How to find a similar image. Search by uploaded image, photo or picture in Google, Yandex and how image search works

Like

Like

Tweet

Example: we have a photograph of a landscape, but we do not know what this beautiful place is:

As in the previous versions, we press the button in the form of a camera in the search bar, upload a photo and get the result:

I warn you - this does not always work. For a correct result, this photo or a very similar one should already be in the Google image search database, i.e. be on the Internet, there should also be a description next to the picture on the page. If the sights can be easily recognized (since a well-known place is "known" on the Internet), then with objects the chance of finding a description is almost zero.

If there is no information about the place, we will see a page with similar photos by analogy with the following example.

Previously, the TinEye search engine was strong in this, as I mentioned earlier. But Google Pictures is also not a bastard.

As before, open a search for images from Google, click the camera icon in the search bar and load (for example) a photo of a ginger kitten:

And click the link “ Similar Images". Let me remind you: you can not upload a photo, but indicate its address on the Internet, or simply enter the query "ginger kitten" into the search, move the mouse over the photo and click " Similar«.

In any case, these actions will lead to a search for similar photos:

Pay attention to the inscription "Similar" above the pictures. This means that this mode is working now. Clicking on the cross on the right will turn it off. Clicking on the picture will open, as it should, an enlarged copy in the background of the site where this picture is located.

Conclusion

Google image searches always work the same way. Depending on what was found, the search page changes. If the result is very successful, when it is possible to accurately identify the name of the photo and find information on it, we are redirected to the text search page (as in the case of searching for a sightseeing).

In fact, the search site tries to predict what we really need. Sometimes successful, sometimes not. There is virtually no difference between the above examples. The search is always the same, we just look at different places in the search and click the links we need. I just gave the most "contrasting" examples, so you shouldn't look for the button "Find similar photos" or "Find a person by photo". They are not here. The search is always one. It all depends only on what we are looking for.

Like

Like

It allows you to search for similar photos and pictures all over the internet. Picture by picture, so to speak. You can do a lot with this site, it all depends on your imagination. I personally use it for the following purposes:

1. I am looking for a photo or picture in good quality, if I only have a bad one.
2. I find out which sites have the selected picture (allows you to find the original source)
3. Helps in finding images that are not spoiled by "watermarks".
4. Helps to identify the place where the photo was taken (you can find other photos with similar content and description)
5. Search by photo on the Internet - you can recognize faces in photos. Although TinEye does a poor job of finding a person by photo, it's better to use the paid FindFace for this.

To search, just go to the aforementioned site, click the "Select file" button and specify the photo file. Or indicate the address to the photo if it is on the Internet. There is only one result - by pressing the "Search" button, a list of found pictures will be displayed: At the very top there is a photo in the best quality. There is nothing more to tell about the site itself. Next, I'll talk about two useful add-ons to this service.

For example, in this way I found a photo of a dog and a kitten in the best quality without any inscriptions:

TinEye Client (download link) - small free program, which does a very useful thing - adds the TinEye item to the photo context menu:

You can open a folder with a photo, right-click on a photo, select this item and the browser with the found photos will immediately open. Very comfortably. The TinEye Client program has its own window:

But it makes no sense to use it, tk. it takes significantly more time to open a window, press the "From file ..." button, select a photo, than if you spend it on the usual opening of a folder, clicking on a photo and selecting the line “TinEye”. Outcome: TinEye's website is definitely helpful. It allows you to solve a number of tasks with which an ordinary search engine does little.

There are several services on the Internet that allow you to find similar pictures for your photo. This is not just a search for a description of an image or a synonym for its name. Developers create amazing technologies that scan the arrangement of colors, style, objects in the image and look for suitable copies on the web. Each service approaches search in its own way. In this article, I will describe the most popular services and methods of photo search.

TinEye is a convenient search engine for finding similar images by photo

TinEye is a Canadian similar image search service that provides additional search options. The site is considered one of the first search engines to provide this opportunity. The service was created in 2008. To search for pictures, he needs to provide any image, even a low-quality thumbnail will do. The developers promise in the future to provide the ability to subscribe to pictures, copies of which will appear on the network.

The system allows you to find pictures on all resources on the Internet. For all popular browsers there is a special plugin that allows you to search for pictures directly from the browser toolbar. The TinEye service has identified the unknown soldier from an image taken in Normandy. After that, on one of the American sites, they found a list of the people in the photo.

The TinEye service is quite simple to use, despite the fact that it is in English.

To search for a similar picture from a photo, you need:

Right under your image there is a "Best match" item. Here you can select which images will be shown in the results - largest / smallest, oldest by date added, etc.

Find a similar image by picture in Yandex Images

The most popular search engine in Russia is Yandex, which also invites everyone to find any image by photo. To search for any picture, visit the "Pictures" section at https://yandex.ua/images/?rdrnd\u003d753106&redircnt\u003d1518009530.1 and then follow the instructions:

Google image search

The Google search engine also has a special service that will allow you to find the desired picture on the Internet using the photo you have. You can use any browser to search. The developers of the search engine itself advise us to search for popular objects and persons. This is the only way we have enough chances of success, even if we have a very poor image quality on which to search. To do this, first:

Google Goggles is a powerful mobile phone tool capable of recognizing pictures

The Google Goggles mobile application was created in 2009 for mobile devices under the control of the Android operating system. This application has been specially designed for the visual search of pictures, images and some other functions. The application works only with Google servers, on which it takes not text information, but images to display search results.

The operating principle of this application is very simple. The search is carried out using the existing photo / video camera on the device. Previously, a search required taking a snapshot of an object to be found on the Internet. Later versions of Goggles allow you to identify objects by simply pointing the camera. After that, your device will receive the results that match your requests.

If you need to find similar images with famous objects, for example, with the Leaning Tower of Pisa, then all you need to do is point the camera lens, and you will get photos of different sizes and types of the tower. In order to use this program, go to the Play Market from your device and find it in the search.

Application features:

• Google Goggles can identify various objects even while moving. You can turn on not a photo camera, but a video. But there is a slight limitation. Your device must support electronic compass, autofocus, satellite navigation system.
• Some celebrities are included in a special database. Their faces are inviolable for the application, so you will not get results from them.
• In 2010, the developers added a search function for images that are stored in the device's memory.

FindFace - face search by photo

FindFace is a special service that specializes in finding people's faces on social networks. You can probably remember the times when you liked a girl / boy in a cafe, but you don't know anything about them. With the FindFace application, you can find a person from a photo, even if you yourself took it a few minutes ago. The search is based on a special design that uses neural networks. Thus, the search can be performed even by a photo in which a person is captured by a 3/4 face, i.e. sitting in a half turn.

Artificial intelligence develops independently over time thanks to neural networks. Search results get more accurate each time. FindFace spends less than a second to search various databases, going through up to 310 million images during this time. This amount of work is done thanks to special algorithms that convert the photo into a special code, which greatly facilitates the search.

You can try to find any person on Vkontakte as follows:

1. Open the page https://findface.ru/.
2. Click the "Find the same" button.
3. In the middle of the window, click the "Upload photo" button.
4. After your image appears, specify the person you need to search for on the social network.
5. In the next window, you will be presented with search results that you can adjust to narrow the circle and more suitable people.

Thanks to the presence of special web services and applications, you can easily find a person by photograph.

Most modern programs and sites use artificial intelligence technology.

It allows you to increase the accuracy of face recognition in a photo as the number of program users increases.

It should be understood that no search engine can give a 100% guarantee of finding the image. Errors often occur when reading pixels, or the browser is looking for photos that are similar in meaning and color palette.

Below are some of the most effective ways. If one of them did not help you, feel free to move on to the other.

Ultimately, one of the methods will be the most suitable for your picture and the person will be found. Also, we advise you to take it through several photos at once, if any.

ServiceGoogle

The first and easiest way to search by image is the well-known Google. The developers of the popular system have implemented a function for working with user images.

Now you can not only enter a query, but also insert individual images into the text box. The search engine carries out analysis for all sites and social networks that are indexed in the system.

Let's look at a simple example how to use the function:

• Let's go to the site. This page differs from the standard by the presence of an additional button for adding;

• To get started, click on the camera icon. A window for choosing the type of photo upload will appear. The user can specify a direct link to an image already posted on the Internet or download graphics from computer memory;
• Click on the "Search by picture" button.

The result of processing your request in Google will look like this:

It will automatically indicate the person's name or subject. Also, the user will be able to see similar images. Another element of search results is pages that have a mention of the found person.

Often, the result will only produce similar images without specifying a name. This means that there are too many similar images on the Internet and the system cannot find a 100% exact match. Try scrolling down to the Matching Image Pages box. This will allow you to view a list of links in which the search item is found.

With it, you can search not only for people, but also for various objects. As practice shows, a search engine can be very useful when you need to find out the name of an unknown object or find things you like.

Yandex

Photo search from Yandex is another popular service that searches for graphic content across all sites. At first glance, it practically does not differ from Google, except for the interface and design. However, Yandex developers claim that their system uses a modified algorithm using machine vision.

Thus, using both systems, you will be more likely to find the one you want. To start the analysis, go to the main site. Find the text line and next to it click on the "Pictures" tab to go to the corresponding section:

• In the tab that opens, click on the camera icon;

• Now, in the tab that opens, click on the button for downloading a photo from the PC memory or provide a direct link to a picture on the network. Click on "Find";

The result will be a set of the most similar images with which you can find a person. Also, you can select different picture sizes and continue the analysis with a better quality photo. Be sure to look at the list of mentions on other sites to increase your chances of finding the person.

Analysis by photo inVK

In addition to standard systems, there are a lot of services for photo monitoring only on specific social networks. Since 95% of Runet users have a profile on VKontakte, it is better to search for it using special resources that work only with this social network. Thus, you will reduce the analysis time and the number of similar images.

To start monitoring photos in VK, you need to install the extension for the Chrome browser. The application is called "StopFake". Go to the software store and enter the name of the extension. Then click on the install button and wait for the button to appear in the upper right corner.

Despite the fact that the program is designed to quickly identify fake accounts, it can also be used to find people. You will need to upload a photo to your album on VKontakte, since it can only be done using the one that is in the site's database.

• Open the photo in your album on VK. The album can be closed, as long as it is on the site;
• After opening the image, press the button to start the StopFake extension. It is located in the upper right corner of the browser toolbar. To eliminate possible errors in the utility, we recommend that you restart the browser immediately after installing the extension;
• It will automatically identify them on the social network where the desired photo is posted. Thanks to the signature of the author, you can easily find the person you want. Click on the author's name to go to it.

Yandex is one of the largest Internet search services in the world and the largest in the CIS. It is constantly being improved, adding new functions and "chips" for users. Now users have access to a more convenient image search through Yandex, plus support for smartphones on Android and iOS has appeared.

How to search by picture via Yandex on a smartphone

In this case, you need a little - any mobile browser (even a standard one is suitable) and Internet access. However, instructions may vary slightly for different browsers.

Method 1: Using products from Yandex

The easiest way is to use Yandex applications for the phone, for example, Yandex Browser or Yandex application, which combines several services at the same time (browser, voice assistant, weather, etc.). In this case, let's look at how to use the latest application:

Method 2: Standard browsers

If you don't have the Yandex application installed on your phone, or you don't want to install it for some reason, you can use browsers from other developers or a standard solution for owners of both Android and iOS devices.

Let's consider how to search for images in Yandex using a standard Android browser:

As you can see, there is nothing difficult in image search through the Yandex service on both Android and iOS phones. There are also no search restrictions.