Microsoft is integrating Bing’s visual search into its Edge browser. Alongside the option to search images through the right-click context menu, there’s now a dedicated visual search button that appears when hovering over images. Below, we detail the steps to enable or disable visual search in Microsoft Edge.
Enable/ Disable Visual Search in Microsoft Edge (2022)
What is Visual Search in Microsoft Edge?
Visual search in Microsoft Edge allows you to look up images from websites on Bing. Integrated into the Edge browser, this feature is useful for finding image sources or similar images.
Microsoft has tested the Visual Search feature since Edge 96, now enabling it by default with Edge 99 in the Canary channel. The feature is expected to reach the stable channel in subsequent updates. Follow the steps below to enable or disable it:
Enable Visual Search in Microsoft Edge
1. Open Edge, click the three horizontal dots menu at the top-right, and select “Settings”.
2. Go to the “Appearance” tab, then select “Visual search” under “Context menus”.
3. Enable the “Show visual search in the context menu” and “Show visual search on image hover” toggles. The former adds the option to perform a visual search from the right-click context menu, while the latter allows you to hover over any image to search it on Bing.
Disable Visual Search in Microsoft Edge
1. Click on the horizontal three dots menu at the top-right corner of the Edge browser and select “Settings” from the context menu to open the settings page.
2. Navigate to the “Appearance” section from the left sidebar and click on “Visual search” to access the controls to disable visual search on Edge.
3. Here, disable the “Show visual search in the context menu” toggle to remove the visual search option from the right-click context menu. Similarly, turn off the “Show visual search on image hover” toggle to eliminate the visual search button on images in Microsoft’s Chromium-based browser.
Disable Visual Search for Specific Websites in Microsoft Edge
If you wish to deactivate the visual search button when hovering over images on specific websites, you can do so. Follow these steps:
1. Access Visual search settings by going to Settings -> Appearance and click the “Add” button next to the “Visual search is turned off for these sites” option.
2. Enter the URL of the website where you wish to disable visual search. Then, click “Add.” The browser will stop displaying the visual search button on this site.
3. To revert, click the trash icon next to a website’s name. Consider disabling visual search on cloud storage sites to prevent accidental image searches.
Chrome Desktop Alternative: Google Lens
If you’re a Google Chrome user seeking a similar feature, rejoice: it already exists. With Chrome 92, Google introduced Google Lens support for Chrome desktop. Accessed via the right-click menu, you can utilize the “Search images with Google Lens” feature for image searches through Lens or Google Images reverse search.
Discover Visual Search in Microsoft Edge
Visual search simplifies image lookups on Edge. However, it’s not your sole option. For comparable alternatives, explore our guide on top reverse image search apps and websites. And for additional handy Edge features, check out our article on the best Edge tips and tricks.
Pritam Chopra is a seasoned IT professional and a passionate blogger hailing from the dynamic realm of technology. With an insatiable curiosity for all things tech-related, Pritam has dedicated himself to exploring and unraveling the intricacies of the digital world.
