| Firefox Is Adding Visual Search |
| Tuesday, 07 October 2025 | |||
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Mozilla has announced that it is adding a new feature to the Firefox desktop browser - visual search powered by Google Lens. Announcing the new feature, Gayatri, the product manager for Firefox Search, said that "For several years you've been able to effectively search the internet with a number of search providers in Firefox. As those solutions have evolved to include visual search we've decided to support image-based search via Lens in Firefox. With this integration, we're offering a frictionless, fast, and a curiosity-sparking way to (as Google puts it) "search what you see"."
At the moment, the tool is only available on the desktop version, though a similar option for mobile users is expected at some point. The thinking behind the addition is probably because industry reports on similar tools in other browsers such as Edge and Chrome show that the addition can improve search success rates and increase average order sizes by providing "shop the look" features.
While Firefox has always been positioned as an independent alternative to browsers from Google and Microsoft, if visual search is becoming an important feature to users, Mozilla needs to add it or risk losing users. The tricky part will be achieving this without upsetting its user base, who are traditionally keen on maintaining privacy. Such concerns from users may be mitigated by the emphasis from Mozilla on this being an opt-in feature. The addition is also seen as part of the move to browsers as being increasingly AI-driven, as seen by the integration of Copilot AI into Microsoft Edge. The announcement of the new tool says that browser users will be able to right-click on any image to search for similar products, places, or objects. The feature will also let you copy, translate, or search text from images. Google must be set as your default search engine for this feature to appear. Mozilla says the team will be listening closely to user feedback as the tool is rolled out. The developers are keen to hear whether the the placement in the context menu aligns with user expectations; whether users would prefer the option to choose your visual search provider. The team is also looking for feedback on where else users would like entry points to visual search, such as when opening a new tab, in the address bar, or on mobile devices. More InformationRelated ArticlesFirefox 1.0 Released 20 Years Ago Firefox 4 Final Release Available Now Edge Gains Browser Market Share While Firefox Flounders Firefox In Peril While Mozilla Rewards CEO Firefox Loses Users and Websites To be informed about new articles on I Programmer, sign up for our weekly newsletter, subscribe to the RSS feed and follow us on Twitter, Facebook or Linkedin. 
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