Does ImageDetector.com Work Against DALL·E?

DALL·E images can look “clean,” which should make them easier to detect — but real life adds compression, screenshots, and edits. I tested ImageDetector against DALL·E with that reality in mind.

John Angelo Yap

Updated February 28, 2026

Reading Time: 4 minutes

DALL·E is in a stage of limbo in 2026.

On one hand, it’s one of the most recognizable “AI image” brands. On the other, it’s increasingly a legacy reference point — the ecosystem has moved on, and so have many detection models.

That doesn’t make the question irrelevant. Teachers still see older DALL·E-made images reused in assignments. Creators still recycle DALL·E assets in posts. And a lot of “AI image detection” claims are only meaningful if they hold up against the well-known generators people actually used.

So this article keeps it narrow: Does ImageDetector.com reliably flag DALL·E images? And if it does, what does that result actually mean in practice?

What is ImageDetector.com?

ImageDetector.com is a web-based AI image detector designed for quick checks.

ImageDetector.com Landing Page

You upload an image (or paste a link), get a result, and move on. There’s no setup overhead and no platform learning curve — which is exactly why it’s useful in classrooms and everyday verification.

The tool is also positioned as free and frictionless, which matters more than it sounds. Most people don’t need a detection “platform.” They need a fast signal that helps them decide whether something deserves a closer look.

What is DALL·E?

DALL·E is OpenAI’s earlier text-to-image model line (DALL·E, DALL·E 2, and DALL·E 3).

It mattered because it helped normalize the idea that anyone could generate “good enough” images from a prompt — and it became one of the most commonly referenced generators in education and general internet use.

But in 2026, DALL·E is no longer the main character.

OpenAI replaced DALL·E inside ChatGPT with newer “GPT Image” capabilities in 2025, meaning it stopped being the default image generator experience for many users.

More importantly for developers and tooling: OpenAI is scheduled to remove DALL·E model snapshots from the API on May 12, 2026, and DALL·E 3 is explicitly listed in that deprecation schedule with GPT Image models recommended as replacements.

So when people say “DALL·E is deprecated in 2026,” this is what they mean: it’s being phased out operationally, even if the name still lingers culturally.

ImageDetector.com vs. DALL-E: Can It Detect AI Images?

Test #1

Verdict: ImageDetector.com detects DALL-E image as AI.
AI Likelihood Score: 96.3%

Test #2

Verdict: ImageDetector.com detects DALL-E image as AI.
AI Likelihood Score: 97.5%

Test #3

Verdict: ImageDetector.com detects DALL-E image as human.
AI Likelihood Score: 19.8%

Test #4

Verdict: ImageDetector.com detects DALL-E image as AI.
AI Likelihood Score: 97.5%

Test #5

Verdict: ImageDetector.com detects DALL-E image as AI.
AI Likelihood Score: 97.5%

Test #6

Verdict: ImageDetector.com detects DALL-E image as AI.
AI Likelihood Score: 97.5%

Test #7

Verdict: ImageDetector.com detects DALL-E image as AI.
AI Likelihood Score: 97.5%

Average Score

Test Number

ImageDetector

#1

96.3%

#2

97.5%

#3

19.8%

#4

97.5%

#5

97.5%

#6

97.5%

#7

97.5%

Score

86.23%

The Bottom Line

DALL·E is being phased out in 2026, with DALL·E 3 scheduled for API shutdown on May 12, 2026. That makes it a legacy generator — but not an irrelevant one, since older DALL·E images still circulate in classrooms and reused content.

In my 7-item DALL·E test set, ImageDetector scored 84% accuracy. That’s really good, but it’s not the kind of number you treat as “problem solved.” It suggests the tool will catch most DALL·E images, but you can expect occasional misses — especially if the image has been compressed, screenshotted, or edited after generation.

So, to put this in practical terms:

  • Use ImageDetector as a first-pass signal for DALL·E-era images.
  • If the context is high-stakes, treat anything borderline as a prompt to verify through other means (source files, generation history, or a second tool), not as a final judgment.

84% is still useful. It just means you shouldn’t lean on it alone.

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Written by John Angelo Yap

Hi, I'm Angelo. I'm currently an undergraduate student studying Software Engineering. Now, you might be wondering, what is a computer science student doing writing for Gold Penguin? I took up studying computer science because it was practical and because I was good at it. But, if I had the chance, I'd be writing for a career. Building worlds and adjectivizing nouns for no other reason other than they sound good. And that's why I'm here.

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