ImageGuesser

Manual image verification

How to check whether an image is AI-generated

Follow the source, inspect available provenance, then use visual clues to decide what to investigate next. Both people and automated detectors can make mistakes.

This page is a manual guide. It does not accept image uploads or return a detector score. The links below help you check an image using source records and external verification tools.

Start the five-step checkPractice on the daily puzzle

A source-first workflow

  1. 1

    Write down the claim

    Is the question whether the image is synthetic, whether it was edited, or whether its caption is accurate? Those are different investigations.

    Keep the original post or source link and the version of the image you received.

  2. 2

    Find an earlier or original source

    Use reverse image search, the credited photographer, or the publisher’s own page. Compare the actual scene and caption with the version being shared.

    If you cannot establish a source, keep the origin unresolved rather than guessing.

  3. 3

    Inspect available provenance

    Look for Content Credentials or a supported watermark check. Read what the result actually establishes about the file’s origin or editing history.

    Absence of a record or watermark does not prove that a photograph is authentic.

  4. 4

    Use visual clues to ask better questions

    Inspect visible anatomy, object junctions, text, reflections and lighting. First account for pose, focus, compression, several lights and ordinary editing.

    A plausible image can be generated; an unusual photograph can be genuine.

  5. 5

    Record an evidence-based conclusion

    Keep source links, the observations you could reproduce, and any unresolved contradictions. A detector score or a visual impression cannot replace that record.

    “I cannot establish its origin” is a useful conclusion when evidence is insufficient.

See a worked source check and the tools' limitations →

Two examples from our own archive

These lessons compare credited photographs with generated candidates from published puzzles. They show why an apparently sensible shortcut can fail.

Choose a conclusion the evidence supports

Evidence of AI use
A supported provenance or watermark result identifies creation or editing with AI. Record which system and what part of the file it covers.
A photographic source with context
An attributable source supports the image's history. You still need to check whether the current caption, date and location match that history.
Origin unresolved
The evidence is incomplete or contradictory. Describe the gap instead of declaring a person's photograph fake because it looks unusual.

Sources and further checks

Our worked examples explain observations in published ImageGuesser puzzles. For provenance tools and their limits, consult the organizations that maintain them:

Examples and guidance updated . A visual clue is a reason to investigate; it is not a universal authenticity test.