Skip to main content
    Step 1 of 5
    Phone & Tablet
    Beginner
    3 min read 5 stepsApril 19, 2026Verified April 2026

    How to Use Circle to Search on Android

    Circle to Search lets you search anything on your screen — a word, image, or video — without leaving the app you're in.

    At a Glance

    Category
    Phone & Tablet
    Difficulty
    Beginner
    Read Time
    3 min read
    Steps
    5
    Topics covered
    circle to search
    android
    google search
    android tips
    pixel
    samsung

    In this guide (5 steps):

    1. 1.Check if your phone has Circle to Search
    2. 2.Enable Circle to Search
    3. 3.Activate it
    4. 4.Search for something
    5. 5.Use the results
    1

    Check if your phone has Circle to Search

    ~19s
    Circle to Search works on Samsung Galaxy phones (S24 series, A54, and newer) and Google Pixel phones (Pixel 6 and newer). Go to your phone's SettingsDisplayNavigation Bar to see if Circle to Search is listed. If you don't see it, your phone may not support this feature yet.
    2

    Enable Circle to Search

    ~16s
    On Samsung: Go to SettingsDisplayNavigation BarCircle to Search, and tap the toggle to turn it on. On Google Pixel: Go to SettingsSystemCircle to Search and toggle it on. Once enabled, it's ready to use right away.
    3

    Activate it

    ~15s
    While viewing any screen on your phone, press and hold the Home button at the bottom of the screen (the circular button). The screen will freeze slightly and a glowing outline will appear around the edges, indicating Circle to Search is active.
    4

    Search for something

    ~26s
    Draw a circle around anything on the screen — a product, a person's face, a word, a plant, a landmark — anything. You can also tap on a specific item, or drag your finger across text to highlight it. After you release, Google search results appear at the bottom of the screen.

    Quick Tip

    You can also tap the microphone icon to ask a voice question about what's on your screen, or tap the camera icon to let Google analyze the entire screen automatically.

    5

    Use the results

    ~18s
    The search results appear in a panel at the bottom. Swipe up to see more results. Tap any result to open it. When you're done, swipe down or tap the X to dismiss Circle to Search and return to what you were doing — your app will still be exactly where you left it.

    You Did It!

    You've finished reading: How to Use Circle to Search on Android

    How well did this guide stick with you?

    Need more help? Book a TekSure tech

    Circle to Search is an Android feature from Google. It lets you look something up without leaving the app you are in.

    Say you are watching a YouTube video, reading a news article, or scrolling social media. You can circle, highlight, scribble on, or tap anything on the screen, and Google search results appear right away.

    This is especially useful when you see something and want to know more — for example, you're watching a cooking video and want to find the recipe, or you see a product and want to buy it, or you're reading about a person and want to learn who they are.

    Circle to Search works on most Android phones from 2023 and newer, including most Samsung Galaxy phones and Google Pixel phones. Your phone needs to be running Android 14 or later (Android 15 is the current version).

    Before Circle to Search existed, finding information about something you saw on your phone meant stopping, opening Google, typing a description, and hoping to find what you were looking for. Circle to Search makes this instant and much more accurate because Google can see exactly what's on your screen.

    Rate this guide

    How helpful was this guide?

    circle to search
    android
    google search
    android tips
    pixel
    samsung

    Official Resources

    Apple Support — iPhoneGoogle Help — AndroidSamsung Support

    Sources used to create and verify this guide. View all sources →

    ← Previous

    How to Track Walks and Runs with Nike Run Club

    Next →

    How to Use Google One VPN for Private Browsing

    Still stuck? Let a pro handle it.

    A real person can walk you through this over the phone, anywhere in the US. If we can't fix it, you don't pay.

    Book a Verified Tech How It Works

    Learn more from official sources

    Related Guides

    How to Set Up a New iPhone

    Got a new iPhone? This guide walks you through every step from turning it on to signing in with your Apple ID.

    2 min read

    How to Set Up a New Android Phone

    A beginner-friendly walkthrough for setting up a new Android phone from scratch — including your Google account.

    2 min read

    How to Move Your Contacts to a New Phone

    Don't lose your contacts when switching phones. Here's how to transfer them to iPhone or Android in minutes.

    2 min read