Wikipedia:Image dos and don'ts

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:Images. It may reflect differing levels of consensus and vetting.

Images make Wikipedia more informative, accessible, and professional.

In general, when working with images:

DO:
Review the image style guide and use policy.
Give context with captions and alt text.
Try to find at least one image for each article.
Find free images, or create and upload your own.
Clean up images: crop, color-correct, etc.
Use the best file format for each image.
Use objects for scale where helpful.
Place images in the section to which they are related

DON'T:
Don't upload non-free images.
Don't use images in place of tables or charts.
Don't use images or galleries excessively.
Don't add images that are not relevant.
Don't flip faces, text, or works of art.
Don't set fixed image sizes.
Don't sandwich text between two images.
Don't refer to images by their placement.
Don't place images too early or at the end of sections.

See also