WhatsApp is working on a new feature to make its platform more reliable and safe. The reverse image search feature, which was recently rolled out on Android, is now being tested for WhatsApp Web. It will help you check if the images you receive are real or have been edited or shared with false information. Let’s see more on it and how to use the feature.
A Brief Overview of the Reverse Image Search Feature
Reverse Image Search lets you investigate an image you receive on WhatsApp Web. You can see where it came from, where it was originally posted, or find similar results to determine if the photo was altered or edited. Think of it as a shortcut to Google Lens built into WhatsApp. It will be available on both the phone and web versions of the app.
For example, let’s say you receive a photo claiming to be of an incident that happened yesterday. A quick reverse image search might reveal it’s a modified photo from 10 years ago, being circulated online again with ulterior motives. This is how reverse image search helps tackle misinformation.
This feature is also helpful for learning more about images, such as a product or clothing item. You can easily search for prices or find where they are sold using the web search within the app. You can also use this tool to check the location of an image or gather more context about it, similar to how we use Circle to Search on Android phones.
How to Use the Reverse Image Search on WhatsApp Web
WhatsApp is currently testing an image search feature for its web client, and some users already have the option to perform image searches directly from their chats on the web. At the time of writing, I can already use this feature on my WhatsApp account. Here’s how to use it:
1. Open WhatsApp Web (web.whatsapp.com) and head to the chat where you’ve received an image that you’d like to verify.
2. Click on the image to open it in full-screen. Then, click on the three-dot menu at the top right corner.
3. Click on the Search on web option to perform the web search.
WhatsApp will then upload your image to Google and retrieve exact matches and similar-looking images from the web. You can check when they were first posted, who originally owns them, and whether the photo has been altered in any way.
There Are Plenty Alternatives Too
If you haven’t received the feature yet, don’t worry—you can use Google’s Search with Google Lens option on the Chrome browser. Here’s how:
- Click on the three-dot menu in the top-right corner.
- Select the Search with Google Lens option.
- Drag the cursor to select the area you want to search, or click on the text to search it directly.
You can also right-click on any image and choose the Search with Google Lens option to search the image on the web. Note that this feature is only available on the Chrome browser.
Overall, WhatsApp’s reverse image search feature is a promising tool to combat misinformation and verify the authenticity of images shared on the platform. But it’s not just about fact-checking—it can also help you learn more about the images you receive. Give it a try to see how it can assist you in verifying information, exploring new products, and staying informed.
That said, similar features have already been integrated into Chrome and Edge browsers, so this feature might be less useful for those users. However, I’m glad that WhatsApp is working to make its platform more robust and secure.
