If you were upset about the recent removal of the “View Image” button on Google’s image search engine, you’ll be happy to know a workaround has recently popped up. Specifically, a new Chrome Extension can be installed to generate the same old button that allows you to find an image and view it directly.

Getty Images, a large database company for high-quality photos, is the main reason the button was removed. Back in 2016, the company sued Google for allowing its search engine users for accessing images and downloading high-res versions without ever visiting the original source. Google and Getty Images reached an agreement that would let the tech giant continue to produce results from the smaller company’s database, but with some restrictions, including one where the “View Image” button was removed. In theory, this will force users to navigate to the original source to view an image, and possibly be required to access it via a subscription or purchase. The goal is supposed to protect copyrighted material from being pirated.

https://twitter.com/searchliaison/st...26180776845312

What the “View Image” Chrome extension does is offer the same photos in their respective resolution simply with a click. It’s unclear if this extension violates any of Google’s policies or agreements with Getty Images, so if you use the Chrome browser (or Firefox), go grab the extension from below while you can.

https://chrome.google.com/webstore/d...bdeclccemkghjk

https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/fir...on/view-image/