How to find free images that you can use on Google Search

When you search for images on Google, all the images that turn up are not free to use, in case you were not aware. While some images can be used by giving the original source credit, you might be violating some very expensive copyright laws if you use some of the others without actually purchasing them.

While stock photos are a go-to for most of us content creators, finding the right image is often a problem when you want to ensure it comes with no legal liabilities.

Also Read: Google Images is making it easier for users to find images they have a right to use

However, thanks to Google's new updated Image Search, it is easier to find free-to-use images. And also find images that are not free for use but you can license and then use them for free.

Here's how you can do that:

- Search for the image you want just like you normally would on Google Search. Once the results turn up, click on Images from the options under the search bar.

- Click on ‘Tools' to get the filter menu.

- Now, click on ‘Usage Rights' and you will see the option to sort images by their license - Creative Commons or commercial use.

Google also tells you now how to obtain rights for a licensed image directly from its description.

Now, if you don't click on any of the Usage Rights options, Google will show you all images that fit your search criteria. All the images that lack licensing data will be labeled with a warning - “images may be subject to copyright'.

Google only provides licensing details for images if a creator or a publisher has already provided this information, so the best option to avoid unknowingly using a copyrighted pic is to filter out photos that lack this information.

If you can't find the right image on Google, you can always scan through copyrights-free stock photo sites like Pixabay. They definitely do not have exhaustive options like Google Search but they do have some interesting options and the photo quality is better.