Google Lens: Ask Questions Aloud About What You See

Ever found yourself pointing at something and wishing you could just ask a question about it? Well, with the latest update to Google Lens, you can do just that—using your voice! This nifty feature is part of Google's ongoing efforts to make searching the web more intuitive and helpful, especially when you're out and about.

Imagine you're strolling through a museum and you come across a painting that piques your curiosity. Instead of snapping a photo and then fumbling to type out a question, you can now just speak up. Or maybe you're on a walk with your dog and spot a vibrant bird you've never seen before. With voice input in Lens, you can point your camera at it and ask, "What kind of bird is that?" right then and there. It's a game-changer for those on-the-go moments when you want to learn more about your surroundings without breaking stride.

Previously, using Lens meant taking a photo and then manually typing your question. But now, it's all about that seamless, natural interaction. Here's how you can dive into this feature:

How to Use Voice Input in Lens

1. Open the Google app on your Android or iOS device and tap the camera icon in the Search bar to launch Lens.
2. Point your camera at the object or scene you're curious about.
3. Hold down the shutter button and ask your question out loud. For instance, you might say, "Why did the artist paint this?" or "What kind of clouds are these?" If you're part of the Search Labs and enrolled in the "AI Overviews and more" experiment, holding the shutter button will also capture a video, giving Lens even more context to work with.
4. Scroll through the results to find your answer. You might see an AI Overview along with links to relevant websites.
5. To ask another question about the same image, just tap the microphone icon at the top of the results page.