Since its introduction last year, Circle to Search has quickly become one of the most genuinely useful features on Android. The ability to quickly circle, highlight, or tap on anything on your screen to get more information without switching apps is a game-changer for daily use. And it’s clearly catching on, as Google just announced that the feature is now available on more than 300 million Android devices.
Today, Google is making this already-great tool even more powerful, bringing its most advanced AI search experience directly into Circle to Search and adding a fantastic new feature for mobile gamers.
Dive deeper with AI Mode
The biggest new capability is the integration of AI Mode right into Circle to Search. This allows you to go beyond a quick search and have a deep, conversational dive into a topic.
Here’s how it works: after you circle an object and get your initial AI Overview result, you can now scroll to the bottom and tap a new button to “dive deeper with AI Mode”. This lets you ask complex follow-up questions and explore content across the web that’s relevant to your visual search, all without ever leaving the app you started in. This powerful new feature is available today in the U.S. and India, where AI Mode is available.
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In-game help without leaving the action
The second new feature is a brilliant one for mobile gamers. Starting today, you can now get in-the-moment help with Circle to Search while you’re playing a game. If you need to identify a new character or are stuck and need to find a winning strategy, you no longer have to leave your game.
Simply activate Circle to Search, then circle or tap on what you need help with. You’ll get an AI Overview with information about what’s on your screen, and it will even include suggested videos to help you further navigate your game. This is available today in countries where AI Overviews are active.
Upgraded AI Overviews
Alongside these new features, the AI Overviews you get from visual searches are also getting an upgrade. Thanks to advancements in the latest Gemini models, the responses are now easier to read, do a better job of breaking down key information, and incorporate more visuals directly into the answers for even more context.
It’s great to see Google continue to build on one of its best new features. By adding the power of AI Mode for deeper research and practical in-game help, Circle to Search is becoming an even more indispensable tool for Android users.
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