WhatsApp working on an in-app reverse Google image search option

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WhatsApp in the App Store showing its rating and version history.
WhatsApp is working on a new feature that will let you send a received image through a reverse Google Search.

Google Search has a very useful reverse image search. This feature basically lets you search the web for an image, and can help you find background on whether the image is original, and if it has been seen on other websites or social media.

The folks at WABetaInfo report that WhatsApp is adding an option in-app to send an image to Google's reverse image search to check out the image's origins and find out more information. The feature is currently available in the beta version of the app (build 2.24.23.13).

When you're viewing an image, you will be able to tap the three-dot menu at the top of the screen and see the new option there. The option will be called "search on web", and it will let you send the attachment to Google Search. It seems this would be a direct integration.


The message attachment is still confidential and won't be shared with Meta or any other program or app besides Google.

A reverse image search is also available through Google's Circle to Search. But the option in WhatsApp directly could be very useful if you don't have Circle to Search, or you want a quicker and more direct way to check an image you've received.

At this point, it seems not all beta testers would be seeing this feature as it is a server-side update. It is not clear when the feature would be ready for public release, but this would probably come sooner rather than later.

In my opinion, allowing you to quickly search the web for an image straight from WhatsApp is a very convenient addition to the popular chat app. I see myself using it here and there, and having it straight up in WhatsApp's chat means I don't have to save it and then go to Google Search and upload it from there, which would also save time.

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