Google Lens Now Works With YouTube Shorts

Google Lens has expanded its capabilities to YouTube Shorts, offering users a seamless way to search for visual content directly within the platform. This integration functions similarly to the popular Circle to Search feature, allowing viewers to pause a Short, highlight specific elements, and instantly receive relevant search results without leaving the video.

How the Feature Works When watching a YouTube Short, users can tap to pause the video and select the Lens option from the top menu. From there, they can draw, highlight, or tap on any object, landmark, or item within the frame. Google Lens then processes the visual query and overlays search results directly on the video, making it easy to explore related information without interrupting playback.

YouTube’s Official Statement A representative from YouTube shared details about the beta rollout, emphasizing its potential for discovery. For example, if a Short features a travel destination, viewers can identify landmarks and instantly access cultural or historical insights. The feature aims to enhance engagement by blending visual search with short-form video content.

Visual Demonstration A preview shared by YouTube showcases the feature in action, displaying how Lens identifies objects and surfaces relevant search results. The overlay appears seamlessly, allowing users to dive deeper into topics while keeping the Short visible in the background.

Step-by-Step Guide 1. Open the YouTube mobile app and navigate to the Shorts player. 2. Pause the video by tapping the screen. 3. Select Lens from the top menu and highlight the area of interest. 4. Browse the search results before resuming playback.

Current Limitations During the beta phase, no ads will appear in Lens search results, and the feature won’t work on Shorts containing affiliate links or paid promotions. However, this could change as the tool evolves beyond testing.

Why This Matters For content creators and marketers, this update presents a new discovery channel. While monetization options aren’t yet available, the integration could eventually drive traffic to websites and products featured in Shorts. By leveraging Google Lens’ visual search capabilities, YouTube continues to bridge the gap between video content and real-time information retrieval.

The move reinforces YouTube’s position as a powerful search platform, combining the reach of short-form video with Google’s advanced image recognition technology. As the feature rolls out more widely, its impact on user behavior and content discovery will be worth watching.