Wikipedia:Uploading images

This is an information page. It is not an encyclopedic article, nor one of Wikipedia's policies or guidelines; rather, its purpose is to explain certain aspects of Wikipedia's norms, customs, technicalities, or practices. It may reflect differing levels of consensus and vetting.

Shortcuts WP:UPIMAGE WP:UPIMG WP:UPI

Are you new here? If so, welcome! There are simplified versions of this page at Help:Introduction to images with Wiki Markup and Help:Introduction to images with VisualEditor.

To upload an image, use the Wikipedia:File upload wizard.

When uploading an image, you have to:

• make sure the image is published under a free copyright license
• clearly label the origin and the copyright license of the image.

Before uploading images, read the image use policy. Most images on the Internet are copyrighted. If you can't verify its copyright status, do not upload it. A "free license" means that the owner of the image has given anyone the right to share, modify, and use the image for any reason (even commercially).

Such licenses include:

• Public domain (expired copyright or published as public domain, see here for examples)
• One of free licenses listed here.

If you created the image, you will have to license it under a free license as well.

English Wikipedia allows non-free images to be uploaded under fair use doctrine if there is no possibility that a free image exists or will be created (think: portraits of dead people, long-past events, etc). If so, please follow the non-free content guidelines, and upload it locally to English Wikipedia only (not Wikimedia Commons).

For a guide on finding images appropriate for uploading, see the finding images tutorial. It might also be helpful to read Wikipedia:Preparing images for upload.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Commons:First steps/Upload form.