Google is making its ground-breaking "Circle to Search" artificial intelligence function, which debuted on Samsung Galaxy S24 handsets, available on ChromeOS and the Chrome browser. Still, the function now goes under a somewhat different name: "Search with Google Lens."

As of right present, only the Windows and macOS beta versions of ChromeOS 127 and Chrome 128 have this capability. But "Circle to Search," or "Search with Google Lens" as it's currently dubbed, will become generally available to all Chrome users once these versions go to the stable channel in the upcoming weeks.

How It Operates

On Windows and macOS, users of Chrome can select "Search with Google Lens" by clicking on the three dots. Users may then quickly initiate a search by selecting an area on their screen, essentially circling it, with the results shown in a side panel.

ChromeOS: The same features are available via the Google Lens icon in the address bar.

A brief explanation may be found in Google's release notes for Chrome 128 beta: "Anything you see on your screen can be easily searched with Google Lens in Chrome. You may search within an image on a webpage, a slide during a livestream, or a video you're seeing. You may continue surfing with the new information you've acquired after Google Lens provides you with the answers you need right there in your browser."

Though it may take some time to get used to the slightly odd name change, the core technology is still the same: a potent AI tool that enables users to access pertinent information fast depending on what they see on their screen.