YouTube Shorts is getting smarter, thanks to Google Lens

Soon, your favourite viral Shorts on YouTube will be more than just entertaining, they’ll be interactive. YouTube has announced that Google Lens is coming to Shorts, letting viewers search for anything they see, right from the screen.

Yes, you can finally pause that quirky travel vlog, tap the castle in the background, and learn that it’s actually Neuschwanstein, the real-life inspiration for Disney’s Cinderella castle.

Here’s how it works

While watching a Short, pause the video by tapping the screen. A new “Lens” icon will appear at the top. Tap it, then draw or tap on anything in the frame, text, objects, and even landmarks. Want to translate text in a foreign language? Tap the “translate” button in the lower right corner. To exit, either tap the “X” or swipe the results down.

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The best part here is that search results appear directly over the video. No switching apps. No new tabs. Just a smooth, immersive flow between watching and learning.

For first-time users, a quick terms and conditions message pops up. Tap anywhere to continue, and you’re good to go.

As of now, the feature is rolling out in beta to all users this week. And during this test phase, Lens results will be blissfully ad-free. There’s one catch – it won’t work on Shorts that include Shopping affiliate links or paid promotions.

But for the rest of YouTube Shorts? It’s a whole new layer of discovery. With Google Lens baked into Shorts, YouTube is turning every scroll into a search, and every clip into a chance to explore.

By layering in Google’s AI features like Lens, YouTube has enhanced its core experience without changing what users love. It’s not about reinventing the platform, it’s about adding smart, invisible tools that empower users to do more. The result is services that feel more helpful, more intuitive, yet remain comfortably familiar.