Google Lens is one of the most underrated Google tools. Point your camera at anything and it identifies, translates, or searches. I use it daily for translating menus, identifying plants, copying text from images.
Here's how to use every feature properly.
Open Google Lens
On Android – it's usually integrated into the camera app, Google Photos, and the Google app. Open any of those, look for the Lens icon (looks like a small camera lens with concentric circles).
On iPhone – download the Google app from the App Store. Open it. Tap the Lens icon next to the search bar. Allow camera access.
You can also use Google Lens with photos you already have. Open Google Photos, pick any photo, tap the Lens icon. Lens analyzes that image.
Search for objects with the camera
Point your camera at anything – a plant, a building, a product. Tap the shutter button. Lens shows you search results, similar products, and information about the object.
Useful for identifying flowers, bugs, mushrooms (don't eat them based just on Lens though), or random products you want to buy.
Translate signs and menus in real time
Open Lens and tap the Translate mode at the bottom. Point your camera at any foreign-language text. The translation overlays directly on the original.
Works in real time – the text changes as you move the camera. Lens supports 100+ languages and can auto-detect the source language usually.
This is the killer feature for traveling. Restaurants, street signs, packaging – all instantly readable.
Extract text from images
Lens has a Text mode at the bottom. Point at any printed text. Lens highlights it. Drag to select what you want. Then:
- Copy to clipboard
- Send to your computer if you're signed into Chrome there
- Search Google for the selected text
- Translate it
- Have it read out loud
Best way to copy quotes from books, capture business card info, or transfer recipes from cookbooks.
Solve math problems
Lens has a Homework mode (sometimes called Solve). Point at a math problem. Lens shows step-by-step solutions.
Works for algebra, calculus, physics formulas, and basic word problems. Not magic – it doesn't do creative writing or essays – but math homework is exactly its strength.
Shopping mode
Point at a product. Lens identifies it and shows where to buy it online with prices. Useful for window shopping or checking if you can find something cheaper.
Also works on clothing in pictures, magazine ads, even items in TV shows. Wear what your favorite character wears.
All the modes at a glance
| Mode | Best for |
|---|---|
| Search | General object identification |
| Translate | Foreign-language text |
| Text | Copying printed text |
| Homework | Math and science problems |
| Shopping | Buying products you see |
| Dining | Menu translation, restaurant ratings |
Use Lens with existing photos
Lens doesn't just work live with the camera. Any photo in your gallery can be analyzed. Open Google Photos, pick a photo, tap the Lens icon at the bottom.
Useful for screenshots of foreign websites, photos of documents you forgot to OCR, pictures of plants you took on vacation but didn't identify in the moment.
Lens in Chrome
On Chrome desktop, right-click any image and pick Search image with Google. Lens opens in a sidebar with results.
Way better than reverse image search. Find similar products, identify objects in random web images, or just see where else an image has been used online.
Privacy considerations
Lens sends images to Google for processing. If you're privacy-conscious, this matters. Google says images aren't kept for ad targeting but they pass through their servers.
For sensitive documents like ID cards or financial papers, don't use Lens to scan them. Use an OCR app that works locally on your device instead.
What's your most-used Lens feature? Drop it in comments. Mine is the menu translator while traveling.