Google is bringing Android's best feature to Chrome: How it will work

Google introduced the Circle to Search feature earlier this year with the Samsung Galaxy S24 series and rolled it out to Pixel devices. Circle to Search lets you look up anything on the screen by simply circling it. It is arguably one of Android’s best features, but its availability has been limited. However, Google may be planning to change this and bring Circle to Search to more users, particularly those using the Chrome browser.

Circle to Search coming to Chrome

According to an X user who goes by Leopeva64 (spotted by Android Police), the Chrome browser has received a new Lens UI interface that includes an animation identical to what Android’s Circle to Search shows. If it is not clear, this could be Chrome’s version of Circle to Search where you could search for an image or any object on the screen with the help of a snipping tool. This is similar to taking a screenshot, but the new UI will let you select anything on the screen using the mouse cursor.

Even though the new UI in Chrome mirrors the Circle to Search experience on Android, it does not exactly work similarly. You cannot circle, doodle, or draw any shape in the browser in this interface. Instead, you can make rectangular selections.

Is it different from Google Lens?

The new Circle to Search-like experience will be available as part of Google Lens in Chrome, which has been available for a long time. However, it works very differently in its current state. Although you can take a screenshot of the Chrome screen, the process is a bit tedious and not intuitive. With the new animation to the Lens UI, the search experience for Chrome users may significantly improve, while the features set available on Google’s Chrome and Android become more alike. Chrome’s new UI is currently available to select users, but Google may begin rolling it out to users widely in the coming days.