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Google's Circle to Search can now identify multiple objects in an image
To coincide with the release of Samsung's new Galaxy S26 family of phones, Google is pushing out a small but meaningful update to Circle to Search. As a reminder, Circle to Search allows you to carry out a Google Search from almost anywhere on your phone. Just tap and hold your device's home button, and then circle the passage or image you want to know more about. With previous iterations of Circle to Search, the tool's underlying AI system was limited to searching against a single object in an image. Now, thanks to Gemini 3, it can scan and identify multiple objects at the same time. Naturally, Google is quick to point out the boon this represents for shopaholics. If you see a fit you like on Instagram, you can circle an entire person and the tool will attempt to find a match for each item they're wearing, including any shoes and accessories. At the same time, Google has made it easier to see how those clothes might look on you by bringing its virtual try on feature directly inside of Circle to Search. The benefits of the new model aren't only limited to shopping queries. Building on a search technique Google debuted with AI Mode, Circle to Search can now also reason through the relationship between different objects in an image. So say you see a photo of a coral reef and want to know how all the different pictured fish live together, Circle to Search will not only be able to identify the different species shown but also explain how they coexist with one another. Google is bringing the new and improved Circle to Search to Galaxy S26 and Pixel 10 phones first before rolling it out to more Android devices soon.
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Circle to Search just made impulse buys so much more dangerous
A new "Try it on" button is integrated directly into the search overlay, allowing you to instantly enter a virtual dressing room to test how clothes fit your body type. Circle to Search has always been great for finding that one specific pair of shoes or a random hiking trail on your screen. Now, imagine being able to identify all the decor in a room or create a full mood board in one go. Starting today, Google is upgrading this Android feature so you can explore several objects in an image at the same time. If you spot a creator's incredible fit on your social feed today, you don't have to highlight the sneakers and then go back to search for the jacket. On flagship devices like the newly launched Samsung Galaxy S26 or Pixel 10, you just tap or circle the entire outfit to completely deconstruct the look, according to a blog post by Harsh Kharbanda, Director of Product Management for Google Search. Circle to Search quickly identifies each clothing item and accessory. You get a comprehensive breakdown of similar items to immediately jumpstart your shopping experience. This update combines visual discovery with quick action, and its best feature is the new virtual dressing room. It is one thing to find a great shirt; it is another to know if it actually works for your body type. Now, when inspiration strikes, you just circle the outfit, tap "Find the look," and select "Try it on" to enter a virtual dressing room right from the search overlay. How does Google make this work? The key is Gemini 3's agentic planning, reasoning, and tool features. Instead of just matching a single image, the AI follows a multi-step process. It picks out and crops the important parts of the image, runs several searches at once, and brings everything together for a complete answer. This multi-object recognition is not limited strictly to fashion, either. If you are redesigning a living room and want to capture the entire mid-century modern aesthetic, you can highlight the entire scene rather than selecting a single lamp. Whether you are curating a mood board or satisfying a multi-layered curiosity about everything in a photo, the tool handles it all simultaneously. These new features are available starting today, February 25, for the Samsung Galaxy S26 series and the latest Pixel 10 devices. Google also plans to add them to more Android phones soon.
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Google has upgraded Circle to Search with Gemini 3's agentic AI planning to scan and identify multiple objects in an image simultaneously. The update includes a virtual try-on dressing room integrated directly into the search overlay, launching first on Samsung Galaxy S26 and Pixel 10 devices before expanding to more Android phones.
Google has rolled out a meaningful upgrade to Circle to Search, transforming how users interact with visual content on their Android devices. The feature, which allows users to carry out a Google Search by simply tapping and holding the home button before circling any passage or image, can now identify multiple objects in an image simultaneously
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. This advancement arrives alongside Samsung's Galaxy S26 family launch and represents a shift from the tool's previous limitation of searching against only a single object at a time.
Source: Android Authority
Powered by Gemini 3, the updated Circle to Search leverages agentic AI planning, reasoning, and tool features to process complex visual queries
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. The AI model follows a multi-step process that picks out and crops important parts of an image, runs comprehensive searches at once, and brings everything together for a complete answer. This means users can now circle an entire outfit on Instagram and receive a breakdown of each clothing item and accessory, rather than having to highlight the sneakers and then return to search for the jacket separately.Google has integrated a virtual "Try it on" dressing room directly into the Circle to Search overlay, making impulse buys more accessible than ever
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. When users spot a creator's outfit on their social feed, they can circle the entire look, tap "Find the look," and select "Try it on" to enter a virtual dressing room right from the search overlay. This feature allows users to instantly test how clothes fit their body type without leaving the search interface.According to Harsh Kharbanda, Director of Product Management for Google Search, this update combines visual discovery with quick action to jumpstart the shopping experience
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. Users get a comprehensive breakdown of similar items immediately after circling an outfit, enabling them to see how those clothes might look on themselves before making a purchase decision. The integration removes friction from the discovery-to-purchase journey, though it also raises questions about how this seamless experience might encourage unplanned spending.The benefits of multi-object recognition extend well beyond shopping queries. Building on a search technique Google debuted with AI Mode, Circle to Search can now reason through the relationship between different objects in an image
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. If a user sees a photo of a coral reef and wants to know how all the different pictured fish live together, Circle to Search will not only identify the different species shown but also explain how they coexist with one another.This capability proves useful for interior design enthusiasts redesigning a living room who want to capture an entire mid-century modern aesthetic by highlighting the entire scene rather than selecting a single lamp
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. Whether curating a mood board or satisfying multi-layered curiosity about everything in a photo, the tool handles it all simultaneously. The AI's ability to understand context and relationships between objects marks a step forward in how visual search tools can serve educational and creative purposes.Related Stories
These new features launched on February 25 for the Samsung Galaxy S26 and Pixel 10 devices
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. Google plans to roll out the upgraded Circle to Search to more Android devices soon, though no specific timeline has been announced1
. The phased rollout strategy prioritizes flagship devices first, giving early adopters access to Gemini 3's advanced capabilities while Google likely monitors performance and user feedback before broader deployment across the Android ecosystem.Summarized by
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