Search outside the box with new visual discovery tools on Pinterest

When it comes to looking for something you want to try—a new pasta dish, a new pair of shoes, a new table for your dining room—you really need to see it first. Humans are visual creatures. We use our eyes to decide if something looks good, or if it matches our style.

That’s the magic of Pinterest. Because everything’s visual, it’s easy to recognize an idea that appeals to your unique point of view. The second it catches your eye, you think, “That’s it!”

Pinterest is built for open-minded discovery. Just like when you’re out window-shopping. You see something that intrigues you, and you go inside. That’s how finding ideas on Pinterest should feel. And that’s exactly what we’re launching today.

Not everything is available in the United Kingdom just yet, but here’s a look at what you’ll be seeing now, along with a sneak peek at what’s coming.

See instant ideas inspired by Pins you love

Starting today, when you visit Pinterest, you’ll be able to see instant ideas in your home feed. When you notice an idea that looks interesting, just tap the circle that appears on each Pin to instantly unlock related ideas. Circle a clawfoot bathtub to see similar tub ideas, or an asparagus dish for more recipes.

The new ideas appear right inline, so it’s like you’re instantly reshaping your feed around whatever sparks your interest, all without losing your spot. Behind the scenes, your feed will get even more personalized, delivering you the very best ideas that people are loving on Pinterest, all in real time.

Bring ideas to life with “shop the look”—coming soon!

At the end of 2015, we introduced a way to pinpoint different items inside a Pin. So if you see a streetstyle Pin, you can pinpoint whatever they’re wearing—hat, shirt, jeans, shoes—and discover related ideas from there.

And with shop the look, soon you’ll be able to track down and even buy products you see in fashion and home decor Pins. Simply tap the circle that appears on each item to find the styles you’re looking for—you can even get the whole look if you want. Then see what other people have paired the item with for more ideas on how to wear it.

Search the world around you with Pinterest Lens—coming soon!

Sometimes you spot something out in the world that looks interesting, but when you try to search for it online later, words fail you. You have this rich, colorful picture in your mind, but you can’t translate it into the words you need to find it.

At Pinterest, we’ve developed new experimental technology that, for the first time ever, is capable of understanding what you’ve seen. Now there’s a way to discover ideas without having to find the right words to describe them first.

It’s called Pinterest Lens, and it uses your phone’s camera to search for ideas using objects you see out in the real world.

Just point Lens at a pair of shoes, then tap to see related styles and even ideas for what else to wear them with. Or try it on a table to find similar designs, and even other furniture from the same era. You can also use Lens with food. Just point it at broccoli or a pomegranate to see what recipes come up. Patterns and colors can also lead you in fun, interesting or even just plain weird new directions.

Each of these new visual discovery tools takes that ah-ha moment you get when you come across a great idea, and turns it into more ideas—whether you’re on Pinterest or out exploring the world around you.

So now you have thew new visual ways to find answers to everyday questions like, What am I going to have for dinner? What am I going to wear? What kind of table do I want my family to eat our meals around? When we add up all these small things, together they make our whole lives just a little bit better. I really do believe that. And I can’t wait to find out what ideas these new tools help you discover.

Pinterest Lens and Shop the Look are only available in the United States for now, but plans are already in the works to bring these new visual discovery features to every corner of the world. We’ll be sure to let you know just as soon as they’re ready for you to play with—stay tuned!

Evan Sharp, co-founder and head of product at Pinterest, is currently discovering architectural ideas