YouTube are testing a new feature that makes Shorts more interactive using the power of Google Lens to unlock discovery.

YouTube are looking to revolutionise the way that we interact with short-form video content. They have begun testing a new feature that uses Google Lens to recognise content within YouTube Shorts and presents Google results for more information.

The new feature will mean that viewers can select things within the video to learn more about it from Google results. For example, in the case of a YouTube Short that is shot in an iconic location, a viewer could tap on landmarks to learn more about them and the location of the Short.

The feature will also reportedly be able to recognise plants, animals, and objects within the video which can be tapped on to find out more. Google state that Lens does not use biometric facial recognition, however it will occassionally show results for “notable public figures”.

From an announcement within a ‘This Week at YouTube’ video, it seems to work by allowing you to draw around an object. Google Lens will then analyse what is contained within your lines to bring up Google results about it.

The new feature is rolling out in beta to all viewers this week. Here’s how you can try it out for yourself:

  1. Open the YouTube App.
  2. Tap Shorts  at the bottom of the screen.
  3. Pause the Short by tapping on the screen.
  4. Select Lens in the top menu.
    1. Note: You will see a message about terms and conditions pop up the first time that you use the feature. Tap X or anywhere else on the video to dismiss the message.
  5. Draw, highlight, or tap on anything on the screen to search with Lens.
  6. You can also tap translate  on the lower right side of the screen to translate any captions in the video.
  7. When finished, tap X on the upper left hand side of your screen or swipe down at the top of the results panel to close the results page.

During the beta phase, the results will not include adverts. That means that the results thrown up by lens will be organic content that Google’s algorithm has decided provides the best quality result.

Lens in Shorts is rolling out to all users this week. However, Shorts which contain YouTube Shopping affiliate tags will not be compatible with Lens search functionality. Users can leave feedback on their experiences using Lens in Shorts by tapping the three-dot menu and leaving a comment.