You don't need to copy pictures from random websites. There are huge libraries of high-quality photos, videos, illustrations and sounds that creators have chosen to share for free. The catch is that “free” comes with different conditions on each site. This guide lists reliable sources and explains what their licences really allow.
Free stock photo and video libraries
These sites use their own simple licences that generally allow free use, including commercial use, without credit.
Pexels
Large library of photos and, notably, free stock videos in HD and 4K. Credit is appreciated but not required. You may not sell unaltered copies or suggest that people shown endorse your product.
Unsplash
High-quality, artistic photography. Free for commercial and non-commercial use without permission or credit. The licence doesn't allow compiling Unsplash photos to build a competing image service.
Pixabay
Photos, illustrations, vector graphics, videos, music and sound effects under the Pixabay Content License. Free to use without credit, with similar restrictions on reselling unaltered content and on using recognisable people, logos or brands in misleading ways.
Mixkit and Coverr
Specialise in free stock video clips, which are harder to find than photos. Each has its own licence page; read it once before using clips in paid ads.
Open licences and public domain collections
Openverse
A search engine for openly licensed media, maintained by the WordPress community. It searches hundreds of millions of Creative Commons and public-domain images and audio files from many sources at once, and shows the licence and a ready-made credit line for each result.
Wikimedia Commons
The media library behind Wikipedia, with over 100 million files. Licences vary from public domain to CC BY-SA, so check each file's “Licensing” section. Use the “Use this file” button for a correct credit.
Museums and archives
Many museums release images of public-domain artworks under CC0, meaning anyone may use them for any purpose. Examples include The Metropolitan Museum of Art (Open Access), the Smithsonian (Open Access), the Rijksmuseum and the Art Institute of Chicago.
NASA
NASA images and videos are generally not subject to copyright in the United States and may be used freely, but NASA's logos and insignia can't be used to imply endorsement, and some images on NASA sites come from partners with their own rights.
Free music and sound effects
- Freesound: a huge collection of sound effects and recordings; each sound has its own Creative Commons licence, so check whether credit is needed.
- Pixabay Music: background music free to use in videos under the Pixabay licence.
- YouTube Audio Library: free music and effects for use in YouTube videos; some tracks require credit in the description.
Understanding the licence types
| Label | Credit needed? | Commercial use? | Edits allowed? |
|---|---|---|---|
| CC0 / Public domain | No | Yes | Yes |
| Pexels / Unsplash / Pixabay licences | No (appreciated) | Yes, with limits | Yes |
| CC BY | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| CC BY-SA | Yes | Yes | Yes, share under same licence |
| CC BY-NC | Yes | No | Yes |
| CC BY-ND | Yes | Yes | No |
Our guide Can I download images and videos from websites? explains copyright basics and fair dealing in more detail.
How to credit properly
A good credit answers four questions: what (title), who (creator), where (source link) and how (licence, linked). For example:
“Morning in Kolhapur” by R. Patil, via Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY 4.0.
Even when credit isn't required, giving it is a kind gesture and helps others find the creator.
Watch out for people, brands and places
A free licence covers the photographer's copyright, but not necessarily the rights of people or brands shown in the picture. Be careful using recognisable faces in advertising, or photos where logos and trademarks are prominent. Stock sites usually say whether a model release exists.
Saving many files at once
When you've found a page of openly licensed images, such as a public-domain museum collection, our extractor can list every file on the page and download your selection as one ZIP. Keep a note of each file's source and licence while you collect them, so crediting is easy later.
Key takeaways
- Use dedicated free libraries instead of copying from random websites.
- Pexels, Unsplash and Pixabay need no credit but have a few limits.
- Openverse and Wikimedia Commons search millions of CC and public-domain files.
- Check each file's licence and keep a record of where it came from.