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Google has opened its SynthID Detector tool to the public, allowing anyone to check whether images, videos, and audio files contain hidden AI watermarks. After more than a year of limited testing, the tool is now available for free through its official website.
Users can visit synthid.com to upload a file and check for signs of AI-generated content. The tool scans the file for an invisible watermark and provides results within seconds.
Google Makes Its AI Content Detector Free for Everyone – Here’s How It Works
SynthID Detector looks for hidden watermarks embedded in content created using supported AI tools. These watermarks help identify AI-generated material even when someone edits the original file.
According to Google, the watermarks can survive common changes such as cropping, applying filters, compression, and adjusting playback speed. This allows the system to detect watermarks in certain edited images, videos, and audio recordings.
The tool supports several popular file formats, including JPG, PNG, WEBP, and GIF for images, MP4 and MOV for videos, and MP3, WAV, and FLAC for audio.
However, the detector does not determine whether every file was created using AI. It specifically searches for SynthID watermarks, which means its results depend on whether the content contains a watermark supported by the system.
From Limited Testing to Public Access
Google first introduced SynthID Detector at its I/O 2025 event. Initially, the company limited access to journalists, researchers, and media professionals who wanted to verify AI-generated content.
In May 2026, Google expanded its SynthID verification features to Search. Support for Chrome followed a few weeks later.
The company launched the public version of the detector on October 7, 2026. This move gives ordinary users access to the technology without requiring them to join a limited testing programme.
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Other AI Companies Also Use SynthID
SynthID is not limited to content created through Google’s own AI services. According to the company, OpenAI, NVIDIA, ElevenLabs, and Kakao also use the technology to watermark AI-generated content.
Google has also indicated that Apple support is coming soon. This could make the detector more useful as additional AI platforms adopt compatible watermarking methods.
The technology has already reached a significant scale. Google says it has added SynthID watermarks to more than 180 billion images and videos, along with 240,000 years of audio.
Meanwhile, its verification systems process more than one million requests every day across Google Search, Gemini, and Chrome.
The Tool Has Some Important Limitations
Although SynthID Detector offers a convenient way to check AI-generated material, it is not a universal AI detection system.
The tool can identify content carrying a compatible SynthID watermark. It may not detect AI-generated files produced by tools that do not use this technology.
Similarly, a file that returns no watermark detection should not automatically be considered human-made. The absence of a SynthID watermark does not prove that a person created the content.
Google describes the detector as a clue rather than a final verdict. Users should therefore consider its findings alongside other evidence when checking the authenticity of digital material.
To prevent misuse and attempts to discover how to remove watermarks, Google has also limited users to approximately 10 checks per day.
Overall, the public launch of SynthID Detector gives users a free way to investigate the origins of supported digital content. While it cannot identify every AI-generated image, video, or audio file, it offers another option for journalists, researchers, content creators, and ordinary internet users who want to verify digital media.
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