Image Search With Camera

Wes

I would like to be able to perform an image search using my phone's camera in the Kagi app or directly in a mobile web browser like Firefox, (similar to the Google Lens app). This would allow me to completely migrate away from Google for all my search needs.

I often use Google Lens for finding out where I can purchase cool or useful products I encounter outside of a retail setting, or for finding out if there is a less expensive seller for something I find inside of a retail setting. I would like to be able to perform the searches without Google tracking my interests.

Wes

I've also noticed that the mobile site for Kagi has no obvious way to do a regular image search. I have to specifically request the desktop site. I also did a comparison of results between Kagi and Google Lens for the same image of a headlamp and Google absolutely stomped on Kagi. Some improvements need to be made to the image search before it becomes something I can use over Google.

Luis

Wes

I've also noticed that the mobile site for Kagi has no obvious way to do a regular image search.

What do you mean by that? You can perform a reverse image search, which functions similarly to the app,

I also did a comparison of results between Kagi and Google Lens for the same image of a headlamp and Google absolutely stomped on Kagi. Some improvements need to be made to the image search before it becomes something I can use over Google.

Could you please share the original image you searched for?

Wes

Luis Thanks for the response Luis. The mobile version of Kagi.com looks different for me compared to what you are seeing for some reason. I use Firefox as my browser in both android and Windows. The original image I used to search is already shared with the screenshots in my previous post. Here's what the mobile version of Kagi.com looks like for me however. There is no obvious way to perform an image search on the home page or after performing a general search. I have to specifically request the desktop site.

Wes

Luis So I just checked and if I specifically put in Kagi.com/images into my address bar, I do get the option to to do a reverse image search without having to request the desktop site, but there is no way to get to this option from the main Kagi.com search page on the mobile website that I can tell. I would have to specifiy the full /images url every time I wanted to use it. It does allow me to either upload from storage or use my phone's camera however so my original suggestion is already implemented. It just needs to be easier to navigate to from a UI/UX perspective on the mobile version of Kagi. I didn't take a screenshot of it but no, it does not show an option for image search under the hamburger menu.

greyfivenine8244

I've wished for this many times before. I know, it's a bit far-fetched, but maybe it's possible to somehow link it with the Android camera app, so you can use it like Google Lens. As far as I know, you can use an API for this. You would just need to check that it's implemented differently on the desktop.

Luis

greyfivenine8244 that's in our plans 🙂

Wes

Aww, so I just figured out that this menu at the top has more options if you slide it over, including the option to switch to an image search. That's on me. These options should probably also be accessible on the Kagi homepage though. It looks like I have to perform a general search first or type in the /images url to get to image search.

Luis

Wes From there, click the camera icon to upload an image for reverse image search