back to JacobsQuick.tips

How to use Photos Visual Lookup

23rd September 2021

Jacob Woolcock

2:36

|

A clever new feature in the Photos app on iOS 15 and iPadOS 15, called Siri Visual Lookup, will use on-device Siri intelligence to find more information about your photos. Maybe details of the landmark you’ve photographed, or the breed of dog in an image? It can even help you recognise plants and works of art. Check out this shoer Quick Tip to find out how it works.

Play Video

A new feature in the Photos app now utilises Siri Knowledge to provide additional information about the content of your photos. When you view a photo in the Photos app, you might notice an information button shaped like an ‘I’ in a circle at the bottom. If this icon is adorned with little stars, it indicates that Siri has identified something in the photo it can provide more information on.

For example, in a photo of Cologne Cathedral, pressing the ‘I’ button with stars on it brings up an information tab. This tab not only offers details about the photo, such as the time and location it was taken, but also includes a “Look Up” section. Tapping on this option allows you to access extensive information about the landmark, including directions, similar images, and even educational content such as Wikipedia articles about the Cathedral’s history.

The feature is not limited to landmarks. In a photo of a forest, pressing the star-adorned ‘I’ button can help identify the types of plants present. This is particularly useful for identifying unknown plants in your garden or during a walk. For instance, it correctly identified Pine trees in a forest photo I took outside London.

Pets are also recognizable through this feature. A photo of a puppy, for example, when looked up via the ‘I’ button, may reveal a paw print icon indicating the breed of the dog. In my case, it accurately identified a Labrador.

This identification feature extends to a variety of subjects in your photos, including plants, animals, landmarks, books, and artwork. It’s equally functional on iPad, where the information button is located in the top right corner, offering the same insightful details as on the iPhone.

Exploring this feature can be quite engaging, allowing you to dive into layers of information and related images about your photographs. For more iOS and iPadOS 15 tips, including how to make the most out of your device’s features, don’t forget to subscribe to my channel. This ensures you won’t miss out on future #QuickTip videos.

Leave a Reply

All of my content is completely free to watch. However, to create these videos I require a steady stream of caffeine!

If you've found this #QuickTip helpful then please do consider buying me a coffee. Thank you.

Copyright © 2019-2024 Jacob Woolcock. All Rights Reserved.