How To Do A Reverse Instagram Image Search?

You post a fantastic image on Instagram only to find out that it has been used by someone else. Isn't that frustrating? If you have already faced such a situation, there is something you can do about it. Who is the creator of the images that are originally yours? 

You will have to cite the source, from where the image was posted. Doing that would not have been easy without reverse image search. The technique will help you find who has unethically used your images on the web without giving proper credits. 

Reverse image search will not only help find a profile through the picture, but will also help you know if someone is reusing your pictures. Let us know more about the process. 

Why Reverse Image Search Instagram Photos?

If you want to protect your images and keep them safe, reverse image search will help. When you upload images online, they are at a risk of theft constantly, and photographers specifically stay worried about it. Reverse image search can be useful for other purposes too. Know how!  

• To detect plagiarism.

• To locate a user on the platform.

• Look for the higher resolution or original images on the platform.

• Research about a viral image of the platform to understand its context.

• Locate fake accounts or images. 

• Find if your privacy is at risk and someone is using your images without giving credits or your permission. 

Reverse image search when done the right way will quickly help you find what you are looking for. Protect your pictures, and don't let others use it in their name or find a long lost friend on Instagram to reconnect. 

How To Do A Reverse Instagram Image Search?

Search engine bots of the reverse image search tool crawl images to index them. When you upload a picture to the image search tool, it looks for it in their database, and produces results containing similar images. 

To effectively get results using the reverse image search, follow some basic steps listed below. 

Step 1: Save the Instagram Image

Open Instagram app on your device or open its website on a browser. Navigate to the image that you want to search, and download it. 

If you have opened the image on a browser, you need to right click on the image and then select “Save As”. 

Step 2: Crop Your Image 

The image may have extra elements or people in addition to what you want to look for. Crop the image to keep only what you need to find on Instagram. 

Step 3: Use Image Search Tools

There are a lot of third-party tools available that enable reverse image search with the help of their search engine. Some famous ones include;

• Yandex: A great tool that helps with facial recognition. 

• Google Images: Find a vast array of indexed web images.

• Bing Images: Similar to Google, this Microsoft tool has billions of indexed images.

Besides the generic approach, there are some other sure-shot ways of finding images using the reverse image search technique. 

6 Best Method Of Performing A Reverse Image Search

If you couldn't uncover where your Instagram image was used on the internet or locate someone’s profile using the steps we have discussed above, let's dive deep. Below we discuss a few steps that will help you use the reverse image search technique for your advantage. 

Method 1: Using Google Image Search

Using Google image search is the easiest way to reverse search images on Instagram. All you need to do is to simply right click on the image, select “Search image with Google”, and you will get a list of similar images available on the web. 

You can also get the information if you want about the image, like its publish date, owner information, etc. if any is available on the internet. 

Method 2: Using Bing Image Search

The Bing Image search is similar to Google’s tool, and is owned by Microsoft. Though the option is not very popular, it provides good results. 

To search using the Bing image search tool, open the website in your browser and upload the images that you want to look up for. You will get a list of similar images displayed in front of you with the information available on Bing. 

Method 3:  Using Instagram Hashtags and Like

Try to remember the pictures that you liked on Instagram, if you have, or try and recall the hashtags that were used in the post. If you have liked the picture that you want to look up on Instagram, you can find it easily. 

Open your Instagram app, and navigate to your profile section. From the menu at the top right corner, select “Your Activity”. Now click on the option that says, “Likes” under the section titled “Interactions”. If you have liked the picture, it will appear for you in this section. 

Alternatively, if you know the hashtag, type it using the # symbol on the search bar, on the explore page. All posts using the hashtags or similar ones will appear, and you may find what you are looking for. 

Method 4: Using Yandex Image Search

Yandex is one of the most popular tools from Russia. It has an easy to use interface, and you need to just upload the image you want to search on their website. The search engine of the tool will look for the similar images in its database. 

Within a few seconds, you will get a list of images resonating with the one you uploaded. You will also get the information that is available about it. 

Method 5: Using Pixsy Image Search

Register for a free Pixsy account, and you will have to connect your Instagram account to the website for reverse image search. You need to then upload the image that you want to find. 

The tool will provide numerous similar images that it finds on the internet. In addition to providing the images, it offers the next steps that you may want to do like ignore it, or submit a legal case for misusing your image. 

Method 6: Using Tineye Image Search

Tineye is one of the most powerful tools that enables reverse image search on Instagram. The steps are simple and similar to that carried out for other tools. Upload the image, and get a list of similar images. 

Tips To Do A Reverse Image Search Of Instagram Pictures

Reverse image search is easy if you know the correct way of doing it. With the help of a few tips you will get the desired results with reverse image search, within minutes.  

1. Look for a tool depending on your specific needs, i.e determine what you want, and then use a tool that will provide the information that you want. 

2. To reverse image search, always use high quality images to let the tool understand the elements better. 

3. Consider the database size of the tool to get expected results. If the database of the tool is not sufficient enough, you may not get the desired image. 

4. Identify fake news, if any, by verifying the context of the images that you get online as results. 

5. Understand the limitations and the capabilities of the reverse image search tool for effective results. 

After finding out that someone is using your images, you can take some actions against it. Know what can be done to prevent it. 

What Can You Do If Someone Uses Your IG Image?

You can consider taking up a few routes if you find that your pictures are being used by someone else on the internet. 

1. Report the infringement act of copyright to the platform. Without that the platform will not know about it. 

2. You can also contact the profile directly on the platform. Reach out to them through their DM, and ask them about the unethical behaviour. Ask them to take the picture down.  

3. You can also file a legal suit against them, if the matter is serious. Copyright experts and other legal professionals will then handle the situation in the best way possible. 

You can easily avoid the act of someone else using your images on the web. Want to know how? We have listed some of the common practices. 

Best Practices To Avoid Image Theft on Instagram

If you are a content creator or a blogger on Instagram, seeing someone else use your images is an act that will make you want to do something about it. To stay safe from image theft on the platforms, consider following a few steps. 

• Watermark Your Images

Watermarking your images will let people know you are the real owner or the creator of the image. With your copyright on the picture, someone else cannot take the credit. 

• Use Image Metadata

Adding metadata when uploading your image on Instagram will give it a proper identity. It makes searching for your image easy on the web. 

• Monitor Your Content

Staying vigilant about your content will keep you updated with your pictures being misused. Proactively keep monitoring on the web and infringe your copyright if you see someone using them.  

• Remove Access For Unauthorised Apps

If you have some unauthorised apps on your device, uninstall them and remove the access. These apps can also collect information from your social media accounts and images might get used somewhere. 

Final Thoughts

Finding information about your images on the web is easily done using the reverse image search technique. It helps uncover powerful insights into your brand's presence and content. Moreover, it helps reveal some crucial information like verifying facts, detecting copyright theft, and more. 

With reverse image search you can also do competitive research and know what ads or posts your competitors are using. Using the right technique and by choosing a trusted service provider, you can master the game of reverse Instagram image search.