On a Mac or Windows PC, the fastest way is Chrome: right-click any image and choose Search with Google Lens, and results open in a side panel. In Edge, right-click and choose Search the web for image to use Bing. In Safari or Firefox, go to images.google.com, bing.com or tineye.com and drag the image onto the page, upload a file, or paste the image's link.
A computer is the best place to do a careful search. You have a big screen for comparing results, easy cropping, and every engine works in a desktop browser without hidden upload buttons. This guide covers each browser, the four input methods (right-click, drag and drop, upload, image URL), screenshots on both systems, and how to keep useful notes.
Pick the method that matches where the image is
| Where the image is | Best method | Works in |
|---|---|---|
| On a web page you are viewing | Right-click the image | Chrome (Google Lens), Edge (Bing) |
| On a web page, in Safari or Firefox | Copy the image address, paste it into a search site | Any browser |
| A file on your computer | Drag it onto the search site, or use its upload button | Any browser |
| Inside an app, PDF or video | Take a screenshot of that area, then upload or paste it | Any browser |
| Copied to your clipboard | Paste with Cmd+V or Ctrl+V into the Google Lens upload box | Chrome, Edge, Safari |
Google documents the desktop routes (upload, drag and drop, and image link) on its Search with an image help page. Labels shift between browser versions, so if a menu item is worded slightly differently, look for the closest match.
Google Chrome on Mac or Windows
Chrome has Google Lens built in.
- Right-click (or Control-click on a Mac) the image.
- Choose Search with Google Lens.
- A side panel opens with the image and results. Drag the corners of the selection box to focus on one part, such as a face, a logo or a product.
- Use Open in new tab at the top of the panel when you want a full-size results page.
To search something that is not a separate image, such as part of a video, a map or a chart, right-click an empty area of the page and choose Search with Google Lens, then drag a box around what you want.
For a file already on your computer, open google.com in Chrome, click the camera icon in the search box and either drag the file in or click upload a file.
Safari on Mac
Safari does not have a reverse image search command, but it is only one step longer.
Option A: drag the image.
- Open images.google.com in one tab and click the camera icon.
- Drag the picture straight from the web page or from Finder onto the drop area.
Option B: use the image address.
- Control-click the image and choose Copy Image Address.
- Paste it into the Paste image link box in Google's search-by-image panel, or into TinEye's search box.
Option C: paste the image. Control-click the image, choose Copy Image, open the Google Lens upload box and press Cmd+V.
Safari on macOS also has Visual Look Up. On some photos you will see a small star badge; clicking it identifies landmarks, plants, pets and artwork. It does not show other websites using the same image, so treat it as identification, not reverse search.
Microsoft Edge and Bing Visual Search
- Right-click the image.
- Choose Search the web for image (older versions say Search the web for this image).
- Bing Visual Search opens in a sidebar. Use Pages with this image to look for copies, rather than the "related" or shopping tabs.
For a file on your computer, go to bing.com, click the camera icon in the search box and drag the file in or browse to it. Bing's index overlaps with Google's but is not the same, so it is worth a second try when Google comes up empty.
Firefox and other browsers
Firefox does not include a built-in image search. Use the drag, upload or image-address methods with any search site. In Firefox the right-click option is Copy Image Link. Browser extensions that add "search this image" to the menu exist, but they can read the pages you visit. If you only search occasionally, the manual method is safer.
Take a clean screenshot on Mac or Windows
Screenshots are often the only option for images inside apps, video calls, PDFs or social feeds. Capture only the picture.
| Task | Mac | Windows |
|---|---|---|
| Select an area and save it | Cmd+Shift+4, then drag | Win+Shift+S, then drag (Snipping Tool) |
| Select an area and copy it to the clipboard | Cmd+Ctrl+Shift+4, then drag | Win+Shift+S (copies by default) |
| Capture a window | Cmd+Shift+4, then Space, then click | Win+Shift+S, choose Window mode |
| Screenshot toolbar with options | Cmd+Shift+5 | Snipping Tool app |
Mac screenshots save as PNG on the desktop by default. Windows Snipping Tool copies to the clipboard and shows a notification you can click to save the file.
After a clipboard capture, open the Google Lens upload box (or Bing's) and paste with Cmd+V or Ctrl+V. That skips saving a file entirely.
Crop tightly to the picture. Browser toolbars, captions and buttons pull the results toward screenshots of apps. For tricky cases such as mirrored, compressed or text-covered images, see the guide to searching screenshots and cropped photos.
Page URL vs image URL
Many failed URL searches come from pasting the wrong address.
- The page URL is what is in your address bar, for example a news article or a profile. It gives context.
- The image URL points to the image file itself and usually ends in .jpg, .png or .webp, or comes from a media server. Get it with Copy Image Address (Chrome, Safari) or Copy image link (Edge, Firefox).
Search sites that accept links want the image URL. Some links only work while you are signed in, or expire after a few minutes, so the search engine cannot fetch them. In that case save the image (right-click, Save Image As) and upload the file instead. The troubleshooting guide covers this and other failures.
Facehunch accepts file uploads only, not links. Drag a JPG, PNG or WebP under 10 MB into the search app.
HEIC and other formats on a computer
Photos AirDropped or synced from an iPhone often arrive as HEIC files, which many search sites reject.
- Mac: open the file in Preview, choose File > Export, set Format to JPEG and save. In the Photos app, File > Export > Export 1 Photo also lets you pick JPEG.
- Windows: the Photos app can open HEIC once Microsoft's HEIF Image Extensions are installed from the Microsoft Store. Open the image, use Save as and choose JPG. Alternatively, on the iPhone set Settings > Photos > Transfer to Mac or PC to Automatic so files are converted when copied.
Never just rename .heic to .jpg. The file inside is still HEIC and will be rejected.
A desktop workflow that gives clear answers
A desktop session is easiest to keep honest if you separate searching from checking.
- Make a search copy. Keep the original file untouched. Crop a copy to the subject.
- Search two versions. One tight crop and one wider crop that includes the background. Note which one found what.
- Use two engines. Google Lens for objects, places and broad matches; TinEye or Bing for exact copies. Our guide to choosing a reverse image search tool compares them.
- Open results in a second window. Compare the full image on the source page, not the thumbnail. Look at the crop, the background and any distinctive details.
- Write a one-line note per useful result: page URL, date shown, and what it supports. "Same photo posted on a stock site in 2021" is useful; "looks similar" is not.
When a result changes or a page disappears later, your notes still explain why it mattered. If you are trying to trace who first published a picture, continue with how to find the original source of an image.
Searching for a face instead of a picture
General image search finds copies of a picture and visually similar images. It does not search by face, and Google Lens deliberately avoids identifying people. If you need to check whether a dating match, a seller or a new contact is using someone else's photos, or to find where your own face appears online, a face search engine is the right tool.
Facehunch runs that search for $4.99 per search, with no subscription. Results show the source link and a similarity score for each match so you can verify them yourself. The photo is sent to our search provider for the search, and removal is requested afterwards.
Face search is for checking someone you are already in contact with, protecting yourself, or finding your own images. It should not be used to identify strangers or track someone down. For phones, the iPhone and Android guide covers the same methods on mobile.
Avoid sites that want you to install something
A legitimate image search runs in the browser. Be wary of any site that asks you to install a desktop program, a "viewer" or a browser extension before showing results, or that asks for remote access to your computer. That is a common route for malware and scam sites. If a result page looks like it is pressuring you, close it and use a well-known engine instead.
Written by Facehunch with AI assistance and checked against the cited sources. Our editorial policy.