At the Pixel 9 launch event, Google announced a handy new update for Circle to Search. It said you could soon share the highlighted portion of the screen as an image file. The new tool is now rolling out globally. Your Galaxy phone should automatically pick it up via server-side update.
Circle to Search on your Galaxy now lets you share selected object
Debuted on the Galaxy S24 series, Circle to Search is an AI-powered Google feature that lets you quickly search for anything on the screen. You can circle any object or text to run a Google search for it. The feature works on almost every app, barring a few that don’t allow sharing of information from the screen.
Last month, Google said Circle to Search will add the ability to share the selected object as an image file. The update was supposed to roll out in September, and it has. When you circle an object or image on the screen, a “Share” button pops up over it. Tapping it brings up the system share sheet. You can share the image with anyone via any supported app.
This method is a perfect solution when you don’t want to share the full screenshot. Instead of taking a screenshot and cropping it, you can simply use Circle to Search to select the portion you want to share and quickly create an image file for it. Remember that it doesn’t save the image to your phone. The share button also doesn’t work for text. If you select a text, you can either copy or translate it.
The new Circle to Search feature is rolling out globally. We received it with version 15.32.37.28 of the app, without needing to update to the latest version (15.34.35.28). This suggests Google enabled the feature via a server-side change. If you haven’t already received it, you should soon. Gemini Live, which Google announced at the same event, is already available on Galaxy phones.
Sumit is passionate about technology and has been professionally writing on tech since 2017. He’s a mathematics graduate by education and enjoys teaching basic mathematics tricks to school kids in his spare time. Sumit believes in artificial intelligence and dreams of a fully open, intelligent and connected world.
