After updating Edge on Android to support all desktop extensions, Microsoft has started rolling out a new feature to the Windows 11 Snipping Tool. This update mimics one of the most useful capabilities of mobile devices — visual search, similar to the “circle to search” feature on Android.
The feature integrates Bing Visual Search, Microsoft’s alternative to Google Lens, directly into the Snipping Tool — the system’s native screenshot utility.
This feature allows users to search for information about anything visible on their screen using a simple screenshot. The feature is being rolled out to all users in the stable version through an app update, specifically version 11.2508.29.0.
How the Integrated Visual Search Works
The new feature fits naturally into the workflow that many users already follow. When launching the Snipping Tool with the familiar shortcut Win + Shift + S, the usual toolbar appears (thanks Windows Latest), allowing users to select a specific area of the screen.
Once the desired portion is selected, a new Visual Search button appears next to the editing tools. Clicking this icon automatically uploads the selected image to Bing’s Visual Search engine.
When the search is performed, a new browser tab opens where Bing displays results related to the captured image. This allows users to identify objects, find similar products, or extract text from images.
This update aims to integrate natively a feature that previously required third-party apps or the browser itself.
