Direct　piezoelectric　force　microscopy　(DPFM)　is　employed　to　examine　whether　or　not　lead　halide　perovskites　exhibit　ferroelectricity.　Compared　to　conventional　piezoelectric　force　microscopy,　DPFM　is　a　novel　technique　capable　of　measuring　piezoelectricity　directly.　This　fact　is　fundamental　to　be　able　to　examine　the　existence　of　ferroelectricity　in　lead　halide　perovskites,　an　issue　that　has　been　under　debate　for　several　years.　DPFM　is　used　to　detect　the　current　signals,　i.e.　changes　in　the　charge　distribution　under　the　influence　of　the　scan　direction　and　applied　force　of　the　atomic　force　microscope　(AFM)　tip　in　contact　mode.　For　comparison,　(i)　we　use　DPFM　on　lead　halide　perovskites　and　well-known　ferroelectric　materials　(i.e.　periodically　poled　lithium　niobate　and　lead　zirconate　titanate);　and　(ii)　we　conduct　parallel　experiments　on　MAPbI3　films　of　different　grain　sizes,　film　thicknesses,　substrates,　and　textures　using　DPFM　as　well　as　piezoelectric　force　microscopy　(PFM)　and　electrostatic　force　microscopy　(EFM).　In　contrast　to　previous　work　that　claimed　there　were　ferroelectric　domains　in　MAPbI3　perovskite　films,　our　work　shows　that　the　studied　perovskite　films　Cs0.05(FA0.83MA0.17)0.95Pb(I0.83Br0.17)3　and　MAPbI3　are　ferroelectricity-free.　The　observed　current　profiles　of　lead　halide　perovskites　possibly　originate　from　ion　migration　that　happens　under　an　applied　electrical　bias　and　in　strained　samples　under　mechanical　stress.　This　work　provides　a　deeper　understanding　of　the　fundamental　physical　properties　of　the　organic-inorganic　lead　halide　perovskites　and　solves　a　longstanding　dispute　about　their　non-ferroelectric　character:　an　issue　of　high　relevance　for　optoelectronic　and　photovoltaic　applications.　©　The　Royal　Society　of　Chemistry　2019.