1. Prepare the library and your query
Make sure the folder that may contain the source video has been added and indexing has finished. Connect the drive if you need to open the original. Begin with material you know is in the library to check your setup.
Use a screenshot that shows the shot itself clearly, or a supported local video file containing the clip. Content Search accepts local files and clipboard images; it does not accept text prompts or a pasted web URL as a video query.
2. Search with a screenshot
Choose an image in Content Search, or paste one screenshot or image from the clipboard. With a compatible browser connector and desktop build, the Chrome companion can also capture a video frame or the visible page for local search.
Review the candidate videos and time ranges. An image match can point to a section rather than one exact frame. If an image is mostly player controls, text or a generic scene, try another frame that shows more of the footage.
3. Search with a short video clip
Start a video-file search with your clip. Choose “Continue with section search” to look for source videos containing that clip or a continuous overlapping section.
Full-video matching and section matching answer different questions. A longer source can contain your clip without being a duplicate of the entire query file. Use the time ranges to inspect where the overlap occurs.
4. Check the match and locate the file
Inspect the preview and play the candidate around the returned time range. Compare the visible sequence with your screenshot or clip before choosing the file for your project.
Check the file location as well as the image. Several stored copies can contain the same material. Locate the accessible original and continue in your editing tools; search results do not establish ownership or reuse rights.
5. When there is no useful match
Check library coverage first: was the source saved, is its folder included, and has indexing completed? A video that was never indexed cannot appear just because it is available on a website.
Try a different clear frame, or section search if you have moving footage. No result is not proof that the source does not exist or that a clip is original. Review the library and query before drawing that conclusion.