Quality Ratings on Pixabay

Every upload to Pixabay should be in agreement with our Terms of Service and quality guidelines. To ensure this, your work needs to pass our quality control system.

• The theme (overall message/ the main subject)
• adequacy in the amount of elements to portray a message
• accuracy of the elements used to portray the theme
• proper construction of each element in relation to the style
• consistency in the presentation of ideas

• The style (the visual approach in construction of the content)
• appropriateness of style to the theme
• consistency of style throughout the elements
• intentional composition that highlights and subjects the theme

• The usability (determining if the theme and style can be used for stock media)
• purpose and originality
• diversity and authenticity
• safety of the theme

Editorial Review

Every upload submitted to Pixabay goes through a careful quality control process. Our editors assess the technical quality and creative intent to ensure your content is visually or sonically strong, legally safe, and suitable for stock use.

Technical and Legal Requirements

Here are the essentials we should see in every submission:

• High resolution and technical sharpness (crisp images and video, clean and well-mastered audio)
• No watermarks, logos, text overlays, or heavy filters on images, video, and illustrations; no unwanted branding, jingles, or embedded ads on audio
• No content that infringes on copyright, trademark, or other intellectual property rights

It's your responsibility to make sure your uploads are original.

How Long Does Review Take?

Most submissions are reviewed within a few minutes to several hours, but the process may take longer depending on volume.

Please allow up to 2-3 days, especially over weekends or holidays. Audio submissions (music and SFX) can take up to 8-10 business days. If your file still appears as "pending," it's likely waiting in the editorial queue.

What Happens After Review: Content Statuses Explained

Once your image passes editorial review, it may receive one of the following statuses:

Published: Your upload met some, but not all, of our quality and safety guidelines. It will remain visible on your own profile, but won't appear in Pixabay search.

Approved: Your upload met all of our quality and safety guidelines. It will be visible on your profile and in Pixabay search, giving it much higher exposure to the community.

Approved uploads may also be shortlisted for an Editor's Choice badge - our highest mark of recognition, awarded to standout contributions based on how well they fit our homepage curation and social features.

Rejected Images

If your content doesn't meet our standards, it may be rejected for quality reasons. Since April 23, 2020, low-quality images may still appear on your profile but won't be shown in public search results.

Images may be fully removed if they contain:

• Copyrighted or trademarked content
• Visible logos or brand names
• Personal data, signatures, or watermarks

Feedback and Appeals

If your content was not accepted, here are some steps you can take to understand why and improve future uploads:

1. Review the Quality Guidelines

We strongly encourage contributors to revisit our relevant quality guidelines for insights on what makes a submission successful. Whether it's a photo, illustration, vector, video, audio track, 3D model, or GIF, our guidelines cover key aspects like technical quality, originality, and community fit.

• Photo Guidelines
• Illustration Guidelines
• Video Guidelines
• Audio Guidelines
• GIF Guidelines
• AI Guidelines
• 3D Guidelines

2. Ask for Feedback in the Forum

If you're still unsure after reviewing the guidelines, you can ask the community for feedback:

• Visit the Pixabay Forum.
• Share your content and ask for constructive input.
• Please do this occasionally and with care, as our moderators and community can only provide a limited number of individual reviews.

3. Reassessment: Focus on Quality Over Quantity

Sometimes, a file that was previously rejected may be worth revisiting or improving. We believe in growth and reassessment, especially if you've refined your editing or creative technique.

As outlined in our "Quality Over Quantity" blog post, it's better to upload fewer high-quality items than many that don't meet our standards. Our review team looks for originality, technical excellence, and creative value - and we're always open to recognising improvement.

Tip: Give yourself time between re-uploads and only re-submit if you've made meaningful changes or improvements.