Reverse image search “https://www.reverseimagesearch.org/” stands for a way of initiating searches on the internet by pictures or the URL address of pictures, rather than by words or phrases.
By detecting patterns in a photograph, the search engines find results that are similar which the content that is being referred. Due to its popularity, this feature has been included in all major search engines such as Google, Yahoo, Bing, etc.
The uses of reverse image search
Some common uses are:
- Track the genesis of a photograph or image and find out when it was uploaded or made.
- To investigate copyright infringement and plagiarism.
- To investigate cases of fake news that includes the spread of photos without context or wrong attribution.
- To find out an image in higher resolution.
- To find out more images with similarities.
Some of the Best Reverse Image Search Engines in the World
- TinEye:
Even though TinEye is not the most popular tool, it has a strong niche following. It is considered as the oldest reverse image search engine in the world and has 13.9 billion photos in its digital repository. TinEye allows one to search images in three formats, namely JPEG, PNG, and GIF. There’s also a TinEye Chrome extension for faster reverse image searches.
- Yandex:
Often dubbed as a Russian Google, Yandex allows people to search for photos through URL addresses or by uploading an image. It is extremely user-friendly and is free for use.
The fact that this is an image-based platform makes it natural to have the reverse image search engine. The special thing about Pinterest is it also offers to search for specific parts of an image instead of the entirety of it. One just has to zoom on a portion that they want to look for, and the results will emerge in seconds.
- KarmaDecay:
This is a very niche search engine that is used particularly by Reddit users to correlate between photos and Reddit threads. KarmaDecay is not officially associated with Reddit.
- IQDB:
This platform is used by anime enthusiasts who make for a dedicated following. IQDB facilitates detailed searches related to the anime universe. It is free to use by has size and format restrictions. It entertains JPEG, PNG, and GIF images that are 8 MB or less. The dimensions it supports are 7500 BY 7500.
- Getty Image:
Incepted in 1995, Getty Images is seen as a high-quality stock photo supplier. It also offers a reverse image facility. Unlike most search engines, this one is subscription-based, and its photos are copyrighted. One has to purchase a royalty-free license to freely use the site.
- Google:
Google launched the reverse image search feature in 2011. With a web depository as large as Google’s, it is very easy to find out exactly what you are looking for. Google reverse image search has multiple filters such as cartoons, black and white, size, format to simply, and streamline one’s search.
This feature has gained immense popularity in recent days and continues to become more advanced than ever. There are no image size or format limitations on Google which makes it more convenient and simple to use.