Adding an image

Ways to add images to your Wikipedia page.

How to upload an image onto Wikipedia from Wikimedia Commons

Before you start make sure you are logged in to your Wikipedia account and have an article where you want to add an image.

  1. Select 'Edit' and make sure you are on the Visual Editor. 
  2. Click your cursor on the page where you want your image to go. 
  3. Select 'Insert' from the top menu panel and choose 'Images and media' from the dropdown.  
  4. Type in key words to search on Wikimedia Commons. For example, 'Old College, University of Edinburgh'. 
  5. Select 'Search'. 
  6. Select the image you want to use and select 'Use this image'. 
  7. Type in a caption e.g. 'Old College, The University of Edinburgh'. 
  8. Add the same for 'Alternative text'.
  9. Select 'Insert' and your image will be on your page and you can resize as you want. 
  10. Make sure you select 'Publish changes' and add a short edit summary e.g. 'added an image'. 

How to upload an image onto Wikimedia Commons

Before you start go to the Wikimedia Commons home page and make sure you are logged in and have an image ready that you want to upload. You can log in using your details from your Wikipedia account. If you do not have an account, click here to find how to create one. 

Also, when uploading or using any images on Wikimedia Commons, make sure that you check their Licensing page to ensure you are following their guidance and official policy.

  1. On the left hand side of the home page select 'Upload file'.
  2. Read through the page title 'What can I upload to Wikimedia Commons' and then select 'Skip this step in the future' and click 'Next'. 
  3. Select 'Select media files to share' and choose an image from your desktop to share. 
  4. Select 'Open'. Once you have uploaded all the images you want, select 'Continue'. 
  5. Fill out the copyright information; e.g. 'I, HJR2020, grant anyone to use this work'.
  6. Select 'Next'.
  7. Fill out your title, caption, description, date, categories and then select 'Publish files'. 
  8. Add any metadata you want e.g. items in the file include 'sea' and 'sand'.
  9. Select 'Publish data for all files'. Your image is now uploaded onto Wikimedia Commons!

Important information

For guidance on using material from Wikimedia Commons see their Reuse guide. Almost all of the content on Wikimedia Commons can be freely used but 'subject to certain restrictions'. It is important that you check these restrictions when you use any images. 

Further Resources

© Ewan McAndrew and Hannah Rothmann, University of Edinburgh, 2020, CC BY-SA 4.0, unless otherwise indicated.

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