We can call search engines the upgraded encyclopedias, yellow pages, newspapers, etc. They offer nearly limitless possibilities and allow us to search effectively for almost anything in the world. They have an enormous advantage over traditional sources of knowledge. One of them is the feature that no encyclopedia or newspaper can offer - searching by image. This very useful and easy way of gaining information remains undiscovered for many people, but since you’re here, we can assume that you want to know more about this technology. In this article we answer the most frequent questions regarding image search and elaborate on them with a few examples from our own reverse image search engine.
Image search and reverse image search
When you think about searching the Internet using images, the correct terminology is actually “reverse image search” and not simply “image search”. This technology uses the uploaded picture to perform a search and display similar images as results. The criteria that are used to choose the matching photos are different for different software, but 2 basic elements remain the same:
- A search is performed using an image
- Results are also images, but they include information about where the particular image appears on the Internet.
Learn more on how to use a reverse image search in this article on our blog.
How does an image search work?
When you perform an image search, you upload a photo to the search engine. This picture serves as a model to find similar photos. Every search engine that allows performing image searches uses its own algorithms to measure objects in the photo and find matching results. For example, at PimEyes, when you upload a photo of yourself, we focus on and measure the parameters of your face. That is why we are able to find you in photos with different backgrounds in which you have a different haircut or even contact lenses.
Upload your photo to find out where your face appears online
How can I search using images? How do I do an image search from a photo?
Here’s a short instruction on how to perform an image search:
Visit the website of a search engine you plan to use
Prepare a photo that meets the requirements of this search engine
Upload the photo to the search bar or take a picture with your mobile device (it is going to be automatically added to the search bar)
If additional consents are required to perform a search, familiarize yourself with them and then accept them.
After a short time you should receive a list of results, usually sorted by their level of resemblance to the searched photo.
Technical requirements for image search
The minimum requirements for a photo to be used in a reverse image search are not complicated. Usually they are related to the image's size, quality, and file format. But sometimes there are additional standards a photo has to meet. For example at PimEyes, in addition to the requirements mentioned before, it is also necessary to choose a photo with a face that is completely visible. When we advise our users on what photo should they pick, we send them these conditions:
- full-face
- well-lit
- no elements covering the eyes
- full-color
- no elements covering the face
- high quality
You can read more about how to improve facial recognition search results in this article on our blog.
Have you picked the photo you want to use? Upload it to the search bar.
Is search by image safe?
When you do an image search you might have concerns about how the uploaded picture is going to be used. The main goal is of course to perform a search, but you might be thinking of additional, hidden purposes. We can’t speak for all reverse image search engines, but we don’t use your photos for any other purposes. Your image is saved temporarily for 48 hours and then it is automatically removed. At PimEyes search by image is safe and protected.
What kind of images can I search for using PimEyes?
PimEyes’ search results are links to photos of the person who is conducting the search. They come from publicly available websites like the news, media, blogs, company websites, etc. We don’t search social media or video platforms, including public profiles (e.g. of companies, influencers, brands). To summarize, using PimEyes you can search for photos with your face that have been posted on publicly available websites.
Can I search for images of other people using PimEyes?
PimEyes is designed to monitor your own image and online presence. Searching for other people is against our terms. Please remember that we don’t provide any personal data in the results, only the links to the website addresses where the photos appear.
FAQs
The closest competitor to pimeyes.com are facecheck.id, tineye.com and rankwatch.com. To understand more about pimeyes.com and its competitors, sign up for a free account to explore Semrush's Traffic Analytics and Market Explorer tools.
Is there a way to use PimEyes for free? ›
You will have a free search option but if you want to unlock website links that lead to the original source of your images, you will need to become a subscriber. We have several subscription plan options so you can choose which suits your needs best.
Does PimEyes search OnlyFans? ›
No, we do not search social media because these platforms restrict access to their data for crawling. This includes public profiles of companies, influencers, and brands.
How effective is PimEyes? ›
How accurate is PimEyes' Face Search tool? Based on reviews by the New York Times and the Daily Mail, PimEyes is highly accurate for the face recognition of known celebrities and media journalists. However, only 25 percent of the results were accurate for the average person.
What is the most accurate image search? ›
2 Best Image Search Engines
- 2.1 Google Image Search. Google Images is one of the most prominent and widely used image search engines globally. ...
- 2.2 TinyEye. ...
- 2.3 Bing Image Search. ...
- 2.4 Yahoo Image Search. ...
- 2.5 Yandex Image Search. ...
- 2.6 Pinterest Visual Search. ...
- 2.7 Openverse. ...
- 2.8 Flickr.
Pimeyes is not too well known yet by the average person, and they are already being sued by Illinois for violating laws relating to harvesting data without consent.
Does PimEyes keep your photos? ›
If you are not a subscriber and are not using services like Alerts or PROtect Image, we save your uploaded image only temporarily and remove it after 48 hours. In the Alerts service we save the image you have used to conduct a search and then use it to find new results containing your images.
Why do people use PimEyes? ›
We help people find and identify crimes directed against them like catfishing, nonconsensual p*rnography, or identity thefts. We also give our users the tools to take action against their abusers.
What is PimEyes deep search? ›
It's USP Deep Search feature, which is a paid service that allows users to do a reverse image search, and a PimEyes' Alert feature, which notifies users when new images with their faces are found. PimEyes' face recognition capabilities are quite fast and precise.
How to find someone's secret OnlyFans? ›
Spokeo.com is one of the top tools for tracking down someone's OnlyFans account. Their reverse image search allows you to upload a photo of the person you're looking for and see if it links to an OnlyFans profile. You can also search by name, username, email or phone number if you have that information.
The easiest way to find out if your partner has an OnlyFans account is to check their phone when they're not around. Look through their browser history, emails, and messaging apps for any mention of OnlyFans. See if they have the OnlyFans app downloaded or if they've visited the OnlyFans website.
Is looking at someone's OnlyFans cheating? ›
Your reaction will largely depend on how you feel about your partner paying for explicit content and how much they are engaging with creators. Some people consider it cheating; others do not. Take some time to figure out what it might mean for the two of you.
Is there a site like PimEyes but free? ›
PimEyes alternatives (Free & Paid)
Clearview AI. TinEye. Google Reverse Image Search.
Does PimEyes search social media? ›
Unfortunately, we don't search social media, so you won't be able to find someone's Facebook profile or name using our search engine. Our index contains websites available to the public.
Does PimEyes notify? ›
The PimEyes Alerts is a service designed for people who want to keep an eye out for their image integrity. With PimEyes' Alerts you will get a notification every time we find a photo with your face.
Is social catfish better than PimEyes? ›
Social Catfish is a great option for fast public records searches and recognizing facial features. It searches through billions of public records to offer updated results. Social Catfish is one of the best PimEyes alternatives, with over 200k satisfied users.
What is the highest accuracy of face recognition? ›
In this benchmark test, NEC received the highest performance evaluation in "1:N Identification,"*3 which consists of still images of 12 million different people, by achieving an authentication accuracy rate of 99.88%.
Is there a free facial recognition site? ›
Best of all, PicTriev is an entirely free online face comparison tool that includes various other functions. PicTriev has an additional function that allows you to assess if two distinct images are of the same person. FaceCheck.ID is one of the most effective reverse image search tools for facial recognition.
Is PimEyes a safe website? ›
It also offers an opt-out option for people who want to remove their photos from the website. However, these measures are not enough to ensure the safety and protection of the users and the subjects of the photos. Therefore, it is not safe to search on PimEyes or to have your photos searched by others.
