How To search For The Source Of A Photo Using Google Reverse Image Search

By Godwin Gabla Last updated Apr 9, 2020

There are many times when we see images online especially in groups and on various sites that we wish to verify the source of those images. Before now, most of us only wish there was a way we could achieve that.

People have been defrauded simply because they couldn’t have access to resources that enabled them to trace the origin of certain images they received.

Fortunately, Google has a solution to this problem. Just like Google search, the Google Reverse Image Search tool is used to identify the origin of an image and what it references.

In this article, we shall learn about how to use the Google Reverse Search tool to identify the source of an image file.

How To Identify The Source Of An Image Using Google Reverse Image Search

With the google reverse image search tool, you will find images similar to the one you wish to find, the various websites on which such images have appeared on the internet and the various sizes of the image as it appears on the various websites.

Using The Image Upload Method

Open your web browser on your computer or phone
Enter Google Images in your address bar and hit enter
Click on ‘search by image’
Select ‘Upload an image’
Click on the select image and pick the photo from your computer
Click open or choose

The list of photos similar to yours will appear in the results. You can then scroll through to see the one that matches yours and find out the source.

Using The Image URL

Aside from using the image itself, you can also use the image’s address if it is on a different website. This method will help you discover how you can use the Image URL to search its source.

Open a web browser on your device
Input the website address of the site where you wish to get the photo for search
Right-click on the image and select ‘copy image address’
Open a new tab and go to Google images
Click ‘search by image’
Then select ‘paste image URL’
Paste your image address in the textbox provided
Click on ‘search by image’

Using Image On A Website

One other way of searching for an image using the Google Image Reverse tool is by directly using an image on a website without having to download it or copying its address.

Visit the website where the image of interest is located.
Right-click on the image
Select ‘Search Google for image’

Your image will appear together with search results on the next page that appears.

Conclusion

While this is a perfect way of tracking the origin of various images, be informed that certain browsers are compatible with this tool across various platforms. They are Google Chrome, Safari Browser and Mozilla Firefox. Any other browser may not respond accurately. Also, note that if the photo has never appeared on the internet before, you are likely to see a ‘No results found’ feedback.

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