If you contribute to 123RF, getting the file requirements right is only half of the job. Your uploads also need clean filenames, valid metadata, properly formatted CSV files, and the right commercial or editorial submission workflow.
This guide summarizes the key 123RF contributor requirements for photos, vectors and footage, including CSV metadata rules, FTP upload details, keywording guidance, release requirements, and practical filename tests.
Note: where a requirement is explicitly stated in 123RF documentation, it is presented as such. Where a detail comes from upload and CSV testing, it is marked as a practical observation.
1. 123RF content types covered in this guide
This guide covers:
- Royalty-Free commercial photos
- Editorial photos
- Royalty-Free commercial vectors
- Royalty-Free commercial footage
- Editorial footage
- FTP upload workflows
- CSV metadata upload for photo keywords and descriptions
2. Royalty-Free photo requirements
For commercial Royalty-Free image submissions, 123RF requires:
| Requirement | 123RF requirement |
|---|---|
| File format | JPEG |
| Minimum resolution | 6 megapixels |
| Maximum file size | 30 MB |
| JPEG quality | Minimum 80 percent |
| Metadata support | IPTC caption and keywords can be retrieved automatically |
| Model Release | Required if recognizable people appear |
| Property Release | Required for exclusive/private venues or protected property |
Commercial images must not contain recognizable or protected elements unless properly released or removed.
Avoid including:
- Company names
- Product names
- Registered trademarks
- Recognizable brands
- Copyrighted designs
- Registered dates or protected event identifiers
- Camera brand names or copyrighted camera model terms in description or keywords
For commercial stock, metadata should describe the image generically and accurately, without using protected brand names.
3. Editorial photo requirements
Editorial images have similar technical requirements:
| Requirement | 123RF requirement |
|---|---|
| File format | JPEG |
| Minimum resolution | 6 megapixels |
| Maximum file size | 30 MB |
| JPEG quality | Minimum 80 percent |
Editorial content has stricter rules about manipulation. According to the 123RF documentation, editorial photos must not be altered in a way that changes the factual content of the image.
Allowed edits are limited to basic adjustments such as:
- Cropping
- Light sharpening
- Minor contrast adjustments
- Minor brightness adjustments
Not allowed:
- Cloning
- Photomontage
- Adding or removing meaningful elements
- Manipulations that change the newsworthy or factual meaning of the image
Editorial descriptions should follow 123RF’s editorial description format. Event dates belong in the editorial description, not in the keyword list.
Unlike commercial metadata, editorial metadata may include relevant names, brands and public figures when they are factually relevant to the content.
4. Vector illustration requirements
123RF requires vector submissions to include both a preview JPEG and an EPS file.
| Requirement | 123RF requirement |
|---|---|
| Required files | JPEG preview + EPS vector |
| Filename rule | JPEG and EPS must share the same base filename |
| JPEG minimum size | 1600 x 1600 px |
| JPEG quality | Minimum 80 percent |
| EPS compatibility | Adobe Illustrator 8 compatible |
| Layers | Do not flatten – keep layers present |
| Metadata support | IPTC caption and keywords can be retrieved automatically |
Example:
illustration001.jpg
illustration001.epsCommercial vector content must not include company names, product names, trademarks, registered designs, copyrighted branding, or protected visual identities unless properly cleared.
5. Commercial footage requirements
For Royalty-Free commercial video submissions, 123RF accepts:
| Requirement | 123RF requirement |
|---|---|
| Accepted formats | MOV, WMV, MP4, AVI, M2TS |
| Minimum quality | 720p |
| Maximum file size | 4 GB |
| Maximum duration | 120 seconds |
Commercial footage must not include recognizable protected elements unless properly released.
A valid Model Release is required when recognizable people appear.
A Property Release is required for private, exclusive, restricted, or protected locations.
Do not include camera brands or copyrighted camera terms in the description or keywords.
6. Editorial footage requirements
Editorial footage uses the same basic technical requirements:
| Requirement | 123RF requirement |
|---|---|
| Accepted formats | MOV, WMV, MP4, AVI, M2TS |
| Minimum quality | 720p |
| Maximum file size | 4 GB |
| Maximum duration | 120 seconds |
Editorial footage must be uploaded through the editorial footage workflow and described using 123RF’s editorial footage description format.
For FTP upload, editorial footage must be placed inside the dedicated editorial folder on the footage FTP server.
7. Upload methods on 123RF
123RF supports two main upload methods for images and vectors:
Web Form Uploader
Recommended for small uploads, especially under 10 files.
Use it when:
- You are uploading only a few photos or illustrations
- You want a simple browser-based workflow
- You do not need bulk FTP transfer
FTP upload
Recommended for larger batches.
123RF provides different FTP servers depending on content type:
| Content type | FTP host | Quota |
|---|---|---|
| Photos and illustrations | ftp.123rf.com | 4 GB |
| Footage | footage.ftp.123rf.com | 30 GB |
| Stock audio | audio.ftp.123rf.com | 4 GB |
Login credentials:
Username: your 123RF username
Password: your 123RF passwordFor large batches, do not exceed the FTP quota. If your upload set is larger than the quota, split it into batches.
Example:
If you have 7.5 GB of photos and the photo FTP quota is 4 GB, upload:
Batch A: 3.8 GB
Batch B: 3.7 GBUpload and process Batch A first. Once processed, upload Batch B.
If you exceed the quota, you may need to wait up to 24 hours for the quota to reset.
8. Footage FTP workflow
Commercial and editorial footage are uploaded through the footage FTP server:
footage.ftp.123rf.comFor commercial footage:
- Connect to
footage.ftp.123rf.com - Upload the video files
- Go to the Contributor Dashboard
- Choose Upload Content
- Select Video or Footage
- Accept the agreement
- Continue to processing
- Add descriptions and keywords after processing
For editorial footage:
- Connect to
footage.ftp.123rf.com - Open the
editorialfolder - Upload editorial footage into that folder
- Go to the Contributor Dashboard
- Choose Upload Content
- Select Footage Editorial from the dropdown
- Accept the agreement
- Continue to processing
- Add editorial descriptions and keywords after processing
This distinction matters. Editorial footage should not be uploaded to the FTP root folder.
9. Managing uploaded content
After upload, files appear in the contributor content management area.
For photos and illustrations, the workflow includes tabs such as:
- Draft
- Pending
- Rejected
- Accepted
Metadata is usually added while the content is still in Draft.
For footage, processed files appear under media management tabs such as:
- All
- Accepted
- Rejected
- Incomplete
Incomplete footage usually means the file still needs description and keywords, or is waiting for review processing.
10. 123RF keyword requirements
123RF’s keywording guide states that each file should have at least:
7 keywordsThis applies to:
- Photos
- Vectors
- Footage
- Editorial content
123RF also recommends around:
30 to 50 relevant keywordsas a practical target.
Keywording best practices:
- Use English keywords
- Separate keywords with commas
- Keep keywords relevant
- Use specific terms before generic ones
- Avoid keyword stuffing
- Do not include irrelevant high-traffic terms
- Avoid typos
- Use short keywords or key phrases, usually 1 to 3 words
- Do not use full sentence-style keyword phrases
Example keyword list:
pianist, piano, music, musician, performance, concert, classical music, stage, instrument, melody, harmony, artist, elegant, indoor, close up, concentration, passion, creativity, entertainment, culture, live event, formal, professional, keyboard, soundImportant: once an image is accepted, 123RF may not allow further metadata editing. Check spelling carefully before submission.
11. Commercial vs editorial keywords
The keyword rules differ between commercial and editorial content.
Commercial content
Do not use protected brand names, product names, trademarks, copyrighted camera brands, or registered design names in commercial keywords or descriptions.
Avoid terms such as:
Nike
iPhone
Coca-Cola
McDonald's
Audi
Teflonunless the platform specifically allows them in a non-commercial/editorial context.
For commercial submissions, use generic alternatives:
| Avoid | Use instead |
|---|---|
| iPhone | smartphone |
| Nike shoes | sports shoes |
| Coca-Cola can | soda can |
| Audi car | luxury car |
| McDonald’s restaurant | fast food restaurant |
Editorial content
For editorial submissions, names, brands and public figures may be used when they are relevant and factual.
Editorial keywording should still avoid spam. The terms must accurately describe the visible event, person, location, organization, or newsworthy context.
Dates should generally be used in the editorial description rather than in the keyword field.
12. Description field length
123RF documentation shows a character counter in the description field, but the exact limit is not clearly stated in the documentation reviewed.
Practical testing shows that the description field limit is:
180 charactersTest result:
- Spaces count as 1 character
- Punctuation counts as 1 character
- Accented characters count as 1 character
- Symbols count as 1 character
- Emoji count as 1 character in the tested interface
- Double spaces are automatically collapsed into a single space
A safe workflow is to keep descriptions at or below 180 characters before uploading or submitting metadata.
Example valid description under 180 characters:
Male pianist performing on a grand piano with eyes closed, showing concentration, emotion and passion during a classical music performance.13. Special characters in descriptions
Practical testing showed that the description field accepts a wide range of special characters, including:
- Accented Latin characters
- Currency symbols
- Mathematical symbols
- Punctuation
- Non-Latin characters
- Emoji
However, this does not mean such characters are always useful for search. For stock metadata, clear English descriptions are usually better.
Use special characters only when they are meaningful. Do not use decorative symbols or emoji in real production metadata unless there is a strong reason.
14. Filename rules on 123RF
123RF validates filenames before upload. If a filename contains unsupported characters, the upload is blocked with:
Invalid original filename.Practical upload testing showed that the following characters are accepted in filenames:
- Letters
a-z - Letters
A-Z - Numbers
0-9 - Space
- Period
. - Underscore
_ - Hyphen
- - Comma
,
Examples that uploaded successfully:
test_immagine_001.jpg
test immagine con spazi.jpg
test.virgola.jpg
TestMaiuscole.jpg
test-trattino.jpg
test doppio spazio.jpg
test,virgola.jpg
test.doppio..punto.jpgPractical testing showed that the following characters were rejected:
- Accented characters, such as
à,è,é,ñ,ï - Non-Latin characters, such as Japanese, Chinese or Cyrillic characters
- Apostrophe
' - Symbols such as
!,^,€,$,#,@,&,%,+,=,²,~,;,(,),[,],{,}
Examples that failed:
caffè.jpg
naïve.jpg
Mañana.jpg
test'apostrofo.jpg
test€euro.jpg
test$dollaro.jpg
test!punto.jpg
test[quadre]{graffe}.jpg
テスト_月光_изображение.jpgObserved filename normalization:
- Leading and trailing spaces are removed
- Multiple spaces are collapsed into one space
Recommended filename format
Even though spaces, periods and commas may upload successfully, the safest approach for CSV workflows is to use simple filenames.
Recommended:
image_0001.jpg
image_0002.jpg
pianist_grand_piano_001.jpg
rose_sheet_music_001.jpgAvoid:
my image, final version.jpg
città tramonto.jpg
pianist's performance.jpgBest practice:
lowercase letters + numbers + underscoresThis reduces the chance of upload issues, CSV parsing problems, and filename matching errors.
15. CSV metadata upload requirements
123RF provides a CSV workflow to upload and manage photo keywords and descriptions.
The CSV must include the following columns:
| Column | Meaning |
|---|---|
oldfilename | Original filename of the uploaded file |
123rf_filename | New 123RF filename, optional |
description | Short description of the image |
keywords | Keywords describing the image |
country | Two-character country code most relevant to the photo |
The CSV file must not be larger than:
2 MBThe first row must contain the column names.
Official instructions present country as required, but practical testing showed that it can be left blank as long as the column exists.
If used, the country code should be a two-letter uppercase code, for example:
US
IT
FR
DE
ES16. Recommended 123RF CSV format
The safest CSV format is to follow 123RF’s sample structure exactly.
Use double quotes around every header and every field.
Recommended header:
"oldfilename","123rf_filename","description","keywords","country"Recommended row format:
"image_0001.jpg","","Male pianist performing on a grand piano with eyes closed during a classical music performance.","pianist, piano, music, musician, performance, concert, classical music, instrument, stage, artist, concentration, passion, indoor, elegant, sound, melody, harmony, creativity, entertainment, culture","IT"Example with blank country:
"oldfilename","123rf_filename","description","keywords","country"
"image_0001.jpg","","Male pianist performing on a grand piano with eyes closed during a classical music performance.","pianist, piano, music, musician, performance, concert, classical music, instrument, stage, artist, concentration, passion, indoor, elegant, sound, melody, harmony, creativity, entertainment, culture",""
"rose_sheet_music_001.jpg","","Red rose arranged with vintage sheet music, creating a romantic still life about love, nostalgia and classical music.","rose, red rose, sheet music, music, romance, love, vintage, still life, flower, elegant, nostalgia, artistic, petals, beauty, passion, classic, romantic, composition, close up, detail",""17. CSV filename matching
The oldfilename field should match the uploaded filename, including the extension.
Example:
If the uploaded file is:
CSV_Test_Maiuscole.jpgthen the CSV should use:
"CSV_Test_Maiuscole.jpg"Practical CSV testing showed that filenames with spaces, commas, hyphens, periods and uppercase letters can work if the CSV is correctly quoted.
Example:
"csv Test-001, misto.finale.jpg","","Red rose arranged with vintage sheet music, creating a romantic still life about love and nostalgia.","red rose, sheet music, romance, vintage, love, music, flower, still life, elegant, nostalgia, artistic, classic, petals, close up, beauty, passion, romantic, composition, detail, dark background",""Because the filename contains a comma, the field must be quoted. If it is not quoted, the CSV parser may treat the comma as a field separator.
18. Common CSV mistakes to avoid
Mistake 1: Missing quotes around fields
Risky:
csv,virgola,test.jpg,,Description here,keyword one, keyword two, keyword three,The parser may split the filename into multiple fields.
Safer:
"csv,virgola,test.jpg","","Description here","keyword one, keyword two, keyword three",""Mistake 2: Broken quote syntax
Incorrect:
"csv-test-trattino.jpg,,"Digital piano keyboard with glowing lights","digital piano, keyboard, music",""Correct:
"csv-test-trattino.jpg","","Digital piano keyboard with glowing lights","digital piano, keyboard, music",""A malformed quote can shift the columns. In testing, this caused the keyword list to appear in the description field, while the keyword field was left empty.
Mistake 3: Forgetting the country column
Even if you leave country blank, keep the column in the CSV.
Correct:
"oldfilename","123rf_filename","description","keywords","country"
"image_0001.jpg","","Description here","keyword one, keyword two, keyword three, keyword four, keyword five, keyword six, keyword seven",""Mistake 4: Description longer than 180 characters
Keep the description within 180 characters.
If your description is too long, it may be rejected, truncated, or fail validation depending on the interface behavior.
Mistake 5: Too few keywords
Use at least 7 keywords.
Better target:
30 to 50 relevant keywords19. CSV escaping rules
If a field contains a comma, wrap it in double quotes.
Since keyword fields naturally contain commas, always quote the keyword field.
If a field contains double quotes inside the text, escape them by doubling them.
Example description:
Portrait of a man holding a sign that says "Open"CSV-safe version:
"Portrait of a man holding a sign that says ""Open"""Full row:
"image_0002.jpg","","Portrait of a man holding a sign that says ""Open"" in a small shop.","man, portrait, sign, open, shop, small business, store, retail, customer, owner, indoor, entrepreneur, business, commerce, service, welcome, professional, adult, male, people","US"20. Model Releases and Property Releases
123RF requires a valid Model Release when recognizable people appear in commercial content.
A release may be needed for:
- Adults
- Children
- Crowds where people are recognizable
- Models photographed in private or commercial settings
- People appearing in commercial video footage
A Property Release may be required for:
- Private homes
- Exclusive venues
- Museums
- Hotels
- Private interiors
- Protected architecture
- Recognizable private property
- Locations with restricted commercial photography rules
Editorial content is treated differently, but releases can still affect how and where content can be licensed.
When in doubt, upload the appropriate release.
21. Best-practice workflow for 123RF contributors
A clean 123RF workflow looks like this:
- Prepare the files according to the technical requirements
- Rename files using safe ASCII filenames
- Avoid accents, symbols and non-Latin characters in filenames
- Use consistent filename patterns
- Upload small batches through the Web Form Uploader
- Upload large batches through FTP
- Wait for processing
- Prepare metadata in CSV
- Keep descriptions within 180 characters
- Use at least 7 keywords, ideally 30 to 50
- Quote every CSV field
- Keep the
countrycolumn, even if blank - Check the Draft tab after CSV upload
- Attach Model Releases and Property Releases where needed
- Submit for review
22. Recommended filename and CSV conventions
For the most reliable workflow, use this filename style:
subject_location_sequence.jpgExamples:
pianist_stage_0001.jpg
rose_sheet_music_0002.jpg
green_leaf_shoes_0003.jpg
latte_stars_0004.jpgAvoid:
Pianist's performance!.jpg
caffè_musicista_001.jpg
rose, final version.jpg
テスト_image.jpgRecommended CSV style:
"oldfilename","123rf_filename","description","keywords","country"
"pianist_stage_0001.jpg","","Pianist sitting at a grand piano on stage with a red curtain, preparing for a classical music performance.","pianist, grand piano, piano, music, performance, concert, stage, red curtain, classical music, instrument, musician, artist, elegant, formal, theater, entertainment, recital, melody, culture, indoor","IT"23. Quick checklist
Before submitting to 123RF, check:
- File is JPEG for photos
- Photo is at least 6 megapixels
- JPEG quality is at least 80 percent
- File size is under 30 MB for images
- Vector has matching JPG and EPS files
- EPS is Illustrator 8 compatible
- Video is in an accepted format
- Video is at least 720p
- Video is under 4 GB
- Video is 120 seconds or shorter
- Filename uses safe characters
- Description is 180 characters or less
- At least 7 keywords are included
- 30 to 50 relevant keywords are preferred
- Commercial metadata does not contain trademarks
- Editorial metadata follows editorial rules
- CSV fields are all quoted
- CSV has the
countrycolumn - Country code is uppercase two-letter format if used
- Releases are attached where required
24. Key takeaways
123RF is relatively straightforward once the workflow is understood, but there are a few details that can easily cause problems.
The most important practical rules are:
- Use clean filenames before upload
- Avoid accents and special symbols in filenames
- Keep descriptions within 180 characters
- Use at least 7 keywords
- Aim for 30 to 50 relevant keywords
- Use double quotes around every CSV field
- Keep the
countrycolumn even if you leave it blank - Use the correct FTP server for each media type
- Upload editorial footage into the FTP
editorialfolder - Attach releases for recognizable people and protected property
A careful metadata workflow reduces upload failures, prevents CSV mismatches, and helps your files move through review with fewer avoidable issues.
