Huge Google Lens upgrade starting to roll out now — meet video search
Record and ask away
It appears that Google is slowly rolling out the Search with Video feature for Google Lens that it originally announced during the Google I/O event.
Google has massively improved Google Lens since its original release in 2017. For instance, there's the recent addition of generative artificial intelligence which shows a full AI-generated response to uploaded images. Then there's Google Lens' integration into the hugely popular Circle to Search, which is also constantly adding new features. Now a recent post on X says that the Search with Video feature has started to roll out to Android devices.
You can now send a video to Google to ask questions about it!If you open Google Lens on Android and hold down the shutter button, it'll record a short video that you can ask a question about.If you're in a region where AI overviews are enabled, then you'll get an AI-generated… pic.twitter.com/qeGWy6u1TMSeptember 30, 2024
The post comes from Mishaal Rahman, via Android Authority, who states that he was able to get the new search with video feature to work on his device. Sadly, I was not able to get it to work on my Galaxy Z Fold 5. Search with Video allows users to record a short clip on Google Lens and ask questions about the content, with Lens offering search results based on the questions. If the users live in an area that allows AI overlays, then the answers will be AI-generated.
The feature is easy to find. All users need to do is enter Google Lens and then hold down the shutter button. This allows your phone to record video and gives you time to ask questions. In theory, this should add more to the average user's arsenal when trying to find answers to a question where a picture just isn't enough. For instance, you could request information on a fault for a product that only happens when it is running.
The addition of video isn't the only update that Google has added to Google Lens. Only recently we saw the implementation of Search With Voice. Interestingly, this feature is also accessed by holding down the shutter button, so it might mean that searching with a still image becomes less common. Meanwhile, Apple fans shouldn't despair as Apple Intelligence promises to be able to turn their iPhone 16's camera into a visual search engine as well.
Google is constantly working to improve and integrate its features into some of the best Android phones and it is always appreciated. Let us know if you were able to activate the feature on your Android device.
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Josh is a staff writer for Tom's Guide and is based in the UK. He has worked for several publications but now works primarily on mobile phones. Outside of phones, he has a passion for video games, novels, and Warhammer.