Using Google Lens to identify items in a photo

When you open any photo in Google Photos, you will see a button at the bottom meant to look like a camera lens. That is Google Lens and it is amazing. Open any photo, using Google Photos, and tap that button – it will analyze the current photo and tell you all sorts of things! Identify flowers, birds, insects. Translate and copy text, scan QR codes, identify products and give you links to buy them. And much more.


Google Lens Examples

The following are photos in my Google Photos. When I tap on the lens button, it analyzes the photos and gives me remarkable results.

Lens will tell you the name of this Arch in Utah

Lens will identify these birds

Lens will translate this billboard

Lens can copy the text from this certificate, making it editable in a document
Lens can scan this business card and dial the phone number, send an email, or even add to your contacts

Lens can identify the type of this turtle.

Lens can identify this book and give you a link to buy it.

Lens can scan this QR code and give you the link to watch the video.

Lens will identify this product and give you links where you can buy it

Our YouTube show, episode 184, demonstrates how to use Google Lens


Chris Guld is President and Teacher-in-Chief at GeeksOnTour.com. She has been in computer training and support since 1983. She is now a Product Expert for the Google Photos Forum, owner of the LearnGooglePhotos.com blog, and author of Mrs. Geek’s Guide to Google Photos
She loves to teach! If you want to learn, you’ve come to the right place.

2 thoughts on “Using Google Lens to identify items in a photo”

  1. I don’t see the ‘lens’ icon when looking at Album photos on my computer. Should I? Or is it just a cell phone feature.
    Thanks..Bill Hoyland

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