How to Identify Plants, Dogs and Landmarks on iPhone With Visual Look Up

You snap a flower on a walk, a dog in the park or a building on holiday, and wonder what it is.

Visual Look Up identifies them right in the Photos app. No plant app, no Googling.

Visual Look Up recognises things in your photos, like plants and flowers, pets and dog breeds, landmarks, art, and even symbols on laundry labels and car dashboards. When it spots something, the info button in Photos gets a little sparkle.

Takes: 30 seconds · Works on: iPhone XS, XR or later, iOS 15 or later · Cost: free, built into your iPhone

Photos > Open a photo > Info button > Look Up

1. Open a photo. Open a photo of a plant, animal or landmark in Photos.
2. Tap the info button. Look for the info (i) button with a sparkle, and tap it.
3. Tap Look Up. Tap the Look Up label or the icon that appears on the photo.
4. Read the results. See matches with descriptions and links to find out more.

💡 Photograph the laundry label on a jumper, then use Look Up. It explains what those confusing washing symbols mean.

• Touch and hold the subject, then drag it into Messages to make a sticker or cut-out.
• It works in Safari too. Touch and hold an image and look for Look Up.
• Take the photo close up and in good light for the best results.
• If there's no sparkle on the info button, your iPhone didn't find anything to identify.

Is it always right?

It's good, but not perfect. Don't rely on it to decide whether a plant or mushroom is safe to eat.

Does it work in every country?

Availability varies by region and language, but it covers most English-speaking countries.