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can i use these images on my page? :)

i have these images of a cat, theyre stock photos but some of them are memes (mostly made by me), but i do not "own the copyright" to the images and i cant upload them without saying i do ^{(is lying ok?)}, and i was directed here by that page and uhh, ya thats it

i couldnt find them in the search, and it also told me to "use the upload wizard if you dont", but according to the infographic on the front page of the upload wizard i cant upload it there either which is confusing

it is imperative at least one of the images are on my page in any way ^{(most preferably in the image form)}

best regards :) Official-brongle (talk) 13:34, 18 November 2025 (UTC)

The answer is almost no, you pretty much can't upload almost all stock photos from the Internet^{(and no, lying is  Not OK, we'll soon find out)}. See COM:THIRD for a complete reason why you shouldn't upload third party works unless you know what you're doing.

That being said, we already have loads of photos of cats on Wikimedia Commons, see Category:Felis silvestris catus or search "cat" on Special:MediaSearch. If you want to make derivative works, you'll need to use the freely licensed images already on here while crediting the original authors, before uploading. HyperAnd (talk) 21:53, 18 November 2025 (UTC)

aww man :(

-; ^{(also none of them are the cat so....)} Official-brongle (talk) 22

26, 24 November 2025 (UTC)

Accidently not logged in

Hello,

If possible can you please add the edit shown on this page: Special:Contributions/~2025-34982-69 to my account? While doing this edit I assumed I was still logged in but unfortunately I wasn't. Mr-ahk (talk) 04:52, 20 November 2025 (UTC)

@Mr-ahk: Can't be done. - Jmabel ! talk 06:07, 20 November 2025 (UTC)

@Mr-ahk: As Jmabel posted above, this kind of thing isn't possible because of the type of licensing Commons uses for edits made by Commons users: all edits need to be attributed to the account that made them: en:WP:LOGGEDOUT is an English Wikipedia page, but the same also applies to Commons. Even though the IP addresses of non-registered accounts making edits are no longer publicly visible, there is still a record for licensing purposes. So, if you want to connect the dots between the two accounts, you can do so by posting something on your registered account's userpage containing a link to the edit (i.e., I made this edit while logged out), or by making a en:WP:DUMMY edit to the file's page and connecting the edit to your registered account via an edit summary. -- Marchjuly (talk) 00:44, 21 November 2025 (UTC)

Thank you for the answers. Mr-ahk (talk) 03:54, 23 November 2025 (UTC)

Long sleeve button up nightgown

Can I upload my photos [[File:Long sleeve button up nightgown.jpg|thumb|Long sleeve button up nightgown <span class="mw-valign-text-top" typeof="mw:File/Frameless"><a href="//commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Long_sleeve_button_up_nightgown.jpg#ooui-php-4" title="Edit this at Structured Data on Commons"><img alt="Edit this at Structured Data on Commons" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/8a/OOjs_UI_icon_edit-ltr-progressive.svg/20px-OOjs_UI_icon_edit-ltr-progressive.svg.png" decoding="async" width="10" height="10" class="mw-file-element" data-file-width="20" data-file-height="20"></a></span>]] Miss Dumb (talk) 19:26, 21 November 2025 (UTC)

That's not your photo. Andy Mabbett (Pigsonthewing); Talk to Andy; Andy's edits 19:39, 21 November 2025 (UTC)

file deleted as a copyvio; user has "vanished". Andy Mabbett (Pigsonthewing); Talk to Andy; Andy's edits 17:09, 23 November 2025 (UTC)

Why is my pictures are not uploading?

Picture not uploading BE&BEE Raymond.k (talk) 14:58, 23 November 2025 (UTC)

You uploaded copyright violations. Stop that and read your talk page, please. Regards, Grand-Duc (talk) 15:08, 23 November 2025 (UTC)

Transfert de fichiers

Toutes mes tentatives de transfert de fichier vers Wikimedia échouent et un message s'affiche indiquant que l'action a été bloquée pour des raisons d'"obscenities in all caps" or il n'y a rien d'obscène dans les images ou les textes que je tente de transférer pour un article concernant mon épouse Monica Fagan, artiste peintre. Merci pour votre aide et bien cordialement, Jean Pierre Boucherot Monica FAGAN (talk) 19:36, 23 November 2025 (UTC)

It's because of "FAG" in all caps. I've edited in an exception for your account name, it should work now. - Jmabel ! talk 22:34, 23 November 2025 (UTC)

Scunthorpe problem? Gråbergs Gråa Sång (talk) 08:41, 24 November 2025 (UTC)

Exactly. - Jmabel ! talk 20:16, 24 November 2025 (UTC)

Como posso adicionar uma imagem a uma página que eu criei?

Eu criei uma página para a boyband Santos Bravos e gostaria de adicionar imagens a ela. Ribeirolivercella (talk) 01:26, 24 November 2025 (UTC)

See: COM:First steps. That image to be added has to have been taken by yourself, using your own camera. Then, cou can upload it here, following the guidance of the COM:Upload wizard. You absolutely cannot grab an image from somewhere on the Internet and upload it here, you would commit a copyright violation in 99% of the cases and make you liable to get blocked.

Then, once that file is uploaded, you can insert it into the relevant Wikipedia article, refer to pt:Ajuda:Guia de edição/Como usar imagens for that.

// TRANSLATION by Google:

Consulte: COM:First steps. A imagem a ser adicionada deve ter sido tirada por você, usando sua própria câmera. Em seguida, você pode carregá-la aqui, seguindo as instruções do COM:Upload wizard. Você não pode, de forma alguma, pegar uma imagem da internet e carregá-la aqui, pois isso infringiria os direitos autorais em 99% dos casos e poderia resultar em bloqueio. Depois que o arquivo for carregado, você poderá inseri-lo no artigo relevante da Wikipédia. Consulte pt:Ajuda:Guia de edição/Como usar imagens para obter mais informações. Atenciosamente, Grand-Duc (talk) 01:39, 24 November 2025 (UTC)

Em português, Commons:Primeiros passos. - Jmabel ! talk 03:21, 24 November 2025 (UTC)

New Infobox

Hello, i'm sorry i've tried to look on the internet for answers but i did not find any thing. I've written a page on oncoming elections in Occitan, but in this langage, toolboxes for elections simply do not exist in Wikipedia. How can i create a new model for that ? Bertault34 (talk) 20:40, 24 November 2025 (UTC)

@Bertault34: I'm missing what this question has to do with Commons, but assuming that (like most Wikipedias) you are allowed to create templates, the normal approach would be to create one modeled on a corresponding template in a similar language. That would probably be ca:Plantilla:Infobox election or, if you are more comfortable with French, fr:Modèle:Infobox Élection. It looks like the relevant template involves a large cluster of pages, so this could be a bit of an undertaking. - Jmabel ! talk 01:10, 25 November 2025 (UTC)

Written permission

Insert a photograph whose owner of the rights has given written permission to the author of an article in wikipedia into this article. The author has uploaded the photograph into commoms probably misunderstanding the mandatory process.

What to do now: Deltete the photograph in commoms, and the owner of the rights needs to upload into commons by himself? Thank you for your help! Gernot Haraldson Gernot Haraldson (talk) 09:51, 25 November 2025 (UTC)

Which image? Which author?

See COM:THIRD. Andy Mabbett (Pigsonthewing); Talk to Andy; Andy's edits 14:20, 25 November 2025 (UTC)

By this point it is a bit more of a mess than COM:THIRD was meant to discuss. If the copyright-holder can go through COM:VRT that would be OK, or if they have it posted online on a domain or page that is obviously under their control, they can indicate the license there.

@Gernot Haraldson: if that doesn't fully answer your question, then the most useful thing you could do to move this forward is to say exactly what file you are talking about. - Jmabel ! talk 20:50, 25 November 2025 (UTC)

It is the file

File:Bundesdenkmalamt, Fotoarchiv, Wien_IX, Narrenturm, Modell im Techn. Museum, cutb_N_91406, Aufn. 1985, Michael Oberer.jpg

I have forwarded your messages to the owner which is the Austrian Bundesdenkmalamt (an organization of the Austrain Governement) and asked them to use the appropriate forms to declare the permission!

Thank you for your help!~2025-36419-49 (talk) 22:57, 25 November 2025 (UTC)

Logo Upload

Hello,

The Behavioral Signals page on Wikipedia has just been published, and I want to upload our logo to be featured on our page. Can you please advise? BehavioralSignals (talk) 15:41, 25 November 2025 (UTC)

@BehavioralSignals Is this the logo I see at https://behavioralsignals.com/?

In that case, you can upload it here on Commons via [1]. See this example: File:Ncyc logo.jpg and use the same templates you see as "Licensing" there. If you click [ edit ] next to the Licensing heading, you can copypaste the wikitext and use that in your upload-form. Hope this helps some. Gråbergs Gråa Sång (talk) 17:00, 25 November 2025 (UTC)

Devo caricare una fotografia della mia pianta di aeonium aworthyii sulla voce da me già modificata un anno fa'

Aeonium aworthyii con radici aeree Tarcisio Bonaita (talk) 21:43, 25 November 2025 (UTC)

io sono Tarcisio Bonaita Tarcisio Bonaita (talk) 21:59, 25 November 2025 (UTC)

Aeonium haworthii con radici aeree.. Tarcisio Bonaita (talk) 21:47, 25 November 2025 (UTC)

@Tarcisio Bonaita (using Google Translate from English): Dai un'occhiata al box di benvenuto sulla tua pagina di discussione User talk:Tarcisio Bonaita. Puoi anche visitare Commons:First steps. Lì troverai aiuto per caricare le immagini che hai scattato.
Hai detto di aver scritto qualcosa un anno fa. O almeno, non era con l'account Tarcisio Bonaita, non ci sono contributi visibili se non qui, sull'help desk (-> Special:Contributions/Tarcisio_Bonaita). Saluti, Grand-Duc (talk) 22:14, 25 November 2025 (UTC)

Meglio Commons:First steps/it (italiano). - Jmabel ! talk 00:28, 26 November 2025 (UTC)

The TO added other sections about the subject. Concatenating them here. Grand-Duc (talk) 18:06, 26 November 2025 (UTC)

Aeonium haworthii con radici aeree nuove e altre già interrate. Tarcisio Bonaita (talk) 11:26, 26 November 2025 (UTC)

Devo caricare una foto della pianta aeonium aworthyii fatta col mio smartphoneii

Aeonium aworthyii con radici aeree nuove e già interrate. Tarcisio Bonaita (talk) 11:22, 26 November 2025 (UTC)

Need help uploading new version of logo

I recently uploaded File:Marten Transport logo (2025).svg. However, I did not realize that the main text of the logo is white, making it unreadable. The only versions of the logo I can find with colored text are PNGs/JPEGs rather than SVGs, so I'm not able to upload a new version of the file. Is there a way to rectify this, or should I just request the file's deletion in order to upload a new image? Thanks. Zeibgeist (talk) 07:02, 26 November 2025 (UTC)

Biomechanical model

i have discovered a biomechanical model Can I upload in this competition or there is another competition section for that? Khofibondzy4 (talk) 12:00, 26 November 2025 (UTC)

@Khofibondzy4:

1. What competition?
2. Does "I have discovered" mean this is your own original research, or is this just "discovered" in the sense of "I saw a thing in a book (or online or in the world) that I hadn't seen before"? If the former, why would it be in Commons scope? If the latter, why would it be either public domain or free-licensed?
3. Usually a "biomechanical model" would be a scientific paper or such, not a media file, so from what you've written I'm unsure of the nature of what you want to upload?

Jmabel ! talk 20:29, 27 November 2025 (UTC)

It's my own scientific research paper.And please is there any scientific research platforms you can link me to. Khofibondzy4 (talk) 02:19, 28 November 2025 (UTC)

Commons doesn't host original research papers. The usual procedure with a scientific paper is to submit it to an appropriate scientific journal. - Jmabel ! talk 06:55, 28 November 2025 (UTC)

Copyright help regarding a foto

Hi !Where can I upload the approval of the photographer? — Preceding unsigned comment added by TWKBM2025 (talk • contribs) 14:19, 26 November 2025 (UTC)

Hi! I think you should start with the page about uploading works by third parties. If you don't want to read the whole page, please read the relevant section, in particular the part about about what not to do. Once it's clear what license the photographer wants to provide, we have COM:VRT for providing licensing information.

If you have questions about any part of this, or are not sure how this applies to your photograph, we can help you. --rimshot^talk 17:14, 26 November 2025 (UTC)

Kupe and Aotearoa

On the page for Kupe, why is "New Zealand" used as the reference name? Kupe discovered this land in 1300CE, well before the Dutch or British etc. It is debatable of course, but would Aotearoa not be more accurate,? Irishkiwi smd (talk) 19:28, 26 November 2025 (UTC)

Which page? Andy Mabbett (Pigsonthewing); Talk to Andy; Andy's edits 21:04, 26 November 2025 (UTC)

Photo contest

How do I view my submission Mmfisher66 (talk) 20:53, 26 November 2025 (UTC)

@Mmfisher66: You don't say what contest, but all of your uploads should be visible at Special:ListFiles/Mmfisher66, available as "My Uploads" in the personal settings, which for most skins is at upper right of every page. It looks to me like you have two upload, both entered in Wiki Science Competition 2025, both with poor file names and no assigned categories. - Jmabel ! talk 20:33, 27 November 2025 (UTC)

Photo upload not working

Hello I'm trying to upload a pdf of a chart I created but I keep getting a error message and it keeps failing. How can i upload by charts onto a page? Betabeta111 (talk) 21:37, 26 November 2025 (UTC)

What error message? Failing how?

Is the PDF available anywhere else online, where we can check it? Andy Mabbett (Pigsonthewing); Talk to Andy; Andy's edits 16:19, 27 November 2025 (UTC)

Relatively new users cannot upload PDFs. This is because back when we allowed it, they overwhelmingly uploaded files that were either out of scope or had no reason to be PDFs. Hence Andy's question; if it is online somewhere, and is appropriate, someone els can upload it on your behalf. - Jmabel ! talk 20:36, 27 November 2025 (UTC)

<email removed>

haklarimi ver zarara uğradım bilmiyordum veri felan ve geri sorumlusu gerçek kişi

Suskunbirbasrol0763 (talk) 05:48, 27 November 2025 (UTC)

• (Machine translation) "Give me my rights, I was harmed, I didn't know, the real person responsible for the data etc." Is this an issue here on Wikimedia Commons? -- Infrogmation of New Orleans (talk) 18:59, 27 November 2025 (UTC)

Mistake on a historical map

Problem : File:Almoravid_Empire.png Mistake : Arrow to Gao + Area around Gao. (example of correct map : [File:Almoravid dynasty-en.svg]) Another map from a historical atlas : [2] [3]

I have worked extensively on French Wikipedia on topics related to West Africa and the western Maghreb. My work is based on updating and refreshing data using numerous academic references. I mention this to clarify that I have no vested interest in favouring any particular national narrative—an important clarification given the topic.

The following map contains an issue, as it shows an expansion including Gao/Timbuktu. No source mentions an Almoravid conquest of this territory. One could possibly take into account the case of the Gao-Saney dynasty, which had links with the Almoravids, though these cannot be clearly defined. Sources indicate that, as in Tekrur, it is likely that Muslim dynasties were installed in reaction to the jihads being waged, and as a means of protection against them.

However, there was a later period of Moroccan sovereignty in Gao and Timbuktu, during the Pashalik of Timbuktu, under the first Sharifian dynasty. But scholars are clear on this point: there has been a deliberate historiographical rewriting for the national narrative, aiming to standardize Sharifian claims and project them further back into history.

The mistake on the map therefore results either from a dynastic confusion, or from unsupported Moroccan POV-pushing (not really found in the mainstream national narrative, by the way—mostly within certain Moorish groups).

I am contacting you because this map is widely used and reproduced. I do not know how to correct it in this context, especially since this is obviously a sensitive topic, with POV-pushing on all sides. As for myself, I rely solely on the sources and their reliability. Nanoyo88 (talk) 11:58, 27 November 2025 (UTC)

@Nanoyo88: you probably want to start by tagging the file with {{Fact disputed}} and/or taking this up on the talk page of the file. The uploader hasn't edited in over a decade, so they presumably will not be available to discuss this.

You can also upload your own preferred version of the map, preferably with better citation of sources. ("Gran Enciclopedia Salvat" with no article indicated is not much of a citation, and it's also weird that is cited as the source on something supposedly free-licensed by the uploader. In this case, I'm guessing it is meant to be a claim of where they got their facts, rather than a source of the particular graphic.) Then, once your version is uploaded, you can make your case for the various Wikipedia articles to adopt it, but that is not a Commons matter.

I hope that helps, please feel free to ask further questions if it isn't all you needed. Jmabel ! talk 20:45, 27 November 2025 (UTC)

Thanks for your time and answers. That's a lot of work for a small mistake, with a high chance of problems. But I understand the process, and why it is that way. I'll try to make accurate maps with reliable source with verifiability. I'll use them on frWP and let the time do its work. I already put a message in the talkpage, we're also talking about that in frWP, in the Discord, and i found a french-commons-user who could help me in the process. Nanoyo88 (talk) 20:55, 27 November 2025 (UTC)

Copy of a newspaper article

Hello, This is concerning the article "Naviga (Segelyacht)". I do have a copy (PDF) of an article published into the magazine Yacht in 10/1985 (written by Herbert Pielbaum). Is it possible to publish it and join it as a picture into the Wikipedia article? ZenVacationVibes (talk) 12:48, 27 November 2025 (UTC)

Only if you can get a comprehensive permission (see Commons:VRT) by the author or his heirs, as well as by any photographers or their heirs if the article includes photos. Wikimedia Commons only accepts free content (Commons:Licensing), and works from 1985 are still protected in Germany as well as the USA. Herbert Pielbaum died in 2003, so a 1985 text written by him is protected by copyright until the end of 2073 (in both Germany and the US). --Rosenzweig τ 13:46, 27 November 2025 (UTC)

VILLAGE

historical places in villages ANANT PHONDKE (talk) 17:52, 27 November 2025 (UTC)

• @ANANT PHONDKE: Do you have a question? -- Infrogmation of New Orleans (talk) 18:56, 27 November 2025 (UTC)

Foto mia fatta con smartphone

Aeonium_haworthii_con_radici_aeree.jpg.pubblica file Tarcisio Bonaita (talk) 20:41, 27 November 2025 (UTC)

@Tarcisio Bonaita: please stop posting this same thing over and over, and ignoring when people respond to you. This is beginning to verge on your account being blocked. Look above at where people responded to you. - Jmabel ! talk 20:48, 27 November 2025 (UTC)

I am sorry Tarcisio Bonaita (talk) 20:54, 28 November 2025 (UTC)

Word doc

How can I upload a MSS Word doc? MeditationMystic9 (talk) 08:47, 28 November 2025 (UTC)

@MeditationMystic9: Hi, You can't. MS Word documents are not accepted on Commons: 1. It is not a free format. 2. Commons doesn't accept text documents, except for old historical documents, and in this case, PDF or DjVu are the best formats. Yann (talk) 12:34, 28 November 2025 (UTC)

Upload of image I have taken at the Frida Kahlo Museum in Baden - Germany

Hello I have taken several pictures at the Museum of Frida Kahlo in Germany. The images/paintings show there are replicas (exact 1:1 copies, no visible differences, the replikas are made and offered by ©Banco de Mexico Diego Rivera & Frida Kahlo Museums Trust.) I have taken images with my cellphone, as the museum allows images with cellphones. https://www.kunstmuseum-gehrke-remund.org/information.html see: ("Fotografieren ist erlaubt, aber bitte nur mit Smartphone bzw. Telefongerät (Handy). ​ (taking pictures is allowed, but only with smartphones / 'Handy' as they call them in german")

Question: Am I allowed to upload any images as public domain that ONLY show the plain artwork (PD-Art) of Frida Kahlo. Her work is in public Domain in Germany (70 years after death) now since January 1, 2025. I am unsure as this seems to be very confusing with the "replicas", but I have read replicas have no "new copyright" and a plain 1:1 image I have taken (the image comes without the wooden frame), just of the artwork is in the public domain and covered by PD-Art (70 years after her death, starting with January 1, 2025)

Many of the images are free available already on google (taken by visitors from the museum), of course not "high quality, just pure smartphone camera images). Usually it is not even clear if the images that are available on the web show the original or show the replica-

I have a feeling Frida Kahlo is "public domain" and/but anyone is afraid of showing images taken in museums where it is allowed to take pictures. What is your opinion on it? Thelonggonefrank (talk) 12:30, 28 November 2025 (UTC)

@Thelonggonefrank: To be hosted on Commons, reproductions of artworks have to be in the public domain in their country of origin (in this case presumably Mexico, the fact that you photographed in Germany is probably not relevant) and in the United States. Frida Kahlo's works from 1929 or earlier should met that criterion (the issue of whether they were all immediately "published" is relevant for the U.S. and a bit tricky, so there might be a weird edge case, but I think most of her works would have been considered immediately "published"). Later works will be coming into the public domain in the U.S. on a year-by-year basis over the next 25 years. - Jmabel ! talk 07:06, 29 November 2025 (UTC)

Thanks Jmabel for the quick reply,

So, to my understanding, it would be "ok" to have the image on a german version of wikipedia (de.wikipedia.org) as it has the 70 years of copyright protection, but not on commons, as Mexico protects the images for 100 years? And it would be ok to have the public domain reproduction on a website based in germany (say artimages.de), but not on a website with "international visitors - like wikimedia".

And there is no difference if its an "photo of a 1:1 reproduction" or "photo of the original painting"?

What I am confused about is, that en.wikipedia.org hosts one very low resolution image (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/1/1e/Frida_Kahlo_%28self_portrait%29.jpg) but they are afraid of using a higher resolution image. ~2025-37163-87 (talk) 08:47, 29 November 2025 (UTC)

Anyone an idea? ~2025-37163-87 (talk) 08:41, 29 November 2025 (UTC)

en.wp follows US copyright, and that painting is from 1940, so presumably still copyrighted in the US. So en:File:Frida Kahlo (self portrait).jpg is a fair use file, which among other things means small file size.

All works by Kahlo should still be protected in Mexico (including those from 1929 or earlier), so none of them are ok for Wikimedia Commons. She lived and worked in the US for a few years from 1930 to 1934, so any works created in the US during that period should be ok for Commons after 95 + 1 years. Which means Kahlo works created in the US in 1930 should be ok for Commons in 2026 (which is only a few weeks away).

You could uploaded your photos directly to de.wp (German language Wikipedia). They should be ok there because neither American nor Mexican copyright are taken into consideration there. --Rosenzweig τ 11:48, 29 November 2025 (UTC)

Regarding the copyright of "ZoomEarth"

Hello, I would like to know if I can publish the ZoomEarth temperature or wind or dewpoint map without mentioning in the caption or in the image that it comes from the ZoomEarth website, Where even the weather map of variables, am I allowed the Zoomearth weather map regardless of the weather variable or not ? Thank you. ScientiaMonde (talk) 20:04, 28 November 2025 (UTC)

Zoom Earth is a copyrighted site and none of its products can be uploaded in Commons Pierre cb (talk) 23:37, 28 November 2025 (UTC)

Ramalizacion Linea 75 (El Puente S.A.T de Grupo DOTA) [Argentina]

Buenas tardes a todos, quiero subir una imagen que vi en la pagina de Facebook Bondis A Todo Ritmo y en Ciudad de Bondis que dice: Atencion Al Publico Usuario Se informa que los servicios de la Linea 75 Seran suspendidos en su totalidad desde el 1 de Diciembre de 2025. La Empresa. Fan de Yitos (talk) 20:05, 28 November 2025 (UTC)

@Fan de Yitos: si es un cartel con solamente el texto eso, debería estar abajo de la umbral de originialidad para derechos del autor. Pero si tiene un deseño más complejo, o si la foto muestra más que solo el cartel, la foto podría haber derechos del autor. Sín verlo, no puedo decir nada definitivo- Jmabel ! talk 07:19, 29 November 2025 (UTC)

Problem with incorrect map coordinates

The file is named File:Carl mountain in Willow, NY.jpg but the coordinates are in KyrgyzstanJalal - Abad Region. Are the coordinates wrong. There is no such place as Willow, N.Y. Thanks, Krok6kola (talk) 01:25, 29 November 2025 (UTC)

Willow, New York appears to be a hamlet in Ulster County, New York per en:Willow, New York. Image does look like an autumn in New York state picture to me. Abzeronow (talk) 01:41, 29 November 2025 (UTC)

It looks like the coordinates should be {{Location|42|-74|heading:330}} instead of {{Location|42|74|heading:330}}. HyperAnd (talk) 02:41, 29 November 2025 (UTC)

Thanks. It does look like autumn in New York. I guess coordinates on photos are not foolproof. Krok6kola (talk) 04:59, 29 November 2025 (UTC)

William Salt Library question

Hi, I found a historic (c. 1762--1802), anonymous engraving of Lichfield Cathedral online. The image is part of the William Salt Library's collection. The Salt Library states that "permission to reproduce any image within the Staffordshire Views Collection must be obtained in writing from the Trustees of the William Salt Library prior to any publication, exhibition or display taking place." Obviously, I won't upload something that is from their collection, then. But how is it possible for the library to retain the rights to an anonymous engraving which is well outside of the period of copyright according to UK law? Just wondering. Theodore Christopher (talk) 03:02, 30 November 2025 (UTC)

@Theodore Christopher: It's not. If their claim is copyright-based, it is pure copyfraud. It is imaginable that they could have terms and conditions on the use of their website that require that users of the site comply to certain conditions, but those would be a non-copyright restriction, and almost certainly not one they could successfully enforce. I'd just ignore their claim, but it's up to you how you handle this. - Jmabel ! talk 05:54, 30 November 2025 (UTC)

Thanks! Theodore Christopher (talk) 00:53, 2 December 2025 (UTC)

NPOV

Can files from external websites include descriptions here (as written by the original author) that contain their opinions? Hypothetically, could a file taken by a right-wing person describe left-wing demonstrators as "cowards", "violent", or "destabilizing" if those hypothetical leftists were vandalizing property or attacking police officers? No visible faces can be seen though. Tbhotch™ 04:38, 30 November 2025 (UTC)

NPOV is not a policy here on Commons so the file description could contain the original author's words if those words are freely licensed. You can't include those descriptions in captions when using on the various Wikipedias though. Abzeronow (talk) 05:06, 30 November 2025 (UTC)

It's not exactly that NPOV is not a policy at all, as that we allow a lot more latitude on that than (for example) en-wiki. Quoting Commons:Project scope/Neutral point of view with respect to text (vs. files): …it may not always be possible for file names and related descriptive text to be "neutral". However, neutrality of description should be aimed at wherever possible, and in any event neither filenames nor text may be phrased in such a way as to constitute vandalism, attack or deliberate provocation.

If the original source is itself notable (and there are no license issues), then it is best practice to indicate what that original source said. For an extreme example, we have images uploaded here from the Bundesarchiv that follow the Bundesarchiv in preserving Nazi-era captions (with appropriate explanation as to the nature of those captions). However, if something similar were from a non-notable source, we typically would not preserve them, and even less so if they are only tangentially related to the images in question (i.e. a screed that accompanied a Flickr upload, and did not actually describe what you can see in the picture). There is no hard-and-fast rule against uploading such texts, but there is also no rule against someone removing them. Jmabel ! talk 06:07, 30 November 2025 (UTC)

Upload a MP4 video

Can I upload a MP4 video? NHNAnh (talk) 12:29, 30 November 2025 (UTC)

@NHNAnh: No, MP4 is not a free format, and therefore not allowed on Commons. You have to convert it to a free format, either locally, or with Video2Commons. Yann (talk) 18:22, 30 November 2025 (UTC)

mass uploading an internet archive collection

how do i upload an internet archive collection, specifically the MKULTRA files collection? ltbdl (talk) 18:14, 30 November 2025 (UTC)

Yes, you can upload these files as there are in the public domain. Please use {{PD-USGov-CIA}} for the license. Thanks, Yann (talk) 18:20, 30 November 2025 (UTC)

@Yann: i know i can upload these, i'm asking how to download and then upload all 1778 pdfs. ltbdl (talk) 18:21, 30 November 2025 (UTC)

Well, either you do it yourself with a bot (Commons:Bots/Requests), or you find someone else to do it for you (Commons:Batch uploading). There is a long waiting list there, and only a few people who could do it. Please see also Commons:Guide to batch uploading. Yann (talk) 18:34, 30 November 2025 (UTC)

It's possible to do with URL2Commons I have collected all links in the required format already here https://files.catbox.moe/upm5n2.txt but is there any more meaningful file names? Or does any have any descriptions about that file itself?

Here is how I do it for archive.org collections 1st I scroll the whole collection then run this script in browser console this is to stop archive.org removing the pages when you scroll because it does that to save memory then scroll all the way back up

const scroller = document.querySelector('app-root').shadowRoot.querySelector('collection-page').shadowRoot.querySelector('collection-browser').shadowRoot.querySelector('infinite-scroller').shadowRoot;
const observer = new MutationObserver((mutations) => {
    // Now re-adding the pages when archive.org removes them so we can download all at the same time
    for (const mutation of mutations) {
        if (mutation.type === 'childList') {
            for (const node of mutation.removedNodes) {
                mutation.target.appendChild(node);
            }
        }
    }
});
observer.observe(scroller, { childList: true, subtree: true });

Next this is to copy the URLS and files names

let files = [];
for(const d of document.querySelector('app-root').shadowRoot.querySelector('collection-page').shadowRoot.querySelector('collection-browser').shadowRoot.querySelector('infinite-scroller').shadowRoot.querySelectorAll('tile-dispatcher')){
	const elem = d.shadowRoot.getElementById('container').getElementsByTagName('a')[0];
	const url = elem.href;
	const title = elem.ariaLabel.replace(': ', '-_').replaceAll(' ', '_') ;
	if(!title.includes('Index')) files.push(url.replace('details', 'download') + '/' + url.split('/').pop() + '.pdf' + ' ' + title + '.pdf');
}
console.log(files.join('\n'));

 $999$REAL 💬 ⬆   23:46, 30 November 2025 (UTC)

error

I am attempting to update my father's wikipedia page and received this error - what does this mean on widipedia [ae0e22c8-62f8-4d77-b08d-13d3f863e82e] Caught exception of type TypeError Tlfarah (talk) 19:02, 30 November 2025 (UTC)

@Tlfarah: this looks like a question for the English Wikipedia help desk, en:help desk. TSventon (talk) 20:55, 30 November 2025 (UTC)

Tif or PNG?

I'm converting large topographic maps (https://www.linz.govt.nz/products-services/maps/new-zealand-topographic-maps/topo50-map-chooser/) for use on Wikipedia and I've been converting to png, but should I keep the files as tif? PNG has better browser support but I don't know if having a higher quality tif file that is downgraded into a jpeg/png via Wikimedia software is better. Traumnovelle (talk) 20:15, 30 November 2025 (UTC)

Hi, Actually converting a TIFF file to a PNG one should not reduce the quality, as PNG is a lossless format. Best would be to upload a PNG and a JPEG versions. Yann (talk) 20:18, 30 November 2025 (UTC)

I should upload a PNG and JPEG of the image? What's the purpose of the JPEG file duplicate? Traumnovelle (talk) 20:21, 30 November 2025 (UTC)

I think that JPEG can be advantageous for people on slower or bandwith-limited (mobile) connections by virtue of their reduced size. Regards, Grand-Duc (talk) 20:31, 30 November 2025 (UTC)

@Traumnovelle: I would upload them as TIFFs, unless they're so large that thumbnails don't get generated or something. PNGs would be fine too, but if you've already got them as TIFF I don't think there's much benefit to doing the work to convert them. JPEG thumbs will be generated by Commons in either case. Are they GeoTIFFs? I seem to remember some discussion about how there is more metadata in those than can be replicated in PNG metadata. Sam Wilson 01:15, 1 December 2025 (UTC)

They come as both TIF and geoTIF. I am taking much larger maps and cropping them to cover a specific area for use in a Wikipedia article, so converting to PNG isn't anymore time consuming and I'm not sure if any retained metadata would still be helpful. Traumnovelle (talk) 05:34, 1 December 2025 (UTC)

@Traumnovelle: In that case, it sounds like PNG would be fine. But you say that it'd be a higher quality TIFF, do you mean you'd upload higher resolution or color depth if it's TIFF? Sam Wilson 09:22, 1 December 2025 (UTC)

I just assumed that TIFF was a higher quality format than PNG, but it seems in this instance with what I am doing the difference is negligible and the greater browser support that PNG has is more ideal. Traumnovelle (talk) 09:25, 1 December 2025 (UTC)

Upload files

Can you help me to upload the files please Paul728 (talk) 02:30, 1 December 2025 (UTC)

@Paul728: You may find COM:First steps helpful. There's also a lot of useful links in the welcome message on your talk page, User talk:Paul728. If you still can't proceed, please describe what you were trying to do and what your actual problems are. Regards, Grand-Duc (talk) 02:32, 1 December 2025 (UTC)

Is it appropriate to edit / modify someone else's uploaded photo?

Specifically, I'm looking at some photos that are quality image candidates and sometimes a simple crop (or small rotation) might help improve the photo, but I'm unsure if it's appropriate to make these types of edits to someone else's photo. Thanks for any suggestions/advice. Pdanese (talk) 23:18, 1 December 2025 (UTC)

Outside of QIC, certainly yes, upload it as a new version and use {{Retouched picture}} (that's what the free licenses are for, too, actually). Editing a QIC, though, may be unwise. Post a comment describing your issues and leave the editing of QIC candidates to the actual uploader; this may be the better approach. Regards, Grand-Duc (talk) 23:57, 1 December 2025 (UTC)

@Grand-Duc and Pdanese: new version there is rather ambiguous. If you mean upload a different version under a new filename, I completely agree. If you mean overwrite it with a new version, I disagree. Commons:Overwriting existing files urges a lot of caution, and specifically says, "Consult the creator or original uploader first as they are likely to do a better job of fixing issues". If the creator of the photo is still here on Commons, I would strongly recommend following that last piece of advice. - Jmabel ! talk 01:32, 2 December 2025 (UTC)

Ups, my bad. I indeed meant to advise executing the upload as a new file, sorry for the misunderstanding. Regards, Grand-Duc (talk) 02:00, 2 December 2025 (UTC)

Crosswiki accounts

For unknown reasons this temporary account is not synchronizing with the one the software created for me on other Wikinedia wikis, anyone have an idea what is going on there? ~2025-37860-19 (talk) 23:54, 1 December 2025 (UTC)

I would say that if you want account coherence, you should almost certainly create a proper account. - Jmabel ! talk 01:33, 2 December 2025 (UTC)

I am not a regular by any measure, and I have no interest in the social media side of things either, so no. ~2025-37860-19 (talk) 04:18, 2 December 2025 (UTC)

Ordinary accounts are not only for "regular" users. They are for anyone. It's technical, not social. They just give access to some features and provide more privacy than temporary accounts (whose IPs are semi-available) and they allow coherence even if you use several devices.

Maybe you used different devices. Maybe cookies were deleted. Anything that may have affected the cookies. Maybe other possibilities. -- Asclepias (talk) 11:48, 2 December 2025 (UTC)

Worth examining, though the other cookie is still active. ~2025-37860-19 (talk) 20:56, 2 December 2025 (UTC)

My understanding is that the temporary accounts are global, but depending on how your browser handles 3rd party cookies, it might not allow the different projects to see the cookie due to different URLs. All the Best -- Chuck ^Talk 21:14, 2 December 2025 (UTC)

Receiver block diagram animation

Are there royalty free receiver block diagram animations we can use for our ham radio club for educational purposes? ~2025-37970-49 (talk) 14:43, 2 December 2025 (UTC)

File description of deleted image

I've been using a downloaded version of File:Gn-elf.jpg as an avatar in various places for years, because I thought it was cute. The image was on Commons for nearly a decade and was deleted last year.

I am not asking that it be re-instated, but would an administrator please tell me the description of what that object is, and where the image originally came from? A reverse image search shows only links back to the deleted version on Commons. ~Anachronist (talk) 16:14, 2 December 2025 (UTC)

@Anachronist: I'm afraid the description was just a repeat of the filename, and source was "own photo". - Jmabel ! talk 19:33, 2 December 2025 (UTC)

You can get one of them for $0,13. Unfortunately, you'll have to take at least 1440. --rimshot^talk 21:24, 2 December 2025 (UTC)

Well, that's helpful, thanks. At least I now know what it is: "High Quality 2-Inch Cute Hedgehog TPR Flashing Puffer Ball with Eyes Colorful Light-Up Toy". ~Anachronist (talk) 05:22, 3 December 2025 (UTC)

Old commons account was Tiamat

And all the photos I uploaded under that name have been moved to User:Tiamat~commonswiki. And I want them to be associated with my Global User name which is my Wikipedia English name User:Tiamut. Can anyone help me fix this? Tiamut (talk) 16:57, 2 December 2025 (UTC)

@Tiamut: Can't be done, but you can make the user page and user talk page of that account redirect to your current account, and you can also mention the account on your current user page. - Jmabel ! talk 19:40, 2 December 2025 (UTC)

Thank you for the suggestion. Tiamut (talk) 10:14, 3 December 2025 (UTC)

Bert Convey Wiki Page

Bert Convey (1933-1991) is best known as the handsome host and a frequent panelist on a bevy of television game shows in the 60's, 70', and 80's.

Sadly, he's unrecognizable in the single black and white photo from a one-time acting 1960 appearance on his wiki page where he's depicted looking weathered and stunned and scruffy stunned in a pith helmet, beard and military... rather than his curly locks, stellar smile, and usual dapper manner of dress.

Countless full-color photos capturing a better and more up-to-date likeness of Mr. Convey as he should be remembered as his sensational handsome self are available online... and would serve a tremendous and more fitting tribute to this fine gentleman who passed at the early age of 57.

Plus Wikipedia readers are far more likely recognize him as he appeared at the height of his memorable television career.

I'd like to see how we can replace the existing photo with this one that captures Mr. Convey at his very best.

https://matchgame.fandom.com/wiki/Bert_Convy?file=3127_123031562541.jpg

How can I make that happen? Alley Ascot (talk) 23:25, 2 December 2025 (UTC)

Hi Alley Ascot. Any images you find of Convy online or otherwise are going to need to be licensed in accordance with Commons:Licensing for them to be OK to upload to Commons because Commons doesn't accept fair use content of any type. What this means is that you're going to need to look for images in which it's clearly stated that the copyright holder of the image has released under a copyright license that is free enough (i.e., with minimal restrictions) for Commons' purposes or which states the image is considered to be within the en:public domain (i.e., either never was or is no longer eligible for copyright protection). If you find an image somewhere and there's no mention of it being released in such a way, you should assume it's under copyright protection and, thus, not OK to upload. It's also important to understand that the copyright holder of an image is typically considered to the be the original creator of the image; so, for example, the copyright holder of a photo of Convy would be the person who took the photo, while the copyright holder of a screenshot from a TV show or movie that Convy appeared in would be producer of the show or movie. Lots of fans upload images of their favorites to social media or other websites, but this doesn't make them the copyright holder of the image; so, care is needed when it comes to random images like the one you linked to above, and it's better to look for images uploaded or published by their copyright holders instead.

English Wikipedia, on the other hand, does allow fair use images to be uploaded and used as non-free content, but English Wikipedia's non-free content use policy is really restrictive by design, and free equivalent images (even when they're not the best available image one can find) are pretty always preferable to anything that's non-free. While it might seem wrong to you since you seem to be a huge fan of Convy, Wikipedia doesn't need an image showing Convy at his best; it just needs one that acceptably licensed and sufficient enough to serve the encyclopedic purpose of primary identification, which File:Bert Convy 1976 CBS publicity.jpg is more than capable of doing. English Wikipedia articles (text or images) aren't intended to pay tribute to their subjects; they're only intended to provide an encyclopedic summary/overview of the subject in a neutral tone that reflects what reliable sources have written or said about the subject. -- Marchjuly (talk) 05:29, 3 December 2025 (UTC)

@Alley Ascot: you asked this question in more than one place. I know I already answered it elsewhere. Please do not do that. It wastes the time of those of us who volunteer to answer questions here. - Jmabel ! talk 05:32, 3 December 2025 (UTC)

"Contributions"

On en:Wikipedia, there's an easy-to-find link "Contributions" to all my contributions, sorted by date, most recent first. I'm sure there's something similar here on Commons, but I can't find it. Any advice will be welcome. Maproom (talk) 09:00, 3 December 2025 (UTC)

There is: Special:Contributions. Regards, Grand-Duc (talk) 09:20, 3 December 2025 (UTC)

Lack of Freedom of Panorama in Italy

As stated on Commons, Italy does not have general FOP for buildings. Still, I am surprised by the overwhelming number of files that show theoretically-copyrighted architecture in Italy, like Vela Scampia.jpg, More than meets the eye MAXXI Roma 2015.jpg and Kronplatz Messner Mountain Museum.jpg. There is also no FOP for public interiors in Italy, and still there is a quite extensive number of files showing public interiors, like Neubautrakt_Klinikum_Bozen_2023.jpg and Ospedale San Gerardo-Interior.jpg.

I am considering uploading new files of various buildings in Italy to Commons and quite insecure: On one hand, de-jure, each image would need to be checked whether the displayed building is copyrighted or not; on the other hand, the sheer number of files on Commons that did not consider the lack of FOP convey the feeling that the lack of FOP is not really intensivelly enforced. --Aciarium (talk) 12:06, 3 December 2025 (UTC)

@Aciarium: You're right in that "each image would need to be checked whether the displayed building is copyrighted or not". And you're right in that a "sheer number of files on Commons" exist that are probable right infringements. Their numbers grow faster than people can check them. Thus, you're strongly encouraged to actually engage in starting such checks, namely: open deletion requests when you think that a certain image has a motif protected by copyrights! DR opened in good faith are a sensible and needed process of quality assurance. I did so on File:Kronplatz Messner Mountain Museum.jpg, the others may be below a relevant COM:TOO. But if you're not convinced with the TOO argument, feel free to open a DR on them! It's certainly arguable. Regards, Grand-Duc (talk) 12:24, 3 December 2025 (UTC)

@Grand-Duc Thank you for your clarification, this makes more sense to me now. However, I still have difficulties to assess whether a certain motif exceeds TOO. I agree that very simple hospital hallways would fall under the TOO, but I am unsure about buildings like Krankenhaus Bozen or Walther Park. Kind regards, --Aciarium (talk) 12:42, 3 December 2025 (UTC)

As I wrote before: DR opened in good faith are a sensible and needed process of quality assurance. So, if you're simply bold and go forward with a DR for those cases where you're having doubts, then you will get an opportunity to learn about the practices around TOO. The ability of better gauging TOO comes with the practice after viewing hundreds of files, opening DR and assessing their outcomes - I did and am still doing the same. Regards, Grand-Duc (talk) 13:17, 3 December 2025 (UTC)