Reverse Image Search Guide

An iPhone user can easily verify a viral image using Google Lens, Bing Visual Search or TinEye to perform a reverse image search. This allows the searcher to upload or paste the photo into the service and see where the image appears elsewhere online - essential for identifying reused, cropped or altered viral posts.

How to Use the Tools

On an iPhone, open Google Lens and either upload an existing photo or take a new one. In Bing Visual Search, tap the camera icon to take a new photo, browse and select an existing image, or upload a file. TinEye lets users upload, paste, provide an image URL, or right-click to search any online image using its browser extension.

On a computer, Google Lens accepts a drag-and-drop, file upload, or paste. Bing Visual Search can drag, snap, upload, or paste an image or URL. TinEye provides the same upload, paste, or URL options.

For screenshots, images must be uploaded as a file in each tool, not just named in a search box.

What the Results Can Tell You

Reverse image search results vary between the tools. Google Lens identifies where an image appears online. Bing Visual Search shows similar images, relevant sites, and other details about each pic, giving a context trail.

TinEye focuses on pinpointing every appearance of an image online.

What the Results Can’t Tell You

The results of a reverse image search identify where an image appears and find visually similar ones, but do not determine whether a pic is the earliest visible version of itself, or whether it has been altered or reused with edits.

Moreover, while Google Lens, Bing and TinEye all support image search, their results can vary greatly in quality and relevance. For the most reliable verification, a reader should cross-check results on each.

A Simple Checklist for Viral Posts

To check a suspicious photo:

1. Upload or take a picture in Google Lens, Bing Visual Search, or TinEye
2. Note where each tool says the pic appears online
3. Use Google Lens’s part-selecting feature to narrow your focus
4. Check the earliest match identified
5. Cross-check results across more than one tool

Don't Forget

Only stop when you find a clear, consistent source for a photo. Most importantly, remember that these tools do not prove an image's authenticity on their own – they only reveal the trail of reuse to chase down.