Find Similar Images lets you use any image in your library as a query to discover other assets that look similar to the reference(source) asset. Instead of relying only on keywords or file names. Pics.io analyzes the visual characteristics of the selected image (color, composition, objects, structure) and returns visually similar or nearly identical results.
This is especially helpful when you know how an asset looks (e.g., a final edited JPG, a watermarked social post, a low-res preview) and need to quickly locate original RAW files, alternates, or derivatives that may not share consistent tags or metadata.
How it works
When you trigger Find Similar Images on an image asset, Pics.io:
Creates/uses an embedding of the source image (AI vector representation powered by our default Pics.io AI model).
Compares it with embeddings of indexed assets in your library.
Assets surfaced by this feature are marked with the same “sparks” AI badge used by Visual Search.
NB! Find Similar Images feature works with image assets only, such as JPG, JPEG, WEBP, PNG, GIF, AVIF, TIF, and other common image formats
Availability
The Find Similar Images feature is part of the AI Kit and is available starting from Tier 1. It relies on Visual Search, so Visual Search must be enabled for your account to use this feature. The search works only within your own Pics.io library.
By default, Find Similar Images is not enabled for any subscription plan and must be manually activated. Users with a Tier 1 subscription can enable Visual Search themselves via the My Team page under the Artificial Intelligence section, or contact our support team for assistance.
How to Find Similar Images
To start a Find Similar Images search, simply select the asset you want to use as the source. You can do this from any standard view in your Pics.io library:
Grid view: Hover over the asset thumbnail and click the Find Similar Images icon (magnifying glass).
List view: Hover over the row actions for the chosen asset and click the Find Similar Images icon.
Asset Preview: While viewing the asset, click the Find Similar Images icon in the left vertical toolbar.
Once clicked, you’ll be taken to the search results page, which uses the same layout as a standard text search.
Understanding results
Search bar state: When you perform a Find Similar Images search, the search bar updates to show a mini-thumbnail and filename of the source image, clearly indicating that you are in a visual search context.
Similarity level: You can adjust the Similarity slider to control how closely results should match your selected image: lower values explore similar styles, while higher values return almost identical images.
A Back icon appears on the left side of the search input. Clicking it works like your browser’s Back button, returning you to the previous page or search.
You can further refine results using all the regular tools, including filters, collections, sorting, and more.
How to check if it’s enabled
If your account has Visual Search enabled and the selected asset is a supported image format with an embedding, the Find Similar Images icon will appear when you hover over the asset in Grid and List views, as well as in the left vertical toolbar in Preview view.
On the search results page, you can confirm the visual search is active by looking for the source banner, the mini-thumbnail in the search bar, and the “sparks” badges on matching results.
Each AI Kit tier has a limit on the number of assets that can be processed for Visual Search and Find Similar Images. If your library exceeds these limits, or if your account has a coverage smaller than the full library, not all assets will be processed, and therefore the Find Similar Images icon will not appear on every asset. The icon is visible only on assets that:
Are in a supported file format.
Have been processed and included in the searchable coverage.
NB! Collections or assets outside the searchable coverage will not be discoverable by this feature.
If you have any questions or need help using Find Similar Images, please contact our support team - we’re happy to assist.
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