Search People by Photo Google vs Bing vs TinEye ... and 5 more

Edited by Jay, Eng

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There are several reasons you may want to look up a person based on a photograph alone. Maybe you happen to have an image of someone but you don't know their name. If that image is indexed with either of the major search engines, the probability of finding a name increases greatly.

In today's ever-evolving digital age, there is no shortage of scams involving identity theft and fraud. By performing a reverse image search on one of your own photos, you can quickly see if anyone else has been using your pictures without permission. This might actually help prevent identity theft if you happen to catch something early on. If someone out there is using your photos it can be harmful to your personal and professional life.

Another great usage for a reverse image search is on dating site profile pictures. Spammers will often times create multiple accounts (all fake info) and simply grab pictures from real people's actual social media accounts. The purpose for this varies but the endgame is some kind of deceitful attempt to either get the user to submit personal information or sign up to something. Either way, doing a quick reverse image search will help you decipher whether the person you're dealing with is, actually who they say they are.

Below we discuss how to search for a person with a photo using Google, Bing, TinEye, and Yandex. We'll go over how to perform a reverse image search on a mobile device, using either a browser, service, or app.

Method 1: Google

Google is by far the largest search engine with the most images indexed.

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To maximize your chances of finding a matching image, it's best to go with the largest database of images.

  1. 1
    Open up a browser, visit Google Images, and click on the camera icon.
    Google-01.fw.png
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  2. 2
    To search by image, enter an image URL or upload one from your computer
    .
    You can also drag an image on the screen to upload it.
    Google-02.png
    If you want to check and see if anyone is using your images without your permission, upload a picture of yourself.
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  3. 3
    If Google returns matching results, you'll see the name of the person directly below the first image
    .
    If you scroll down the page you'll see a list of images that are similar in appearance.
    Google-03.png
    If your image was not found, that simply means it's not indexed within Google's search network. You can try another search engine or image.
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  4. 4
    If there are additional sizes of your image, you can view them by clicking "More sizes".
    Google-04.png
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Method 2: Bing

Bing also offers a massive index of images to search through.

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Bing's reverse image search is similar to Google's with the option to search by URL or uploaded image.

  1. 1
    Open a browser, go to Bing Images, and click on the camera icon.
    Bing-01.png
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  2. 2
    Enter an image URL or click "Upload image"
    .
    You can also drag an image directly on the page.
    Bing-02.png
    You can check to ensure nobody is using your pictures falsely on the internet by uploading an image of yourself.
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  3. 3
    Once Bing's search results populate, the name of the person in the picture will be displayed in the center of the page.
    Bing-04.png
    If no results populate, the image you're searching for is not indexed by Bing's search network
    .
    Try a different photo or search engine.
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  4. 4
    To view different sizes or see the source of the image, click the three-dot icon to expand those options.
    Bing-05.png
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Method 3: TinEye

TinEye is a Canadian company that offers search and image recognition services to large companies in the technology sector.

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They offer a free search tool for non-commercial use that searches over 18.5 billion images.

  1. 1
    Open a browser and go to TinEye. Enter an image URL or upload one from your computer, then click the search button.
    Reverse-image-search-tinyeye-01.png
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  • 2
    TinEye will return your results quickly, displaying matches to your image along with their sizes.
    Reverse-image-search-tinyeye-02.png
    If no results return, it simply means TinEye doesn't have your image indexed
    .
    Try another search engine or picture.
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  • 3
    You can also filter the results by domain or sort the matches by size, date, and most changed.
    Reverse-image-search-tinyeye-03.png
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  • Method 4: Yandex

    Yandex is Russia's largest search engine and has a great reverse image search option.

    Yandex-logo.fw.png

    When searching for people by a photo, it's good to check search engines from other regions as well.

    1. 1
      Launch a browser, visit Yandex, and click on the camera icon to the right of the search box.
      Reverse-image-search-yandex-01.jpg
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    2. 2
      Enter an image URL or upload one from your computer.
      Reverse-image-search-yandex-02.jpg
      You can also drag an image directly onto the page.
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    3. 3
      If Yandex finds your picture, additional sizes along with similar images will be displayed further down the page.
      Reverse-image-search-yandex-03.jpg
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    Method 5: Google Chrome on Mobile (Android/iOS)

    Both Android and iPhone users can perform an image search using Google Chrome.

    Chrome-Logo.fw.png

    This method only works for images you have a URL for, or find on a website. To search for an image from your camera or device folders, jump to the next method.

    1. 1
      Open up Google Chrome and find an image on a website.
      Image-search-mobile-01.png
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    2. 2
      Once you've found an image, tap and hold until the following options pop-up.
      Image-search-mobile-002.fw.png
      Tap, "Search Google for this image".
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    3. 3
      If Google finds your image, the person's name will be displayed directly underneath it.
      Image-search-mobile-03.png
      You can also view different sizes or similar looking images.
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    Method 6: Ctrlq.org on Mobile

    If you need to search for an image that's sitting on your device somewhere, CTRLQ.org is the tool to use.

    Ctrlq-logo-01.fw.png

    A custom search that pulls results from Google's image index, ctrlq.org lets you upload a picture directly from your device.

    1. 1
      Locate and open your Google Chrome app.
      Reverse-image-search-ctrlq-01.png
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    2. 2
      Once Chrome is loaded, go to ctrlq.org and tap "UPLOAD PICTURE".
      Reverse-image-search-ctrlq-02.png
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    3. 3
      Browse to the location on your device where your pictures are saved and select an image.
      Reverse-image-search-ctrlq-03.png
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    4. 4
      Once you've selected an image, tap "SHOW MATCHES".
      Reverse-image-search-ctrlq-04.png
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    5. 5
      If Google finds any matches, the person's name will be displayed near the top, along with additional sizes.
      Reverse-image-search-ctrlq-05.fw.png
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    Method 7: Search by Image Mobile App (Android)

    Search-by-image-logo-01.png

    Search By Image performs reverse image searches using both Google and Tineye.

    Search-by-image-01.png

    Save yourself some time with this app by searching two of the largest databases at the same time.

    1. 1
      Type
      .
      Tools
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    2. 2
      Features
      .
       
      1. Fast, reliable, and easy to use.
      2. Open shared pictures from other social sites like Facebook, twitter, etc.
      3. Upload from the device's camera folders.
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    3. 3
      Cost/Fees
      .
       
      1. Free version.
      2. In-app purchases at $2.49 per item.
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    4. 4
      Compatibility
      .
      Search By Image is available on Android.
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    Method 8: Veracity Mobile App (iOS)

    Veracity-logo.fw.png

    Another great mobile app (iOS) that performs reverse image searches on all images.

    Veracity-02.jpeg

    Veracity helps find more versions of an image or where it originated from.

    1. 1
      Type
      .
      Utilities
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    2. 2
      Features
      .
       
      1. Figure out which social media profiles are real or fake.
      2. Search from the device's camera folders.
      3. Locate additional versions of the image, even if it's been cropped or resized.
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    3. 3
      Cost/Fees
      .
       
      1. Free version.
      2. In-app purchases ranging between $1.39 - $3.99.
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    4. 4
      Compatibility
      .
      Veracity is available on iOS.
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    If you're someone who has a lot of images on the internet, it might be a good idea to perform a reverse image search on some of your own pictures from time-to-time. You would be surprised how many people have their images taken and used on fake dating profiles.

    Any of the tools discussed above is up to the task of finding similar or matching images on the internet. Remember, if all you have is a picture of someone, there is a good chance of learning their name by doing a reverse image search.

    If you have problems with any of the steps in this article, please ask a question for more help, or post in the comments section below.

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    Categories : Software

    Recent edits by: Jay

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