Registration

• What are the minimum system requirements for browsing the Photos.com site?
  You can optimize your browsing experience on Photos.com if your computer meets the minimum system requirements.

  Operating system

  • Mac OS X version 10.4 or later
  • Windows XP or later

  Web browser

  • Internet Explorer 6 or later†
  • Mozilla Firefox 3
  • Apple Safari 4

  Internet connection

  Broadband internet access with an upload speed of 256KBS.

  If you don't know your upload speed, then check with your internet service provider or click here.

  Monitor display

  For best results, set your screen resolution to 1024 x 768 or higher. For more information, see Help for your operating system.

  Other

  • Turn off your pop-up blocker. For more information, see Help for your web browser.
  • Download and install the latest version of Adobe Flash Player from the Adobe website.

  † Some features on Photos.com are not supported in Internet Explorer 6. To take full advantage of the features on the site, we recommend upgrading to Internet Explorer 7 or later.
• Why should I register?

  Registration on Photos.com is quick, easy and free. You can create and save multiple lightboxes for storing, reviewing and sharing images you like. And, you can choose to receive email communications about new imagery and special offers from Photos.com.

• How do I register on Photos.com?
  To register, click Register in the upper-right navigation bar, and then enter the required information on the Become a registered user page.
• Can I register as a business?
  Yes. If you have a business license and will be using your business name, bank and tax information, you can register as a business. To do so, contact us.
• What type of information do I need in order to complete the registration process?
  You'll be asked to provide the following information:

  • Valid email address
  • First and last name
  • Username and password

  You can use your email address as your username. Your password must be 6 or more characters long.

  Note: If you are already registered on gettyimages.com, jupiterimages.com or punchstock.com, you can sign in to Photos.com with the username and password you use on those sites.

  • Billing country
  • Job role and title
  • Organization type and name
  • Telephone number
• Is my personal information shared with anyone?
  Photos.com does not share your personal information with any outside parties except as provided in our privacy policy. For more information, please see our privacy policy.
• Can I share my username and password with anyone?

  No. You are not permitted to share your username and password with anyone; it is for your personal use only. If additional users from your organization require access to the Photos.com subscription, or if you wish to share images you download through your subscription with others in your organization, then you must buy additional user licenses (also called seat licenses) for each individual with whom you share images or who accesses the Photos.com subscription. To buy additional seat licenses, contact us.

  To learn more about seat licenses, see About seat licenses.

• I've forgotten my password. How do I retrieve it?
  To retrieve password, do the following:

  1. On the Please Sign in page, next to Forgot your password?, click Click here.
  2. On the Forgotten password page, do the following:
     • In the Username box, type your username.
     • In the Email address box, type your email address.
  3. Click Submit.

  An email with a link to reset your password will be sent to the email address registered with your Photos.com account.

• How do I change my personal information such as contact information or billing address?
  1. Sign in to Photos.com.
  2. In the upper-right navigation bar, place your pointer on My Account, and then select the account information you want to update.

Working with images

Searching for images

• How do I turn large preview of images off or on?
  In the upper-right or lower-left of the Search results page, click Turn off or Turn on next to Large preview.
• What are some guidelines for entering keywords?
  • Keywords are not case-sensitive; you use uppercase or lowercase letters, or any combination of the two.
  • If you enter more than one keyword in the Keywords text box, the search will be run as if the Boolean operator AND were inserted between each of the search terms.
  • Commas are not necessary to separate multiple search keywords; commas are treated as the Boolean AND.
  • You can search by keywords and image IDs, or a combination of each.
  • When searching by image numbers, enter multiple image numbers separated by a comma; commas function as the Boolean OR for searches by image number.

  
  

  For more information about entering keywords, see Can I type multiple keywords when I do a search?

• How do I narrow my search results?

  There are a number of ways to narrow or refine what you are searching for. We suggest that you start with a broad set, and then narrow your search depending on the number of thumbnails in your search results.

  You can narrow your search results in the following ways:

  • In the Keywords text box, include a filter term with keywords
    Type a term such as color, black & white or cutout to choose the combinations that best suit what images you want to search for. For example, type sunflower cutout to search for images of a sunflower on a white background, or type sunflower black & white to search for images of a sunflower that don't include color.
  • Not these words
    This text box allows you to exclude all images with specific keywords.
  • Media type and image filters
    You can choose to see only photos or illustrations in the search results. Or, filter your search results to see images with a vertical or horizontal orientation, or both.
  • Clarify your search
    If you search for a keyword that has multiple meanings (for example, orange), you can narrow your search results by choosing to see only images showing the color or only images showing the fruit.
• What is "Clarify your search" and how does it work?

  Clarify your search is a synonym keyword search feature that allows you to narrow and refine your search results if the keyword you entered has multiple meanings. For example, the keyword bank can be a land feature such as a slope bordering a stream or river, or it can be a financial building. You can choose to see only images showing the land feature or images showing the financial building in your search results.

  To narrow your search using the Clarify search feature:

  1. On the Search results page, if the keyword you entered has multiple meanings, you'll see the synonyms listed below the gray box above your search results.
  2. Select or clear the checkboxes for the keywords of images you want to see in your search results.
  3. Click Search again
     Your search results will update to show images specific to the keyword checkboxes you selected to clarify your search.
• Can I type multiple keywords when I do a search?
  Yes you can. When you search for images using multiple keywords, you can use search operators (also called Boolean operators) such as AND, OR, and NOT to narrow, broaden or define your search. The table below illustrates the use of search operators with multiple keywords:

  • To find images ...
  • Use these search operators
  • Examples

  • With both cats and dogs
  • And, comma, or a space
  • cats and dogs
    -or-
    cats, dogs
    -or-
    cats dogs

  • With either cats or dogs, or both
  • OR
  • cats or dogs

  • With cats only
  • NOT
  • cats not dogs†

  † A subscription can be shared with other users by purchasing additional seat licenses.

  † You can also use the Not these words text box to exclude specific keywords.
• Can I search for images using keywords other than English?
  Yes. Photos.com has 7 international sites (Deutsch, Español, Français, Italiano, Japanese, Português and UK English) that support keyword image search in the language of that international site. These sites have the same search features and image content as the US English site.
• How do I search for objects on a white background (also called photo objects)?

  On the Search results page, under Image filters, select the CutOut checkbox, and then click Search.

Managing lightboxes

• What is a lightbox?

  A lightbox allows you to store and review images. You can create a lightbox to collect, annotate and share sets of images related to a project or simply store your favorite images for later.

  When you browse to the Photos.com website, you can add images to a temporary lightbox without having to sign in or register. Images are not saved in your temporary lightbox unless you sign in or register. Once you register on Photos.com, you can create, save and manage multiple lightboxes.
• How do I create a lightbox?
  1. Sign in to Photos.com.
  2. In the upper-right navigation bar, click Lightbox.
  3. On the Lightbox page, click Create new lightbox.
  4. In the Create new lightbox pop-up window, enter the lightbox name and any notes.
  5. Click Create.

  The lightbox you created appears as a selection in the Lightbox drop-down list.

• How do I add an image to a lightbox?
  1. Sign in to Photos.com.
  2. In the Keywords text box on the Search pane, enter the keyword of the image you want to search for.
  3. On the Search results page, under the image you want to add, click Add to lightbox.
     The image is added to the lightbox.
  4. Repeat step 3 for each image you want to add.
  5. To view images in the lightbox, in the upper-right navigation bar, click Lightbox.
• How do I rename a lightbox?
  1. Sign in to Photos.com.
  2. In the upper-right navigation bar, click Lightbox.
  3. On the Lightbox page, next to the Lightbox drop-down list, click Rename.
  4. In the Rename lightbox pop-up window, click the Select a lightbox drop-down list to select the lightbox you want to rename.
  5. In the Enter a new name text box, type the new name of the lightbox.
  6. Click Rename.
• How can I share a lightbox?

  To share a lightbox, you can email a lightbox from the site, or cut and paste the web address of a lightbox to include in an email message or instant message window.

  To email a lightbox

  1. Sign in to Photos.com.
  2. In the upper-right navigation bar, click Lightbox.
  3. On the Lightbox page, click the Lightbox drop-down list to select the lightbox you want to share, and then click Email.
  4. In the Email lightbox pop-up window, enter the sender's email address in the From box and the recipient's email address in the To box.
  5. In the Subject box, edit the name of the lightbox, if necessary.
  6. In the Message box, enter content, if necessary.
  7. Click Send.

  
  To cut and paste a lightbox web address

  1. Sign in to Photos.com.
  2. In the upper-right navigation bar, click Lightbox.
  3. On the Lightbox page, click the Lightbox drop-down list to select the lightbox you want to share, and then click URL.
  4. In the Lightbox URL pop-up window, select and copy the web address, and then paste the web address in an email message or instant message window.
• How do I delete a lightbox?
  1. Sign in to Photos.com.
  2. In the upper-right navigation bar, click Lightbox.
  3. On the Lightbox page, click the Lightbox drop-down list to select the lightbox you want to delete.
  4. Click Delete.
• How do I remove images from a lightbox?
  1. Sign in to Photos.com.
  2. In the upper-right navigation bar, click Lightbox.
  3. On the Lightbox page, click the Lightbox drop-down list to select the lightbox you want to view.
  4. Do one of the following:
     • Select the checkbox below each image you want to remove.
     • Click All in the upper-left to select all of the images you want to remove.
  5. Click Remove.
• Why don't I see images that I added to my lightbox?
  If you don't see images you've added to your lightbox, you might need to clear your browser's cache or cookies. For information about how to do this, see your browser's Help.

Viewing image details

• How do I turn large preview of images off or on?
  In the upper-right or lower-left of the Search results page, click Turn off or Turn on next to Large preview.
• How do I view the details of an image such as price and file size?
  1. In the Search pane, under Keywords, enter one or more keywords.
  2. On the Search results page, click the image you want to view.
     The image opens in a pop-up window that shows the file size, subscription price, single image license price, and other image details.
• Can I download an image with no watermark?
  Yes. If you want to download an image with no watermark, you must buy a subscription or buy an extended license to use a single image.
• Can I download images for comp or evaluation purposes?
  Yes. Photos.com allows you to use images for comps and layouts for a period of thirty (30) days. Comping files may be used to evaluate a particular image or to create materials for proofing presentations to clients. Comping files are not licensed for use in final projects, whether for internal or external use. For more information, see the Photos.com Comping File Preview License Agreement.

Licensing images

• Can I license a single image instead of buying a subscription?
  Yes. You can license images individually without buying a subscription. Images you license individually are purchased as image packs. You can choose from Web, Web Plus and Print sizing. For image-specific pricing and size availability, view the image details page for the image you want to license.
• What credit cards do you accept?
  We accept Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover and JCB.
• What file sizes are available for images?

  Product

  Web

  Web Plus

  Print

  Subscription

  Format

  JPG

  JPG

  JPG

  JPG

  File size

  503 x 240 px | 7 x 3 in*

  720 x 486 px | 10 x 7 in*

  2202 x 1573 px | 7 x 5 in*

  All sizes included

  * Size information is approximate and based on the average size of horizontally-oriented photos.

  In some cases, larger resolution file sizes (JPG) and/or EPS files are available for purchase with single image extended licenses, but are not included with the price of a subscription.

About subscriptions

• What types of subscription options are available?

  Our subscription options include 3-month, 6-month and 1-year options. Subscriptions are a smart way to save when you need many images over an extended period of time. Subscriptions include access to all image sizes.

• How do I buy a subscription?

  You can buy a subscription right here on our site. When you do, you are the owner and administrator of that subscription. If you want to share it with other users so they can download, edit and save images, you can buy additional seat licenses for a price lower than the full subscription price. For more information about purchasing additional seat licenses, see About seat licenses.

• Are there print limits for subscriptions?

  Yes. The print limit for images purchased through a subscription is 500,000 copies. If you need unlimited prints for single images, please contact us to learn about extended licensing.

• Can I license a single image instead of buying a subscription?
  Yes. You can license images individually without buying a subscription. Images you license individually are purchased as image packs. You can choose from Web, Web Plus and Print sizing. For image-specific pricing and size availability, view the image details page for the image you want to license.
• Can I buy more than one subscription for a single Photos.com user account?
  No. You can only have one subscription on a Photos.com user account at a time.
• How do I renew my subscription?

  You can easily renew your subscription online at any time. Only the owner/buyer of the subscription can renew, upgrade or add more seats.

  To renew a subscription:

  1. Sign in to Photos.com.
  2. On the upper-right navigation bar, click Renew.
  3. Provide the required information to complete your purchase.

  For information about purchasing additional seat licenses, see About seat licenses.

• Can I change the duration of my subscription?
  Yes. You can change the duration of your subscription when you renew the same subscription. We offer 3-month, 6-month and 1-year subscriptions. Former Photos.com Basic and Photos.com Plus annual subscribers can renew within the new subscription model, and the new subscription will start when the existing subscription expires.
• If I upgrade from the Photos.com Basic or Plus subscription to the new Photos.com annual subscription before my current subscription expires, do you prorate the price difference?
  Please contact us to upgrade from an existing Photos.com Plus annual subscription to our new Photos.com annual subscription.
• Do you offer extended licensing for single images?
  At present, we do not offer extended licensing online via Photos.com. However, our sister sites, Getty Images and Jupiterimages, offer this opportunity. In addition, pricing for extended licenses on gettyimages.com and jupiterimages.com is available in a range of image sizes and pricing. Please contact us if you need additional help processing an extended license purchase.
• Where can I find details about my subscription?
  1. Sign in to Photos.com
  2. In the upper-right navigation bar, place your pointer on My Account, then click Current plans.

  The Current plans page displays information about the subscription type and duration, download limits, expiration date, and daily download activity.

• Does Photos.com offer refunds?
  If you purchased a subscription, you may receive a full refund within seven (7) days of your invoice date, provided that you have not downloaded more than five (5) images and you have not made any use of downloaded images. After seven (7) days, or download of more than five (5) images, no cancellations will be accepted, no refunds made, and you must pay the full amount. If you have any questions, please contact us.
• Can I share my Photos.com subscription?
  When you purchase a subscription, you are not permitted to share your username and password with anyone; it is for your personal use only. However, if you are the owner/buyer of the subscription, you can share it by buying additional seat licenses for a price lower than the full subscription price. For information about seat licenses, see About seat licenses.

Understanding licenses

About licenses

• What is a royalty-free (RF) license?
  A royalty-free license is based solely on the file size of the image and not its specific use. You do not have to pay any additional fees on a use-by-use basis. Once you purchase a royalty-free license, you may use the licensed image multiple times for multiple projects without paying additional fees. Once you pay the fee for a royalty-free image, you can use the image as frequently and creatively as you'd like. (Pornographic, defamatory, libelous or otherwise unlawful use of any image is, of course, prohibited.)
• What does it mean to "license" an image?
  When you "license" an image, you are licensing the rights to use an image subject to and governed by the license rights available for Photos.com products. Licensing is similar to leasing; you pay a licensing fee to use images based on the type of license rights you are buying.
• What is "commercial use"?
  Generally speaking, commercial use means a use that is intended to sell a product or service, raise money or promote or endorse a person, product or service.
• What is "personal use" of an image?

  Personal use of an image means an image is used by an individual for reasons other than to sell, promote or endorse a person, cause, product or service. In general, examples of personal use are personal web pages, personal photo albums, individually-created greeting cards (other than cards produced by a printer for sale), and so on.

  Images on Photos.com can be downloaded for personal use but are subject to the restrictions defined in either the Photos.com Image and Footage Subscription Agreement for subscriptions or the Photos.com Royalty-Free Single Image Extended License Agreement, or both. For more information, see the License information page.

• Do you offer extended licensing for single images?
  At present, we do not offer extended licensing online via Photos.com. However, our sister sites, Getty Images and Jupiterimages, offer this opportunity. In addition, pricing for extended licenses on gettyimages.com and jupiterimages.com is available in a range of image sizes and pricing. Please contact us if you need additional help processing an extended license purchase.
• What is a seat license?
  A seat license is a license based on the number of users from the same organization who are granted the right to use a Photos.com subscription and download images. Our subscription allows a single user to download, edit and save images. The person who buys a subscription is the owner and administrator of it. If the owner wants to share the subscription with other users within his/her organization, he or she can buy additional seat licenses for others within the same organization at a price lower than the full subscription price. Only the subscription owner can add more seats or change seat assignments. For more information, see About seat licenses.

Terms and conditions

• Can I share my Photos.com subscription?
  When you purchase a subscription, you are not permitted to share your username and password with anyone; it is for your personal use only. However, if you are the owner/buyer of the subscription, you can share it by buying additional seat licenses for a price lower than the full subscription price. For information about seat licenses, see About seat licenses.
• Can I use an image for personal use?
  Photos.com images downloaded through a subscription or an extended single image license may be used for personal use. Examples of using images for personal use include personal web pages, personal photo albums, personal greeting cards, personal communications, and so on. For detailed information about our license terms and conditions, see the License information page.
• How may I use Photos.com images?
  1. Web pages and other electronic distribution systems
  2. Broadcasts
  3. Theatrical exhibitions
  4. Advertising and promotional materials
  5. Products, including those intended for sale (only if you have purchased an extended license)
  6. Publications
  7. Personal (noncommercial) materials
  8. Comps, layouts and other materials for test, evaluation or sample use

  For detailed information about our license terms and conditions, see the License information page.

• Can I use images from my subscription for a client or employer?

  Yes. You are permitted to use Photos.com images on behalf of your client or employer for the purposes outlined in the Photos.com and Footage Subscription Agreement. You are not permitted to make the images available to your client outside of a layout or product.

  If you need to share images you are considering for a client's project, we recommend that you create a lightbox. We also recommend that you track the file names for each Photos.com image directly on the client's invoice in order to provide documentation of the image used for the project.

• Can I use images on websites?
  Yes. You may use Photos.com images on your own websites or clients' websites as design elements only. These images are not to be downloaded from your site, nor may you permit your customers to download these images from your site.
• Can I create an online image gallery featuring Photos.com content?
  No. You are not permitted to create an online gallery using any images from our site.
• Can I claim copyright on the "derivative" work that I have created using an image?
  Copyright of images from Photos.com is retained by Photos.com or its third-party suppliers. Intellectual property laws in some cases protect works of art that are derived from the original work. We recommend that you consult legal counsel in order to make an informed decision.
• Can I create electronic templates using images from Photos.com?

  No. You are not permitted to use images from Photos.com for electronic applications such as e-greetings or website templates. Part of what your customer is paying for is the use of the images contained within those templates, and we do not permit the use of images in any downloadable form.

  Use in an electronic template requires a separate license and fee. To obtain information about such a license, please contact us.

• My subscription has expired, and I have unused Photos.com images that I downloaded when my subscription was active. Can I still use those images for a future project?
  No. You must delete any unused images that you downloaded from Photos.com off of any servers or other sharing devices after your subscription expires.

About seat licenses

• What is a seat license?
  A seat license is a license based on the number of users from the same organization who are granted the right to use a Photos.com subscription and download images. Our subscription allows a single user to download, edit and save images. The person who buys a subscription is the owner and administrator of it. If the owner wants to share the subscription with other users within his/her organization, he or she can buy additional seat licenses for others within the same organization at a price lower than the full subscription price. Only the subscription owner can add more seats or change seat assignments.
• How do I buy additional seat licenses?
  Only the owner of a subscription can buy additional seat licenses. To do so, contact a Photos.com account executive.
• When can I buy additional seat licenses?
  You can buy additional seat licenses at any time during your subscription.
• What does it mean to be assigned a seat license?
  When you are assigned a seat license, the subscription owner/buyer has given you the rights to use a subscription, and to download, edit and save images. You have your own username, password, contact/shipping information, and download count and history.
• How do I assign or unassign seats?
  Only the owner/buyer of a subscription can assign or unassign seats. To do so, please contact a Photos.com account executive.
• Can I buy an unassigned (empty) seat?

  Yes. You do not have to assign seats immediately. You can buy an unassigned seat for your subscription and then assign it to a user within your organization at a later date.

  Tip When assigning a seat to a user, we recommend that the user be registered on the site, if he or she has not already done so.

• Can I have different subscription options for seats I assign to my subscription?
  No. The seats assigned to your subscription must have the same subscription options, the same expiration date and the same download limit as the account owner. However, each seat will have its own download count and download history.
• Do seats share download counts and histories?
  No. Download counts and download histories are not shared. Download limits and information are specific to the user assigned a seat. Each user assigned a seat is allowed 100 downloads per week and maintains his or her own download status.