Ever looked at a funny video and wanted to know where it’s from? Or come across a certain scene from a movie but can’t find what it’s called? Sometimes Google doesn’t provide the answer to every search query, especially when it’s a video you’re looking for. While the Google reverse image search is an excellent tool for searching the source location of images, Google does not have a reverse video search yet. Luckily, we have a few tricks that will help you search using video to find the video source.
Read Also: How To Google Reverse Image Search On Mobile? Everything You Need To Know
In This Article
Which method is best for you?
There are multiple ways you can go about reverse-searching a video on your device. While there is no search engine that lets you upload a video file to find the source, you can search for singular frames. This is where Google’s reverse image search comes in. You can also use alternatives like TinEye and Berify.
If you’re on your phone, there is a much more seamless way of going about this task. Instead of taking a screenshot and uploading it to a search engine, you can simply summon Circle to Search and let it do the rest. If you choose to focus the search on an object in the frame, Circle to Search will bring up mostly shopping results for that particular object. If you want to search the source of the video, you will need to expand the frame to cover the entire shot.
Reverse search on Google
While Google does not offer a Reverse video search yet, you can still make use of its Reverse image search function to find your desired video. All you need to do is take multiple screenshots of the video you want to search and upload them to the reverse image search bar. Just follow these simple steps.
Step 1: Take multiple screenshots of your video.
Step 2: Go to images.google.com
Step 3: In the search bar, click on the camera icon. This is the ‘search by image’ option.
Step 4: Click on Upload an Image.
Step 5: Upload the screenshot.
Step 6: Google will find the source location of your video. If this doesn’t work, try again with a different screenshot.
Reverse search on Bing
Step 1: Go to bing.com/images
Step 2: Click on the camera icon on the search bar. This is the ‘search by image’ option.
Step 3: Click on Browse.
Step 4: Upload your screenshot.
Step 5: Bing will find the source location of your video. If it doesn’t work, try again with a different screenshot.
Use Google Lens
The Google Lens feature on the Photos app works surprisingly well to find the source of a video from just a couple of snippets. Here’s how you can use it.
Step 1: Take a couple of screenshots of the video on your phone.
Step 2: Launch the Google Photos app and open one of the screenshots.
Step 3: Tap the Lens option at the bottom of the screen.
Step 4: Use the cropping tool to cover the entire image.
Step 5: Switch to the Search tab at the bottom.
Step 6: Pull up the tab to view all the results. You will be able to determine the source of the video from the results.
Step 7: If this process doesn’t work, try it again on another still from the video.
Use Circle to Search
Step 1: Play the video you wish to search.
Step 2: Long-press the navigation bar at the bottom of the screen.
Step 3: Select the video frame.
Step 4: Pull up the search results.
Use TinEye to search using video to find the video source
Using TinEye you can track and search images on the internet. Its efficient AI almost always finds a match for your search query. Just follow these easy steps.
Step 1: Go to tineye.com
Step 2: Select the Upload option next to the search bar.
Step 3: Upload the video screenshot and hit search.
Step 4: Tineye will explore the web for a match and list the video location.
Use Berify to search using video to find the video source
Berify is a reverse image search tool that can also be tweaked to find your desired video. Here’s how you can use Berify to find the video location.
Step 1: Go to berify.com
Step 2: Click on the search bar and upload the video screenshot.
Step 3: Berify will reverse search the screenshot and come up with a relevant result.
Read Also: Microsoft revamps Bing Maps and adds hosts of new features
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How do I reverse-search Google for a video?
Since you cannot perform a reverse search for a video on Google, reverse searching for an image is the only option you have. Take a few screenshots from the video and use Google Reverse Image Search to look them up.
How do I find the source of a video on my phone?
Take a screenshot of a video and open it in the Google Photos app. Hit the Lens option at the bottom and use the search tab to find the relevant results. If you are unable to find the source of the video, repeat the process with another screenshot.
What are some good alternatives to Reverse Image Search on Google?
Websites like TinEye and Berify offer a great way to look up the source of images on their search engine. If you cannot find relevant results on Google, these websites may be of help to you.
Can I reverse search a video using Circle to Search?
You can use Circle to Search to reverse search a frame of a video and find its source.
How do I search for a song using Circle to Search?
Long-press the navigation bar and hit the music icon to search for the name of the song playing on your phone or nearby you.
Final Thoughts
If you’re still unable to find the video location, you can type a short video description and search for it on Google. When the results come up, click on the video category, and you might find what you’re looking for. If you’re still unhelpful, asking for help on social media websites like Twitter and Reddit may be a good idea. Subreddits like r/tipofmytongue and r/askreddit are quite helpful in locating your search queries.