Google has opened its SynthID Detector tool to everyone after more than a year of limited testing. Anyone can now visit synthid.com and check whether an image, video, or audio file contains an invisible AI watermark. The tool returns results within seconds.
Google first announced SynthID Detector at I/O 2025 as a limited preview for journalists, researchers, and media professionals. The company then expanded SynthID verification to Google Search in May 2026, with Chrome support following weeks later. However, the public version only went live on October 7, 2026, giving everyone free access for the first time.
The tool works by scanning uploaded files for a hidden watermark that AI systems embed during content creation. It supports common formats including JPG, PNG, WEBP, GIF, MP4, MOV, MP3, WAV, and FLAC. In addition, Google says the watermarks survive cropping, filters, compression, and speed changes, so even edited files can still trigger detection.
SynthID does not only cover Google’s own AI tools. OpenAI, NVIDIA, ElevenLabs, and Kakao also use SynthID to watermark their AI-generated content. Apple support is also coming soon, according to Google. As a result, the detector can identify AI content from multiple providers in one place.
The numbers behind the system are also significant. Google says it has watermarked over 180 billion images and videos and 240,000 years of audio so far. Meanwhile, the built-in verification system handles over one million requests daily across Search, Gemini, and Chrome.
However, Google warns that SynthID Detector is not a universal AI detector. It only flags content that carries a SynthID watermark, so AI content from tools without watermarking will not show up. Furthermore, a clean result does not prove a file is human-made. Google calls the tool “a clue, not a verdict.” Users also get roughly 10 checks per day to prevent people from testing how to remove watermarks.
