Source
r/manga•
ekol

[PSA] Reverse image search for manga pages/panels turn up little or no results in Google image search as SafeSearch always on for images; Turn it off using Hidden option in the HTML in Search settings.

TL;DR - Reverse image searches in Google turn up 0 results for manga pages/panels due to the SafeSearch always being on for images. Hidden option in the HTML on Search settings page to disable it.

Came across this issue just recently via this post.

  • Noticed this as I was on the grandfathered "off" against others with filtered SafeSearch image results.

  • Reverse image searching results in filtered image results showing no hits in Google search:

  • Example 1 vs Example 2

SafeSearch is always ON for image searches filtering out results

Solution as per this thread and comment by thisisteekay.

Here's how to turn it off for real in Chrome or Firefox.

  1. Go to Google, click on Settings in the bottom right and choose Search Settings.
  2. Right-click on the Turn on/off SafeSearch checkbox text and choose Inspect Element.
  3. Below the div that holds the checkbox, locate the hidden HTML input named "safeui". (If you're new to code, to help you locate this input element, toggle SafeSearch on and off. You should see a hidden input named safeui switching between the values on and images.)
  4. Double-click on the value—either the word "on" or "images"—and type "off". Hit Enter to commit your change.
  5. Hit the Save button at the bottom of the page to save this as your default search preference.

Edit: Thanks for the gold! Be sure to checkout COLOSSAL_SHITPOST's solution if this one seems too tricky.

Just another note, according to the thread and comment linked from above this change came in some time during 2013, it is not a super recent change and if you did not mess around with SafeSearch any time recently it will be set to "off" instead of "images", see the thread linked and the initial post for more context.

I only noticed this as I was on the grandfathered "off" against others with filtered SafeSearch image results.

edits: clarity and tl;dr, better vid, resubmitted due to my dumb title from before, extra note

Posted Nov 21, 2015, 2:24 PM UTC · edited

13814
Hulligannerhttp://myanimelist.net/mangalist/Hulli•

This is actually interesting and useful, i always thought about why i could never get any results in some image searches. I will most surely try this as soon as i can.

9
Dan_Ugore•

Thanks for the heads-up. Here's a quick easy shortcut.

Go to Google Settings
F12 or Right-Click -> Inspect Element -> Console

$('input[name="safeui"]').value = "off"

Save your settings.

5
Xbser•

Cool, never knew about this "feature" of the SafeSearch. Fixed my settings, thank you.

Also I see you have a GW2 bookmark, I just recently starting playing again when I heard HoT and a raid had launched :D.

3
PlantationMint•

Very useful! thanks OP

2
[deleted]•

[deleted]

1
Xenadrael•

Question: How is this different than just unchecking the box? (i.e. turning safe search off)

I went to go do this but found that it was already off for me. I assumed it was just because I have my settings set so safe search is off but is this not actually the reason?

1
Floridian727•

The off setting actually only removes safe search from general searches it still keeps it enabled for Images which is why you change the "Image" to "off" completely disabling it and unrestricting your searches

6
Xenadrael•

hmm so why was mine off already before actually doing anything other than turning safe search off the normal way?

0
ekolOP•

Looks like if you previously had SafeSearch off from bygones/ an age ago you'd have safeui set to off and not images see my response here:

Yep, mine was set to "off" from god knows how many years ago when I turned SafeSearch off, I only learned about it from the post I encountered it in though I understand that this image SafeSearch change has been around for longer according to the thread where I found the solution.

In fact mine was previously "off" until qhp was asking what I did to make it work vs why his didn't work, I just flicked SafeSearch ON and OFF and was able to replicate his search results.

1
otaku_platypushttp://myanimelist.net/mangalist/OtakuPlatypus•

How do you do this on mobile?

1
SinnermightyBLhttp://myanimelist.net/mangalist/Sinnermighty•

Odd, my value was already set to Off and I haven't touched it before.

1
ekolOP•

Yep, mine was set to "off" from god knows how many years ago when I turned SafeSearch off, I only learned about it from the post I encountered it in though I understand that this image SafeSearch change has been around for longer according to the thread where I found the solution.

1
zel0•

Imagine all the sauce I could have found if I had known about this...

1
carafuru•

omg thanks op!

1
Prenatal_Tribadism•

Will this work across all platforms, or do I need to do this for every computer I use?

Edit: I'm asking if chrome's synchronization will sync this too

1