Google image search is a tool that allows users to find pictures on the Internet. The tool is similar to Google's main page in its simplicity. It consists of Google's logo, a tool bar in the upper left-hand corner, a sign-in option in the right-hand corner, a search field and three informational links on the bottom of the page. There are no advertisements, no animated items, and no need for scrolling. As a result, the page loads quickly as compared to other search tools.
Basics
The search is available on Google's main page by clicking "Images" in the upper left-hand corner. To use the image search, enter key words relating to the image or kind of image you're looking for in the search field and click the "Search Images" button. This takes you to a search results page where you can view the images that correspond with the text you entered. This page also indicates how many images were found in the search and presents a list of related searches.
Filters
The image search allows users to filter the results. One such filter is size. By clicking on "Large," "Medium" or "Icon," you can view images corresponding to your search that fall within a certain range of dimensions. For example, large images are typically over 500 by 500 pixels, while icons are generally under 100 by 100, and medium images can be anything in between. Below the size filters are options that allow you to search exclusively for faces, photos, clip art or line drawings. Finally, the page includes a list of color swatches. Clicking on a swatch shows images that both correspond to your search and contain the selected color.
Interface
The image results appear as a grid of pictures of varying sizes. Most searches yield more results than can fit on the average computer screen. Thus, some scrolling is usually necessary to see all the results. Google typically presents the option to "Show more results." Clicking this options takes you to a new results page. Hovering the cursor over an image enlarges it without navigating away from the current page. Clicking on an image displays it in a separate window and gives you the option to visit the website where the image originated.
Advanced
To the right of the search field is a link to a menu of advanced options. This feature allows users to specify how the tool interprets the text entered in the field. Here you can ask Google to search for images related to all the words you enter or any of the words you enter. You can also search for images whose titles contain an exact phrase. Below these options are some of the filtering options present on the results page except that, here, you can specify an exact size, aspect ratio, file type or domain.
