Do you suspect that your Instagram photos are being used without your permission?
Or do you want to find someone on Instagram using a picture?
Whatever may be the case, if you are starting a search with a photo then you need to know about reverse image search.
This article covers how to do a reverse image search on Instagram or reverse search an image shared on Instagram.
The tools mentioned in this article allow you to search for exact or similar pictures with varying accuracy.
⚡ What to Know ‣ Instagram blocks search engines from indexing photos and videos uploaded on the platform. So, reverse image search does not always work. ‣ The reverse search might not work on some Instagram pictures due to privacy settings. You cannot view the picture if it is not public or if the owner has blocked you. ‣ Reverse image search, also called image-to-image search, is different from text-to-image search.
What is a Reverse Image Search?
Reverse Image search is the way to find identical or similar images, using the image itself.
Typically, you can search for images matching a term or description using Google Images or other search engines.
But what if you have the image and want to find out its origin or similar photos? That’s where a reverse image search comes in handy.
Reverse image search uses the visual elements of a picture, such as colors, patterns, shapes, geometry, etc. to find visually similar images published across the internet.
By using reverse image search tools, no search terms are needed, and you do not have to guess the search terms that will work.
You provide the photo (either upload it or provide the URL) and the search engine will find all matching images.
Why use a Reverse Image Search?
Apart from using reverse image search for fun or research, there are other scenarios where it is beneficial.
- Track the usage of your copyrighted photos, and protect your visual content.
- Find plagiarized and stolen photos.
- Find a Social Media profile from a photo.
- Track down photographers or artists whose pictures you like.
- Find duplicate images to avoid scams.
- Search similar images to get a better (size, quality, etc.) photo.
If you are here for any of these reasons, or for that matter, any other, continue reading to find the tools you can use to help with this search.
Can you Reverse Image Search on Instagram?
It is not possible to perform a reverse image search on the official Instagram app.
Instagram image search can find pictures related to a term, just like a typical image search, but it cannot find similar images or do a reverse search.
There are third-party apps that claim to do this for Instagram, but they are not trustworthy.
These apps are just trying to steal your personal information or account. Do not use them.
How do you Reverse Image Search on Instagram
As you now know, Instagram does not have a reverse image search function, so how can we do it?
Luckily, other search engines can help with reverse image searches.
These search engine functions are specially designed to do this type of search.
Before we do a reverse image search, you’ll need the image. There are 2 ways to get an Instagram image:
- You can screenshot the photo on your mobile, crop it, and save it.
- You can log in to your Instagram account on a desktop or browser, navigate to the picture and get the URL of the image.
Let’s take a look at the most popular image search tools.
Google Image Search
Google is the king of internet search, but did you know that it also can reverse search images?
Google has built a reverse image search engine as powerful as its text search engine.
You can either upload the image by clicking on the camera icon or provide its URL in the search bar.
Not only google can find the exact image, but also similar images.
You can use Google Image Search here.
Bing Image Search
Like Google, Microsoft Bing also provides a powerful reverse image search capability.
Since Bing uses a separate search algorithm than Google, you can find matching images that Google search might miss.
Bing Image search can be accessed here.
Yandex Image Search
Yandex is a popular search engine in Europe, based on a completely different search algorithm.
Because it is different than Google and Bing, it is definitely worthwhile to use for reverse image searches.
Access Yandex here.
TinEye
TinEye is a specialized search engine designed to do reverse image searches.
It has a vast database of images that is constantly updated with new images as they appear on the internet.
Using TinEye is very straightforward. You can either upload the image or provide the image URL.
TinEye only provides images searches and you can start by going here.
Social Catfish was designed to reverse search images and find the authenticity of images found on social media apps.
While its search is not as powerful as Google or Bing, it is still helpful to target images shared on social media sites.
You can upload an image to reverse search it, but you cannot provide the URL.
Social Catfish can be used to search names, phones, usernames, etc. but the image search function is located here.
Berify
Berify started as a solution to track the use of your photos across the internet, but its image search engine can be used to locate any matching image across the internet.
You can also set up an account for continuous monitoring of your copyright photos, and get alerts when they are used.
Get started with Berify.
SauceNAO
While definitely not the most complete search engine, SauceNao has its place in the reverse image search world.
It covers corners of the internet that might be skipped by Google, Bing, etc., and therefore can be useful.
You can upload the image or provide its URL.
Don’t go by the design of the site, it is actually helpful. Click here to try it out.
Dupli Checker
Just like the previously mentioned tools, Dupli Checker helps you find duplicate or similar copies of a provided picture.
Additionally, you can choose to use any other search engine through the Dupli Checker site as well.
Dupli Checker has other tools, but the image search can be used from here.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Can I Find an Instagram Profile with a Photo?
Yes, you can use a reverse image search to find a profile using a photo.
You cannot do it on the Instagram app but can use image search engines for this purpose.
For this to work 2 conditions must be met:
– The photo should be available on the Instagram profile.
– You can view the account and are not blocked from accessing it.
How do I Find Someone on Instagram with a Picture?
You can do a reverse image search with the picture to find someone on Instagram.
Use Google image search to upload the picture or provide a URL. if someone had uploaded that picture on Instagram, you’ll be able to find that account.
Is there a Reverse Image Search for Instagram?
There is no reverse image search function in the official app.
To do an Instagram reverse image search, you’ll have to use other search engines or services that specialize in it.
Final Thoughts on Reverse Image Search on Instagram
Reverse image search does not always work, and you might be disappointed sometimes.
Social media sites try to protect the images and videos being shared on their platform and limit search engines from indexing the shared content.
For best results, use all the mentioned sites, and hopefully, at least one of them will be able to locate the photos.
If you cannot use all the mentioned tools, Google image search and TinEye are the best options, but no guarantees.
If you were looking to stop the misuse of your photos, you can either ask them to be removed or file a report with Instagram using the Copyright Report Form.
