Unlock Google's Circle to Search on Your iPhone: A Step-by-Step Guide

Table of Contents

• Google’s Circle to Search on iPhone: Bridging the Gap¶
• How to Get Circle to Search Feature on iPhone: A Detailed Walkthrough¶
• How to Trigger the Shortcut: Activating Your Custom Search Feature¶

Google’s innovative feature, Circle to Search, has revolutionized how users interact with their Android devices by enabling seamless information retrieval without the need to switch applications. This functionality, initially exclusive to select high-end Android smartphones, allows users to effortlessly search for items displayed on their screen using intuitive gestures like circling, highlighting, scribbling, or tapping. While the official Circle to Search is not yet available for iOS devices, iPhone users are not entirely excluded from experiencing a similar level of search convenience.

Google’s Circle to Search on iPhone: Bridging the Gap¶

Despite the current unavailability of Google’s Circle to Search feature on iOS, resourceful iPhone users can effectively replicate a comparable experience through a clever workaround. By leveraging the Shortcuts app available on every iPhone and integrating it with Google Lens, users can create a custom shortcut that mimics the core functionality of Circle to Search. This innovative approach allows iPhone users to quickly identify and learn more about anything visible on their screen, offering a near-identical experience to the native Android feature. If you are eager to bring this intuitive search capability to your iPhone, this comprehensive guide will walk you through the necessary steps to set up your own Circle to Search alternative.

How to Get Circle to Search Feature on iPhone: A Detailed Walkthrough¶

Creating a Circle to Search-like feature on your iPhone involves configuring a custom shortcut that combines the screenshot capability of iOS with the image recognition power of Google Lens. While the setup process requires careful attention to detail, following these step-by-step instructions will ensure a smooth and successful implementation.

1. Initiate the Shortcut Creation: Begin by locating and launching the Shortcuts app on your iPhone. This pre-installed application is essential for creating custom workflows that automate tasks and integrate various functionalities within iOS. Once you open the Shortcuts app, you will be presented with your existing shortcuts, if any. To create a new shortcut, look for the (+) icon, typically located at the top right corner of the screen, and tap it. This action will lead you to the “New Shortcut” interface, where you will define the actions for your custom shortcut.

2. Add the Screenshot Action: In the “New Shortcut” screen, your first step is to add the action that captures a screenshot of your iPhone’s display. Tap on the “Add Action” button, which is prominently displayed in the center of the screen. This will open a search interface where you can browse and select from a wide range of available actions. In the search bar at the top, type “Take a Screenshot”. As you type, the search results will dynamically filter to display actions matching your input. From the list of results, locate and tap on the “Take Screenshot” action. Selecting this action adds it as the first step in your custom shortcut workflow.

3. Integrate Google Lens Search: With the screenshot action added, the next crucial step is to integrate Google Lens to analyze the captured image. Locate the “Search for apps and actions” field at the bottom of the screen. This field allows you to add subsequent actions to your shortcut. Tap on this field and type “Google”. Again, the search results will update as you type. Look for the action labeled “Search Images with Lens” within the list of results, specifically under the Google Lens category. Select “Search Images with Lens” to add it as the second action in your shortcut workflow. This action will automatically take the screenshot captured in the previous step and send it to Google Lens for analysis.

4. Finalize and Save the Shortcut: After adding both the “Take Screenshot” and “Search Images with Lens” actions, your shortcut is essentially complete. Review the shortcut workflow to ensure both actions are present and in the correct order. Once you are satisfied, tap the “Done” button located at the top right corner of the screen. This action saves your newly created shortcut, which will now be listed alongside any other shortcuts you may have. By default, the shortcut might be named “Shortcut” or “New Shortcut.” You can rename it to something more descriptive, such as “Search with Lens,” by tapping on the shortcut’s name and editing it.

How to Trigger the Shortcut: Activating Your Custom Search Feature¶

Creating the shortcut is only the first part of the process. To effectively use your Circle to Search alternative, you need to assign a convenient trigger mechanism. iOS offers the Back Tap feature, which allows you to activate shortcuts or system functions by double or triple tapping the back of your iPhone. This gesture is ideal for triggering your newly created “Search with Lens” shortcut, providing a seamless and intuitive activation method. Follow these steps to configure Back Tap to launch your shortcut:

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1. Access iPhone Settings: Begin by launching the Settings app on your iPhone. The Settings app, usually represented by a gray gear icon, is the central hub for configuring various aspects of your device.

2. Navigate to Accessibility Settings: Within the Settings app, scroll down and locate the “Accessibility” section. Accessibility settings are designed to make your device more user-friendly and customizable to individual needs. Tap on “Accessibility” to enter its configuration menu.

3. Enter the Touch Menu: In the Accessibility settings, find the “Physical and Motor” section. Within this section, tap on “Touch”. The Touch menu contains settings related to how you interact with your iPhone’s screen and physical buttons.

4. Configure Back Tap: Scroll down to the very bottom of the Touch menu. You will find the “Back Tap” option. Tap on “Back Tap” to access its configuration settings. Back Tap allows you to assign actions to double or triple taps on the back of your iPhone.

5. Choose a Tap Gesture: On the Back Tap screen, you are presented with two options: “Double Tap” and “Triple Tap”. Select either “Double Tap” or “Triple Tap”, depending on your preference and which gesture you find more convenient or less prone to accidental activation. Consider which gesture you are less likely to trigger unintentionally during normal phone handling.

6. Assign the “Search with Lens” Shortcut: After selecting either “Double Tap” or “Triple Tap”, you will be presented with a list of available actions and shortcuts. Scroll through this list until you find the shortcut you created earlier, which should be named “Search Image with lens” (or whatever name you chose). Tap on “Search Image with lens” to assign it to your chosen Back Tap gesture. A checkmark will appear next to the shortcut name, indicating that it has been successfully assigned.

Once you have completed these steps, the Back Tap gesture you selected (either double or triple tap) will be directly linked to your “Search with Lens” shortcut. Now, whenever you want to use this feature, simply perform the chosen Back Tap gesture on the back of your iPhone. This action will automatically trigger the shortcut, which in turn will capture a screenshot of your current screen and immediately open it in Google Lens.

Google Lens will then intelligently analyze the content of the screenshot, identifying text, objects, and scenes. It will then provide you with relevant search results and information directly within the Google Lens interface. This effectively replicates the core functionality of Google’s Circle to Search, allowing you to quickly and easily gather information about anything you see on your iPhone screen without switching apps or performing complex manual steps.

While this method doesn’t perfectly mirror the gesture-based fluidity of the native Android Circle to Search, it provides a remarkably close and highly functional alternative for iPhone users. It brings a significant level of search convenience and efficiency to iOS, empowering users to explore and learn more about the world around them with a simple tap on the back of their phone.

If you encounter any difficulties setting up this shortcut or have any questions regarding its usage, please feel free to leave a comment below. We are here to assist you and further enhance your iPhone experience.