Google Lens simplifies and consolidates into three filters

Abner Li | Dec 15 2023 - 9:19 am PT

Google has simplified Lens so that users only have to decide between three filters when performing a visual search.

Previously, Google Lens offered a carousel of six filters — Translate, Text, Search, Homework, Shopping, and Dining — that didn’t fit into the same screen and required scrolling.

Google recently updated Lens, so you just have Translate, Search, and Homework. The company tells 9to5Google that the goal is to let you “more easily find what you’re looking for right when you come to Lens, without needing to switch over to a specialized filter.”

No functionality has been lost in Lens, going from six to three filters. Instead, Google merged many of the “specialized” filters into the default Search tab. Following research, Google found that users prefer having one filter for everything rather than needing to manually decide and switch.

For example, you can still copy/OCR text by selecting and using the toolbar, though the experience for it is slightly less dedicated.

Meanwhile, Shopping results are surfaced in the main Search mode as well. Google picking to highlight Homework capabilities reflects recent addition to Lens, while visual Translate is an obvious and popular feature.

With this change, which is rolled out on Android and iOS, Google has added icons to each of the three Lens filters, while an “Add to your search” text field appears below the viewfinder to refine your query. A blue accent that matches the rest of Search is also now leveraged.