Bellingcat Image & Video Investigation Tools
Tools for verifying, analyzing, and extracting information from photos and videos. Covers reverse image search, metadata extraction, facial recognition, and video forensics.
Choosing Tools
- Use reverse search to investigate provenance, metadata tools for origin clues, and forensic tools to assess possible manipulation.
- Treat facial-recognition results as leads, not identification; corroborate with independent evidence and consider privacy impacts.
Tools
Reverse Image Search
| Tool |
Best for |
Cost |
Description |
Guide |
| Google Lens |
An image recognition tool that can be used to identify locations or objects in photographs. |
Free |
Google Lens is an image recognition tool that can be used to identify locations or objects in photographs. |
Details |
| InVID |
A toolkit that supports the verification of videos and images. |
Free |
A toolkit that supports the verification of videos and images. |
Details |
| RootAbout |
Reverse search images on the Internet Archive |
Free |
Reverse search images on the Internet Archive |
Details |
| Search by Image |
A browser extension to reverse search an image on multiple search engines. |
Free |
A browser extension to reverse search an image on multiple search engines. |
Details |
| TinEye |
A search engine that allows the user to search using images (reverse image search). |
Free |
TinEye is a search engine that allows the user to search using images (reverse image search). |
Details |
Facial Recognition
| Tool |
Best for |
Cost |
Description |
Guide |
| Amazon Rekognition |
Check how similar two faces are |
Free |
Check how similar two faces are |
|
| Azure AI Video Indexer |
AI video tool for facial detection and other types of insights. |
Paid |
AI video tool for facial detection and other types of insights. |
Details |
| Face Comparison by ToolPie |
Compares two human face photos to determine similarity. |
Free |
Compares two human face photos to determine similarity. |
Details |
| FaceCheck.ID |
A facial recognition search engine that tries to find photos of people that look similar… |
Paid |
A facial recognition search engine that tries to find photos of people that look similar to a person of interest. |
Details |
| PimEyes |
An AI-powered facial recognition reverse image search tool. |
Paid |
An AI-powered facial recognition reverse image search tool. |
Details |
| Search4Faces |
Upload the picture of a face and find pictures of similar looking people on VKontakte,… |
Free |
Upload the picture of a face and find pictures of similar looking people on VKontakte, Odnoklassniki, TikTok and Club... |
Details |
Metadata & EXIF
| Tool |
Best for |
Cost |
Description |
Guide |
| ExifPurge |
EXIF Purge is a small portable application to remove EXIF metadata from multiple images at… |
Free |
EXIF Purge is a small portable application to remove EXIF metadata from multiple images at once. With the click of a ... |
|
| Forensically |
A collection of web-based image forensics tools. |
Free |
A collection of web-based image forensics tools. Can identify fake or doctored images. |
Details |
| FotoForensics |
Image forensics tool. |
Free |
Image forensics tool. |
|
| InVID |
A toolkit that supports the verification of videos and images. |
Free |
A toolkit that supports the verification of videos and images. |
Details |
| Irfanview |
Windows-based software to extract metadata. |
Free |
Windows-based software to extract metadata. |
|
| Jimpl |
Online EXIF data viewer |
Free |
Online EXIF data viewer |
|
| metadata2go |
Check metadata for both photos and videos online. |
Free |
Check metadata for both photos and videos online. |
|
| Reveal Image Verification Assistant |
Forensic providing eight filters to detect still images alterations. |
Free |
Forensic providing eight filters to detect still images alterations. Web-based image tool. Also available within InVI... |
|
| xIFr |
A Firefox add-on for extracting EXIF metadata by right-clicking an image. |
Free |
A Firefox add-on for extracting EXIF metadata by right-clicking an image. |
Details |
Image Misc
| Tool |
Best for |
Cost |
Description |
Guide |
| AmIReal |
Github - GAN detector detects if faces were generated by ThisPersonDoesNotExist |
Free |
Github - GAN detector detects if faces were generated by ThisPersonDoesNotExist |
|
| AutoStitch |
Autostitch is a free tool for seamlessly combining multiple photos into a single panoramic… |
Free |
Autostitch is a free tool for seamlessly combining multiple photos into a single panoramic image, making it ideal for... |
Details |
| Cleanup.Pictures |
Web tool for quickly removing objects from an image. |
Free |
Web tool for quickly removing objects from an image. |
|
| fdupes |
Github - Locating exact matches of duplicate files. |
Free |
Github - Locating exact matches of duplicate files. |
|
| Forensically |
A collection of web-based image forensics tools. |
Free |
A collection of web-based image forensics tools. Can identify fake or doctored images. |
Details |
| Hugin |
A free and open-source panorama photo stitching and HDR (High Dynamic Range imaging)… |
Free |
Hugin is a free and open-source panorama photo stitching and HDR (High Dynamic Range imaging) merging software that h... |
Details |
| InVID |
A toolkit that supports the verification of videos and images. |
Free |
A toolkit that supports the verification of videos and images. |
Details |
| IPVM Calculator |
Tool for simulating camera views (for geolocations). |
Free |
Tool for simulating camera views (for geolocations). |
|
| PureRef |
Image workspace; lets you arrange images in groups, organize them, etc. |
Free |
Image workspace; lets you arrange images in groups, organize them, etc. |
|
Investigation Tips
- Start with reverse image search (Google Lens, TinEye) to find the earliest known appearance of an image
- Extract EXIF metadata (Jimpl, metadata2go, xIFr) to find camera model, date, and GPS coordinates
- Use Forensically for a suite of forensic filters to detect manipulation (clone detection, error level analysis)
- For videos, use InVID to extract key frames for reverse image search and verify authenticity
- PimEyes or FaceCheck.ID for facial recognition — be aware of ethical and privacy considerations
- AmIReal detects GAN-generated faces; use before trusting facial recognition results
