Wikimedia Commons
Community media library with file descriptions and individual reuse terms.
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Reuse a media file responsibly
Open its file page and record creator, original source and licence.
Check first: Retain attribution, licence link and details of any modifications.
Compare this resource with other directory records →
Prepare a credit line for a chosen file
- File description
- Read creator and origin.
- Chosen licence
- Prepare its attribution requirements.
- Open the full file description on Commons.
- Identify the creator and the licence you choose.
- Prepare credit and a licence link for your medium.
Fictional example: an editor sees one name in upload history and another in the author field. He checks the difference before writing a credit. He keeps the record and chosen licence instead of automatically crediting the uploader.
Your useful record: File, creator, origin, chosen licence and prepared credit.
A supplied record does not guarantee the accuracy of rights information.
Editorial method informed by Wikimedia Commons — Reusing content. Documentation consulted on . Examples are fictional exercises, not results from a live service test.
Find rights on the file description page
A file description page provides information needed for reuse.
| Element | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Author | Record the stated creator, not automatically the uploader. |
| Licence | Keep its exact name, version and link. |
| Changes | Record modifications according to the applicable terms. |
Try the reasoning
Illustrative situation. A thumbnail appears in search. Where should the credit be prepared?
Read the explanation
Use the file description page and its source. Search results do not replace rights information.
Documentation for the table : Wikimedia Commons — Reusing content · . The exercise is an editorial example.
Read the file record before reusing an image
On Wikimedia Commons, licences and credits are specific to each file. The image creator may differ from the uploader. The Wikimedia Foundation owns almost none of the content and does not guarantee the accuracy of rights statements.
- Creator
- Credit the creator identified in the file record.
- Licence
- Check attribution, share-alike and modification conditions.
- Other rights
- Consider identifiable people, trademarks and usage context.
- File version
- Keep the description-page link and the downloaded version. A cropped copy may require a modification notice under the applicable licence.
- Usable credit
- Prepare credit before publication: identified creator, source, licence and relevant changes. Check the file record rather than infer these details from the filename.
- Multiple file licences
- When multiple licences are offered, users can choose one they comply with.
Source: Wikimedia Commons — Reusing content · consulted on - Creator credit
- The person uploading a file is not necessarily its creator.
Source: Wikimedia Commons — Reusing content · consulted on
Is the uploader’s name sufficient as a credit?
Not always. Find the creator and required attribution in the file record.
Initial profile documentation
Initial profile documentation consulted on . Added details carry their own source and consultation date above.
Prepare an image credit that can be traced back
Creative Commons recommends TASL: title, author, source and licence. It helps preserve an image’s origin through reuse.
- Open the original record
- Assemble the credit
- State your changes
| Situation | What changes | Useful check |
|---|---|---|
| Author and source | The host is not necessarily the creator. | Keep the author’s requested name and original link. |
| Licence and version | Creative Commons alone does not specify a licence. | Record CC BY 4.0 with its link if that is the file’s licence. |
| Changes | Distinguish the original from your version. | State cropping or adaptation and check permitted uses. |
A supplied title remains recommended; CC 4.0 licences do not require it, unlike relevant earlier versions. A correct credit does not replace compliance with licence conditions.
Documentation : Creative Commons — Recommended practices for attribution ↗ ·
Editorial selection, without website certification. Read our method.