Google is expanding the reach of its visual search tool, Lens, by introducing it directly into YouTube Shorts. The rollout, which began this week, adds a Lens shortcut to the top menu of Shorts videos, giving users a new way to interact with video content.
When users pause a Short, they can launch Lens from the menu bar. From there, they can tap or highlight objects within the video frame to trigger a visual search. This interaction allows viewers to find related information about anything on-screen, such as products, landmarks, or text, without leaving the app.
This Lens-powered feature is being released across both Android and iOS platforms, though only Shorts without affiliate shopping tags will support it. Once Lens activates, a translate option also appears on-screen, making it possible to interpret captions or text shown in foreign languages.
To access the feature, users need to open the YouTube app, navigate to Shorts, and pause the video. From the top menu, tapping the Lens icon launches the tool. Google mentions that a one-time terms prompt will appear during the first use, which can be dismissed easily. Afterward, users can circle, tap, or draw on elements within the paused video to search or translate. Closing the results panel requires either a swipe down or tapping an X icon.
YouTube has further outlined the new tool’s availability and usage through its Creator Insider channel, signaling a broader push to integrate Google’s search technologies into video discovery.
The new feature is expected to reach all users within the week as part of a phased global release.
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When users pause a Short, they can launch Lens from the menu bar. From there, they can tap or highlight objects within the video frame to trigger a visual search. This interaction allows viewers to find related information about anything on-screen, such as products, landmarks, or text, without leaving the app.
This Lens-powered feature is being released across both Android and iOS platforms, though only Shorts without affiliate shopping tags will support it. Once Lens activates, a translate option also appears on-screen, making it possible to interpret captions or text shown in foreign languages.
To access the feature, users need to open the YouTube app, navigate to Shorts, and pause the video. From the top menu, tapping the Lens icon launches the tool. Google mentions that a one-time terms prompt will appear during the first use, which can be dismissed easily. Afterward, users can circle, tap, or draw on elements within the paused video to search or translate. Closing the results panel requires either a swipe down or tapping an X icon.
YouTube has further outlined the new tool’s availability and usage through its Creator Insider channel, signaling a broader push to integrate Google’s search technologies into video discovery.
The new feature is expected to reach all users within the week as part of a phased global release.
Read next:
• Top 10 Best-Selling Smartphones Globally in Q1 2025
• Work-Life Balance Across America Looks Very Different by State
