority with the best VPNs
Your new browser chrome-panion
Some scary urban digital legends
I found the only AI photo app worth keeping on my phone
