Circle to Search launched on the Galaxy S24 series in January, followed by the Pixel 8 lineup shortly after, and has since gradually expanded to more devices. The easy-to-use feature can feel a little gimmicky, but it can be very helpful when you remember it’s there.
Essentially a faster, AI-powered version of Google Lens, Circle to Search allows you to draw over any part of your screen to perform a visual search. So, if you see a jacket in a video you’re watching on your phone, you can activate Circle to Search by holding down your home button or gesture bar, and circle the jacket to see photos and potentially places to buy it. can find
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We’ll keep a list of the latest devices that have been featured, so read on to see if you have access to Circle to Search.
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Circle to search: Complete list of supported devices
As of May, the AI-powered search tool has been added to other Samsung and Google phones, including some launched years ago. Circle to Search is also available on some Android tablets, including the Pixel tablet.
Here is the full list:
- Samsung Galaxy S24, S24 Plus and S24 Ultra
- Samsung Galaxy S23, S23 Plus, S23 Ultra and S23 FE
- Samsung Galaxy S22, S22 Plus, S22 Ultra
- Samsung Galaxy S21, S21 Plus, S21 Ultra
- Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Flip 5
- Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 and Flip 4
- Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Flip 3
- Samsung Galaxy Tab S9, S9 Plus, and S9 Ultra
- Google Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro
- Google Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro
- Google Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro
- Google Pixel 6A and 7A
- Google Pixel Fold
- Google Pixel Tablet
Pixel 8 now supports Circle to Search.
How to use circle to find
Now, if you have the right phone or tablet, it’s time to use Circle to find it.
From anywhere on your Galaxy or Pixel device, Press and hold the Home button in the navigation bar and select New Circle to find option that appears first when you bring it up. Once you use the tool, it will become the default search tool, triggered when you press and hold the home button instead of Google Assistant.
You can circle, draw or tap around any object on your screen.
Once it’s enabled, use your finger to circle, scribble, or tap anywhere on your screen to search on Google. If you’re not sure what you can circle to find, it’s almost anything on your screen: a celebrity on Instagram, a lamp in the background of TikTok, or a vintage t-shirt on eBay. The options are truly limitless.
Circle to Search will then bring up a panel at the bottom of the screen that you can swipe up to see more information about the object you’ve circled, just like Google Search.
In the example below, I tapped LeBron James’ pants on an Instagram post I saw. Google then identified the pants — Louis Vuitton Tailored Cotton Damier Cigarette Pants, priced at $1,890. In the circle to search panel, the first option is a direct link to Louis Vuitton’s website to purchase them, while the remaining options show other options for purchasing trousers or similar-looking pants at various price points.
If you are unhappy with the results, try re-selecting the object or text on your screen.
Circle to Search allows you to enter a prompt to get more tailored results or get an AI summary for whatever object you’re looking for. If you circle a plate of bolognese, for example, you can ask the circle to search for a vegetarian-alternative recipe.
Because I wanted to see if the pants were available elsewhere for less money, I typed in “Find on Grailed,” an online marketplace for luxury used clothing that usually has more affordable options. The results changed to a grayed list for Louis Vuitton pants only.
No screenshots of what you search using Circle to Search are saved, but if you tap the three-dot icon at the top-right of Circle to Search, you can view your history in your Google settings.
When you’re done using Circle to Search, just hit the back button to leave the search results.
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