You can use SynthID Verification, a tool available within the Gemini App for signed-in users, to help identify images generated or edited by Google's AI models.
What you need
- A personal account or qualified Workspace account
- To use the Gemini app, you should have the latest version.
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To use this feature, you must be signed in to Gemini Apps. Learn how to sign in to Gemini Apps.
Upload your content for verification
Important: You can only choose a single image to verify at a time, and it should have a file size of 100 MB or less. If you're taking a screenshot of an image to verify, make sure to crop tight around the image to get maximum accuracy, and don’t upload a collage of multiple distinct images.
- On your computer, go to https://gemini.google.com.
- Click Add files
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- To upload a supported file from your device click Files
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- To upload a supported file from your Photo library click Gallery
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- To add a supported file from your Google Drive click Drive
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Tip: To add files from your Drive, you need to have Keep Activity on and connect Google Workspace to Gemini Apps. If it’s not connected, you'll get the option to connect it. Learn about your Gemini Apps and Google Workspace data.
- To upload a supported file from your device click Files
- Ask a verification question such as:
- "Was this created or edited by Google AI?"
- "Is this AI-generated?"
- "Is this image real?"
Tip: You can also type @synthid to start an analysis of an image you've added.
About the verification results
After the verification process is complete, Gemini will provide a response based on the results of the verification.
- If a SynthID watermark is detected, it means all or part of the image was created or edited by Google's AI models.
- If a SynthID watermark isn’t detected, it means the image wasn’t created or edited by Google AI, but it could have been created by other AI systems.
- In some cases it isn’t clear if the image was created or edited by Google AI or not. Some common reasons for this are:
- "Not enough details to watermark" (e.g., very simple or abstract content).
- "Likely too small an edit" (minor alterations might not carry a detectable watermark).
You can ask follow-up questions for more detailed information, such as "How much of this image was generated?"
Other ways to identify AI-generated content
While content verification in the Gemini app can be a powerful tool, you can also use other methods to identify potentially AI-generated content:
- Look for visual artifacts: Examine images and videos for inconsistencies or errors that are common in AI-generated content. These can include:
- Inconsistent or garbled text within the image.
- Errors in small details, such as hands, teeth, or background elements.
- Inconsistent shadows and lighting.
- Repetitive patterns that seem unnatural.
- Reverse image search: Use reverse image search tools (e.g., Google Images) to find original sources or similar images. This can help you determine if the content has a known origin or if it's new and not created or altered by AI.
- Metadata analysis: If you have access to the original file (not a screenshot), you can check for embedded information.
- Camera information: Traditional photos often include EXIF data with camera models, dates, and settings. However, this is not always a reliable way to determine if the content was created or edited by AI as it can be altered.
- Traces of editing software: Metadata can sometimes show if professional editing software was used.
Common questions about SynthID
What is SynthID?
SynthID is a tool that embeds digital watermarks directly into content generated by Google's AI models. Currently, it can be used to verify whether an image was created by Google AI tools. Learn more about SynthID.
Why did Google create SynthID?
Generative AI technologies are rapidly evolving, and AI-generated content is becoming harder to distinguish from content not created or edited by AI. The ability to identify when content is AI-generated helps increase transparency.
Can SynthID still be used if the original AI-generated image is changed?
Yes. The digital watermark will usually still exist even if the image is re-scaled, re-colored, compressed or altered in other ways. There is still a chance that after many alterations the watermark won’t be detected.
What is the difference between digital watermarks and metadata added to AI-generated content?
Watermarks are embedded directly into content and used for verification purposes. The digital watermarks are not visible to users. Metadata allows content creators to add additional context with original files to provide more information about the content. Both watermarks and metadata are used to increase transparency around AI-generated content.
Is there a limit to the number of checks per day?
There is a daily usage quota of approximately 20 checks. If you reach this limit, the Gemini App will notify you.