A new way to search on your phone with a simple gesture. This is how Google defines its function search using artificial intelligencelaunched in January of this year with the name Circle to Searchin Spanish, Circle to search. The idea is draw a circle above an image to look for that detail, object or thing that catches your attention. Without leaving the app you are in. Google will extract the content of the circle and search for it on the internet. According to Google itself, using simultaneous search, that is, searching for text and image at the same time. And, most importantly, using artificial intelligence to refine the results.
Circle to Search It was launched at the end of January and exclusively. First, on exclusive Android devices like the Pixel 8 and the Pixel 8 Pro. And also in the Samsung Galaxy S24. But as the months have passed, the possibility of trying this interesting search function is expanding to more devices. So currently, and with some exceptions, if you have an Android phone, you should have access to Circle to search through the Google app, available for both platforms. On iPhone we will have to wait, although there is a way to get the same results.
Next, we are going to see what this feature consists of and how it works. AI search. First, on supported Pixel phones. Then on any Android device. And, finally, on any iPhone, even if it is not exactly the same. This way you can search for anything on the internet from an image or fragment of text that you find from any app on your phone.
What is Circle to Search
Circle to search, Circle to Search In English, it has several peculiarities. The first is the way it works. It is activated by pressing the home button or navigation bar of Android. Until now, this is how the Google Assistant was opened to search the internet using Google Lens. But as AI search is introduced, the feature will be enabled by default. Circle to search instead of Google Lens. Yes indeed. To use Circle to Search you have to have it configured as a digital assistant the google app.
As for his functioning, once activated, you will have to draw a circle above the image or text you want to search on the internet. It is also worth painting over the object or text in question. Without leaving the application in which you are. The search results will be displayed at the bottom of the screen. Using artificial intelligence, Google will show you suggestions in the form of links and content consistent with the search. Images, websites, online purchases…
In fact, the function of Circle to search It is an evolution of Google Lens. Although instead of framing what you are looking for in a box, you draw on top of it. The only requirement will be to have the Google app and have a compatible Android phone. Until now, it only worked on Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro. But now it also works on Pixel 6 and later, as well as other Android phones.
How to activate Rodea to search on Android
To find out if you can use the Circle to Search On your Android phone, you can do several things. First, check that you have everything configured so that it works. And then, trying a search, see if Google Lens or the option is activated Circle to search.
To activate Rodea to search on Android you must have the navigation mode activated in gesture mode or in 3-button mode. You will find the navigation mode in Settings. Search for “navigation” and it will take you there. You can also go straight by searching for “Circle to search” and activating that option. Although it may not appear in searches for Settings.
In addition to having one of these navigation modes activated, you should check that in Digital assistantwithin Settingsyou have the app activated by default Google. Instead of Google Assistant or similar. And in addition to marking the Google app as an assistant, you must activate the option Use screenshot.
How to use Circle to Search on Android
Once you’ve verified that you have a compatible Android phone and reviewed the necessary settings, you can now start searching with this AI-powered feature. Whether your phone is a Pixel 6 or later or from another manufacturer, to use Circle to Search you will need hold down the Home button or, failing that, the navigation bar. At the bottom of the screen you will see the Google search bar.
The next step is to draw or paint on or around what you want to look for. A face, an object, a logo… Whatever you want. When you finish drawing, the search will start and you will see the results at the bottom of the screen. Slide that window up to see them full screen. And as was the case until now with Google searches, you can open the results within that floating window and immediately return to the app you were in initially.
How to replicate Rodea to search on iPhone
Circle to search It is exclusive to Androidbut on iOS we can get something similar using the iOS Google appthat integrates Google Lensthe recognition and search technology that will be replaced by Circle to Search. Also, to get this function by pressing a button, like in Android, we can make some adjustment on our iPhone. Of course, you won’t be able to draw or paint over what you want to look for. But, the result is the same.
So what we will do is install the Google app on our iPhone. As I said, from there you can search from an image or fragment of text using the function Google Lens. What we will do is create a shortcut to search without manually opening the Google app. If you have a iPhone 15 Pro either 15 Pro Max, you can use the action button. And on the rest of the iPhone models, you can use the touch back to create that shortcut.
But first, you will have to create a shortcut using the Apple Shortcuts app. It comes installed by default on your iPhone. Open it, enter Shortcuts and click on the + button from top right. Tap on Add action and search Take a screenshot. Select that action and it will appear first. Now go to the search engine below and search for “Lens”. Choose the action Search image with Lens. You already have your shortcut. Click on Okay to save it. The last step is to configure that shortcut with the back touch of your iPhone.
Finally, to use the function touch back you must go to Settings > Accessibility > Touch. There you will find the menu touch back. You can set two shortcuts. One will be activated with two taps and another with three taps in a row. Choose the one you want. Once inside, go below everything until you find the shortcut that we have previously created. Once activated, from now on, when you find something interesting, you can search for it by tapping the back of your iPhone two or three times. A function similar to Rodea to search for Android, but without drawing on it.
