Google brings popular ‘Circle to Search’ feature to iPhones: Here's how to use it

Google's popular 'Circle to Search' feature is now on iPhones with some limitations. Here's how iPhone users can access and use this AI-powered search tool.

Google has rolled out its popular ‘Circle to Search’ feature to iPhones. (Google)

Google's widely used 'Circle to Search' feature, which took the Android world by storm in 2024, is now available to iPhone users. This artificial intelligence-driven tool has gained popularity for its ability to perform visual searches on the go, and its arrival on iPhones is a welcome upgrade, though it comes with some limitations.

How It Works on iPhones

Initially exclusive to Android devices, the feature has been rebranded as “Screen Search with Google Lens” for iPhones. To use this, users will need to install the Google Lens app. However, unlike its Android counterpart, it won't work system-wide on iPhones. It is currently available only within the Chrome and Google apps. This restriction is one of the trade-offs that Google had to make to bring the feature to iPhone users, but it still offers significant utility for those within the supported apps.

To use the feature, users will find it in the three-dot menu located in the top-right corner of both the Chrome and Google apps on iOS. Once selected, it allows users to highlight, draw, or tap objects on the screen without leaving the app. This makes browsing with Chrome or searching on the Google app more interactive, as it enables users to perform a visual search instantly.

Future Enhancements and AI Overviews

Google has stated that this feature is most useful while browsing on Chrome. Users can now quickly search for information on items they encounter while surfing the web without needing to take a screenshot or open a new tab. In the coming months, Google will add a new Lens icon to the address bar for easy access to the Screen Search feature.

Additionally, Google is expanding the capabilities of Google Lens itself. The new AI Overview feature, already a part of regular Google searches, will now be accessible via the Lens search function. This feature will provide a detailed overview of objects, such as plants, products, or landmarks, directly from visual searches. AI Overviews will show up alongside search results, offering more context and key aspects of the identified items.

For both iOS and Android users, Google Lens will continue to identify billions of objects from a vast image database. With the power of AI, the tool can now offer deeper insights into unique or obscure images. As a result, AI Overviews will appear more frequently, enriching the overall search experience for users. This update will roll out globally, giving iPhone users the chance to explore and enjoy these new AI-powered search capabilities.