Independent SynthID guide & reports

Check SynthID & AI Watermarks on Images, Video, and Audio

Learn how Google’s SynthID watermark works, how to verify media with the official free detector, and when a structured report helps journalists, marketers, and creators move faster.

Free checks run on Google’s official tool (~10/day with login). We explain results and offer paid reports — we do not run Google’s detector ourselves.

What is SynthID?

SynthID is an imperceptible watermark technology from Google DeepMind. When supported AI systems generate or edit media, SynthID can embed a signal into images, video, audio — and in some cases text — that a detector can later look for.

It is not a universal “is this AI?” detector. A “not detected” result does not prove human authorship. Content from unsupported models, heavily re-encoded files, or systems that never apply SynthID may show no watermark even when AI was involved.

Supported ecosystem (plain language)

Google has opened SynthID Detector as a global portal. Coverage includes media watermarked by participating partners (e.g. Google, OpenAI, NVIDIA, Kakao; Apple announced as coming). Always treat the official detector’s current documentation as the source of truth for formats and partners.

What this site is for

We help you understand SynthID, use the official free checker correctly, and — if you need more than a few spot checks — get a batch report, journalist checklist, or clear result interpretation. Start with our What is SynthID guide or jump to all guides.

How to check AI watermarks (official tool)

The free detector lives at synthid.com. Use it for individual checks. Follow these steps:

  1. Sign in

    Open synthid.com and sign in with Google, OpenAI, or Apple (as offered on the official site).

  2. Upload your media

    Submit the image, video, or audio file you want to verify. Prefer the original or least-compressed version you have.

  3. Read the result

    Note whether SynthID was detected. Save a screenshot or export notes for your editorial or brand workflow — especially if you need an audit trail later.

Need to verify many files, document findings for a newsroom, or interpret ambiguous outcomes? See our Batch Report — built for that workflow.

How to read results (and the daily limit)

What results usually mean

Result Practical meaning
Detected The file appears to carry a SynthID watermark from a supported AI system (generated or edited). The official tool does not always separate “fully generated” vs “edited.”
Not detected No SynthID watermark found. This does not prove the media is human-made. It may be from an unsupported model, stripped/altered, or never watermarked.
Unclear / inconclusive Treat as “needs more context.” Check file provenance, ask the source, and avoid overclaiming in publication.

The ~10 checks/day limit

Google’s free detector is useful for spot checks, but accounts are typically limited to about 10 checks per day (login required). That is enough for a few stories or campaign assets — and a bottleneck for:

  • Newsroom batches before publish
  • Brand/marketing asset reviews
  • Creator or agency pipelines with dozens of files

Our paid options exist for that gap: structured reports, checklists, and interpretation — not a fake local detector pretending to be Google.

Pricing — when free checks aren’t enough

Payments coming soon — email to order. Stripe checkout is not live yet. Click a product button to email us, or write upgrow.us@gmail.com with the product name and your files or links.

Optional

Quick Guide

$4.99 one-time

PDF checklist + result templates for editors who need process and language — not a filled multi-file report.

What you get

  • Before / during / after-check editor checklist
  • Result-interpretation table (what Detected / Not detected means)
  • Copy-ready caption and internal-note templates

Use when: you mainly need a clear process, not a full batch package

Get Quick Guide — $4.99

Underlying detection for free spot checks happens on Google’s official SynthID Detector. Paid products here cover workflow, documentation, checklist, and interpretation help — not ownership of Google’s detection engine, and not a public consumer Detector API (none is offered to the general public as of our last review).

FAQ

Are you Google or the official SynthID Detector?

No. checksynthid.com is an independent guide and paid-report site. The free detection tool is operated by Google at synthid.com. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or part of Google.

Why would I pay if the official tool is free?

The official tool is the right place for individual free checks (typically ~10/day after login). Pay only if you want a batch report, a journalist checklist, result-interpretation help, or a documented workflow beyond quick spot checks. Preview deliverables: sample Batch Report and sample Quick Guide.

What exactly do I receive after I pay?

Documents — not a private detector. Batch Report = filled file table + notes + language templates emailed to you. Quick Guide = PDF checklist and interpretation templates. Detection still happens on Google’s official SynthID Detector. See the samples linked under Pricing.

What file types can be checked?

The official detector supports images, video, and audio watermarked with SynthID by participating systems. Exact formats and partner coverage can change — confirm on synthid.com before you rely on a check for publication.

Does “not detected” mean the content is human-made?

No. Absence of SynthID does not prove human authorship. Many AI tools never apply SynthID; files can also be altered or recompressed. Use watermark checks as one signal among provenance, source interviews, and editorial judgment.

Do you have a public API?

We do not provide Google’s SynthID Detector API. Google’s consumer detector is web-based with login and daily quotas; a general public Detector API for consumers was not available at the time of writing. Our paid offerings are report/checklist products, not API access to Google’s engine.

What happens to my files if I buy a Batch Report?

For paid report requests, we only use files to complete the verification workflow you ordered, then follow our retention practice (see Privacy). Do not upload sensitive material you are not authorized to share. Prefer links or samples when possible if your policy requires it.

Who is this for?

Journalists and editors verifying media before publish; marketers and brand teams reviewing campaign assets; creators and agencies who need a clear process for AI watermark checks — without hype or fake confidence scores.