Wikipedia:Upload/Uploadtext/en-screenshot

Uploading a screenshot

Use the following form to upload a screenshot of a movie, TV program, computer game, web site, computer program, music video, or other such source. Display of an image of these types usually requires a fair use rationale. The exception is screenshots of freely-licensed works or other screenshots which are ineligible for copyright. To upload a file of a different kind, please return to Wikipedia:Upload.

Please read this important message first

The goal of all Wikimedia Foundation projects, including Wikipedia, is to contain free content. Works that are not free content may only be uploaded to Wikipedia if they are covered by Wikipedia's Exemption Doctrine Policy, which specifies limited conditions under which non-free content can be used. You should not upload a non-free image if there is a reasonable expectation that a free image does or ever could exist. Please instead find a free image, persuade the owner of the copyright on the non-free image to license it under a free copyright licence, or even create an image that is entirely your own work and license it as free content. Warning: Non-free screenshots that are just an image of a person are not permitted. Non-free images must, among other things, be irreplaceable by a free image that exists or could be created, and must add significantly to readers' understanding of the articles in which they are used. If the reader would get the same or similar information without the image, then the image is inappropriate. If you are uploading a screenshot of freely-licensed software, please consider creating an account at the Wikimedia Commons and uploading it there. The Wikimedia Commons is a collection of freely licensed images that are automatically available to all Wikimedia projects, such as Wikipedias in other languages.

Why am I here?

Screenshots are usually copyrighted, with exclusive rights to use them, to copy them, and to make works derived from them reserved to the copyright holder. Wikipedia respects the copyrights of others — do not upload images that violate others' copyrights.

What are the limited conditions?

In general, non-free content uploaded under the Exemption Doctrine should be used only when the specific image itself is significant to the article, not merely what it depicts. The image must be not replaceable by a free content alternative that depicts the same thing. In other words, a screenshot from a movie is acceptable to use when talking about the movie itself — it is not acceptable to use it to talk about the actress who happens to be in the picture. (It is possible for a free content picture of the actress to be taken.) If you are still in doubt, ask at Wikipedia talk:Copyrights/Can I use... before uploading the image! See Wikipedia:Copyrights, Wikipedia:Non-free content, Wikipedia:Image copyright tags, and Wikipedia:Image use policy for a full explanation of the Wikipedia licensing policy.

Step 1. Choose an appropriate filename.

Change the destination filename to something descriptive.

Step 2. Pick an appropriate entry from the licence selector.

Select the entry in the licence selector that is appropriate to this image.

Step 3. Supply a description and a "fair use" rationale, if appropriate.

If you are uploading a screenshot which is not copyrighted (such as freely-licensed software), you do not need to include a fair use rationale. For non-free images: Write a clear description for the image you are uploading in the "edit summary" box. This must contain: the exact source of the image, such as the URL giving the location on the World Wide Web from where you downloaded it; the full name of the author or the copyright holder; the name(s) of the article(s) in which this image is to be used; and an explanation (called a "fair use rationale") of why the use of this image in those specific articles is allowable without permission from the copyright holder. If you do not provide a detailed rationale for the fair use of non-free images, they will be deleted.

Note: To comment on this upload page please go to its talk page.