Main

Buyers

Contributors

Affiliation & API

Troubleshooting

Main

What is Fotolia?

Fotolia is an international stock photography agency (image bank) where people can buy and sell images to illustrate professional and commercial brochures, advertisements, magazines, websites, etc. more about fotolia

All our images are available for professional use

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How does Fotolia work?

Fotolia offers low-priced royalty free images using our credit (1 credit = $1) or subscription system. A member can buy credits or a subscription and download our images at an inexpensive rate. Contributors who sell images will be paid a commission based on the type of license purchased. Commissions start at 33% and go as high as 64%.

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How did Fotolia get started?

In January 2005 our management team set out to build a community and marketplace, where artists can monetize there images and buyers can receive high quality legal content. The Fotolia community has grown to over 800,000 members, 4 million images and 9 locations throughout the world.

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What is a royalty free image?

A royalty free image means that the price of the image is the same whatever the time of use and the number of prints. Thus, when you buy an image under a royalty free license, you can use this image without limit of time and without limit of number of uses.

more information about licenses and use

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Is Fotolia free to join?

Yes, Fotolia is free to join. Join right now !

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How do I close my account?

Please log into your account and write to customer support to close your account

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What is a credit?

A credit is our form of currency. We convert all currencies around the world to our credit system thus providing equal value to all customers. 1 credit = $1 (USD)

Please note Fotolia makes every effort to provide equal value in all countries however currency value change on a daily basis.

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What is the Content Download Agreement?

The Content Download Agreement is the license that a buyer agrees to when they purchase an image from Fotolia. Fotolia offers three download agreements the standard RF license standard RF, extended RF license. For more details add an image to the shopping cart, select a license, and click on the contract link to view the details of the license.

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How do I contact customer support and sales?

Ticket/Email : Log in to your account and click on the contact support link or visit contact page
Telephone : 718-577-1321 Business Hours : M-F 8:30 AM - 8 PM EST closed on holidays

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Buyers

How do I buy images?

It is easy to buy images on Fotolia. Just follow these instructions:

  • Step 1 : Open a Fotolia account
  • Step 2 : Purchase credits or buy a subscription. To buy credits click on the "My credits" section of the website and follow the instructions to purchase credits via credit card, Paypal, WebMoney, ClickandBuy, Wire Transfer or Check. To buy a Subscription click the subscription tab in your account and select the appropriate subscription. Subscription payments may be made via credit card, Paypal or wire transfer.
  • Step 3 : Add an image(s) to the shopping cart and select a license. Next, you can make your image selection(s) and put them into your shopping card
  • Step 4 : Download the image(s) via direct download, rescue download, or send by email
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What is the minimum number of credits I can purchase?

The minimum number of credits a member can purchase per transaction is 10 credits ($10 USD). It is possible to purchase more credits but $10 is the minimum.

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How do I search for images?

There are three easy methods to search for images on Fotolia. First enter a keyword(s) in the search box and click on the go button. Second, select a category or gallery search link near the search box. Third, click on the top tags for the website. Each search option should display a number of images for you to choose from.

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How can I narrow my search?

Fotolia offers many tools to help narrow your search results and find the exact image that you need. You may narrow the search by relevance (relevance to your keyword), price, date of upload, number of views, popularity (ratio of purchases to image views), photo or illustration, type of license, horizontal or vertical, standard collection or infinite collection. All of these tools and more can be found on the left hand side of the screen on the search results page.

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What type of license should I choose?

The type of license you need depends on how you will use our images.


If the image is used as a decorative illustration for brochures, magazine ads, websites, professional documents etc. then you may buy a Standard Royalty Free License. Depending on the size of the project you may use either the XS, S,M, L, XL, XXL or XXXL license.


However, if the image is to be integrated into a derivative item or image centric work such as postcards, posters, websites templates etc then you need an Extended RF License.

more about license use

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What should I do if I forget my password or login name?

If you cannot remember your password you can enter your login name and click on the forgot password link. When you click on this link we will send you an email with your password. Retrieve my password

If you forgot your login name you will need to contact customer support for additional help. You may also wish to review your confirmation email to this information.

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How can I change my login name?

To change your login name please contact customer support here

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How do I change my password?

To change your password simply log into your account, click on the “my profile" link, and then click on the edit password link. (If your account has not been validated this link is not available). On the next screen, you will need to enter your old and new password. After you enter your profile information, Fotolia admin will re-verify your information.

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Does a picture really cost only a few dollars?

Fotolia offers the lowest-priced, legal royalty free images in the world (starting at $ 1). Prices are displayed for each photo and license on the photo details page. Prices are displayed in credits and in $$, there are no additional fees.

Fotolia also offers subscription services for as little as 14 cents an image.

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How can Fotolia sell images so inexpensive?

Thanks to our sales volume and fair photographer commissions, Fotolia is able to offer a perfect balance of low-priced images and big revenue to photographers.

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Will I get a copy of the invoice for my purchase?

Yes, as soon as your purchase is completed, you may view a copy of your invoice on the “My Credits" page of your Fotolia account.

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Where is my receipt / invoice for my credit purchase and download?

We record every purchase, transaction, and download in your account. Simply log into your account and click on the “My credits" page for more details.

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How can I buy credits if I don’t have a credit card?

Companies and individuals that do not have a credit card may purchase credits using other methods such as Paypal, Click and Buy, Wire transfer and Check.

To pay by wire transfer or Check you will need to order a minimum of 300 credits. Please follow these instructions if you wish to purchase credits via wire transfer:

  • Step one : Create an account
  • Step two : Send us the number of credits you need plus your login information to enterprise@fotolia.com
  • Step three : We will send you an invoice and our bank information and add the credits to your account..
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Am I required to add copyright information when I use a photo from Fotolia?

No, it is not required to add the copyright information to your website or document when you use a Fotolia photo, however it is always appreciated. The only time we require copyright information to be added is when the image is being used in conjunction with editorial use such as a newspaper or magazine story.

Here is the correct method to add copyright information: © photographer name / Fotolia This information may be put on the photo itself or on a special page. The copyright is displayed during the download of an image.

Please note: local laws may require, copyright information in some circumstance please check your local law to be sure.

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How do I download my image?

When you buy an image on Fotolia, you can download it directly to your computer.

  • Photos and illustrations are provided in JPG format, the standard format for image files on Mac and PC.
  • Vectors are provided in AI and EPS format, the standard formats for vectors on Mac and PC

When you buy an image on Fotolia, your download link is active for 72 hours. You just have to visit the “My files" section to access the download link. You can download the image via our direct download, rescue download, or send by email options.

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How long do I have to download an image after it is purchased?

After you purchase an image you have 72 hours to download the photo before the download link expires.

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What do I do if I clicked to download a photo and it never came to me but Fotolia removed a credit from my account?

If Fotolia has removed credits from your account, our website has considered this a purchased photo. You may see a list of all downloaded photos on the purchased photos page of your Fotolia account. You will be able to download the photo again at no charge within 72 hours of the original purchase.

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Can I download a comp image?

Yes Fotolia offers free low resolution comp images to be used for layout purposes only. To download a comp image simply click on the “Download a Comp" link on the photo details page of the photo you like. Comp images may not be used on your final project.

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May I resell an image I purchased on Fotolia?

No, none of our licenses allow you to resell or transfer the rights of the license of the photo. You can only sell the work you made for your direct client but they won’t have the right to remove the photo from the work for another use. If your client wants to freely use the image, they will have to buy the correct license on Fotolia.

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What licenses does Fotolia offer?

Fotolia offers two licenses: the standard RF, and the extended RF

more information about licenses and uses

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What do I do if I am unhappy with the quality of an image I purchased?

Fotolia offers a 100% satisfaction guarantee, so please contact customer support with the image ID and any concerns you might have with the image.

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Do my credits expire? If so, how long do I have before I must use them?

Starting May 1, 2007, all new credit purchases will be good for 1 year from date of purchase. We encourage members to spend all their credits within the year. Any unused credits will expire after 1 year and will be removed from the members account.

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How many credits do I have in my account?

After you have logged into your account you will see how many credits you have in your account on the left hand side under “My Account."

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How do I turn on the content filter?

To avoid seeing “adult" related material Fotolia has created a content filter on the left hand side of the search results page. To activate the content filter simply check the box and search for more photos.

Please note that Fotolia makes every reasonable effort to filter out as much sexual content as possible with our content filter from our search results.

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What is the Lightbox?

The Lightbox is a place that allows you to save and retrieve your image selections for future viewing. It is also a location where you can create galleries and share your selections with for example your clients for approval.

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How long will my images stay in the shopping cart?

Images placed in the shopping cart will be deleted if you log out of your account or if your account is inactive for 30 minutes. The shopping cart is only designed for immediate purchases.

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What is a Subscription Plan?

A subscription plan is a flat fee that allows a member to download 25 - 250 L size images per day from the standard collection. The subscription plan does not require the purchase of credits. Fotolia offers a 1 month subscription, 3 month subscription, 6 month subscription, and 1 year subscription. The longer the period of time selected the lower the per image price. Please note subscriptions will auto-renew unless a member notifies Fotolia at least 15 days before the subscription expires.

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Do I need to buy a subscription plan to download images?

Fotolia offers two ways to purchase and download images from the website. A member may purchase credits or a subscription to download images. By far the subscription is the most economical plan for high volume users but both options are available to Fotolia members.

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How much does a subscription cost?

Fotolia subscription prices may be found on this page.

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Are all images available for download with a subscription plan?

Fotolia offers millions of images online and over 90% of these images are available to download with a subscription plan. Some exclusive images and images from the Infinite Collection are not available for download with a subscription plan.

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What image licenses and sizes are available for subscription download?

Images downloaded with a subscription plan come with a standard royalty free license. Subscription images are the L size (JPEG Images).

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May I download an extended rf license with a subscription plan?

No. Subscription plans do not allow you to download images with an extended rf license. You will need to purchase credits to download images with an extended rf license.

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May I download an image from the Infinite collection with a subscription plan?

No. Subscription plans do not allow you to download images from the infinite collection. You will need to purchase credits to download an image from the infinite collection.

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How do I cancel my subscription?

If you do not wish to renew your Fotolia subscription simply go to the my credits section, click on the subscription tab and change the status to do not renew at expiration. Please make this change at least 15 days prior to your expiration other wise you will be charged for an additional subscription.

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Can I still use the images if I cancel my subscription?

Yes you may still use our images even if you cancel the subscription. Once you download the images you have a legal royalty free license to use the image.

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May my coworkers and friends use my subscription account?

A member may purchase a 1 user, 3 user, or unlimited user subscription however only the account that actually purchases the subscription may share the subscription with sub-accounts. It is prohibited to share your user name and password with others.

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How do I create a sub-account?

In order to create a sub-account to transfer credits please go to the “My Credits> Transfer credits" section; click on “Create a sub-account" and create a new sub-account.

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How do I organize my files on Fotolia?

You can arrange and move your files to a folders within the “My Files" section by selecting the images (check mark) and clicking on the "Link to" option located at the bottom of the page. This will allow you to choose from the drop down menu the appropriate folder. Using the folders option in the My files section is a great way to organize your images.

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Contributors

How do I become a Fotolia contributor?

Everyone can become a Fotolia contributor. If you have great images (JPEG, AI or EPS) then you may create an account and submit your images for us to review. Before you may upload your images, you will need to complete our online training found in the “Toolbox" section by selecting the “Training" tab . After successfully completing the training you may upload images by going to the “My files" page and clicking on one of the upload options (Simple Upload, Upload via Flash, or FTP).

After the images are uploaded you will be prompted to enter some important information such as keywords (single words) and title. The images are then sent to our editors who will review them and notify you if they have been accepted.

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What type of images does Fotolia need?

Fotolia is always looking for high quality images from a variety of subjects however some subjects and categories are well covered within our database. We encourage you to review the portfolios of top selling artists on the website and pay close attention to current advertising trends for ideas.

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Is there a fee to upload photos?

Uploading images is completely free. Fotolia takes only a commission on images that are sold.

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How long does it take for my approved images to be online?

Please allow up to 48 hours for approved images to be added to our searchable index.

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How will I be paid when I sell my photos?

Each time one of your images is sold on Fotolia, you get a commission added to your Fotolia account. Once you accumulate a minimum of 50 earned credits you can cash out this money at any time via Paypal or Moneybookers. The commission amount depends on an images exclusivity given to Fotolia and whether the image is downloaded as part of a subscription. Further payment details may be found on the links below.

More information about the commission
more information about moneybookers
more information about paypal

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How long does it take to be paid via Paypal or Moneybookers?

To ensure proper payment Fotolia reviews every transaction before we deliver the money. We make it a goal to pay contributors within 7 business days of their payment request however there are times where this may be delayed.

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My country does not support Paypal or Moneybookers. How will I be paid?

If your country does not support Paypal or Moneybooker payments the only other option we offer is to send you a wire transfer. Wire transfers are very expensive and time consuming. As a result we require a member to have over 500 cashable credits before we can issue a wire transfer. In addition the wire transfer costs 50 credits per transfer.

Please note wire transfers are only offered to members in countries where Paypal and Moneybooker are not supported.

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May I delete my images when I want?

Yes, you may delete your image from your account and the Fotolia website by clicking on the remove button in the “My files" section..

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May I use a different name or alias on Fotolia?

Personal information provided on Fotolia must be accurate otherwise you could be subject to account termination and legal action. However, you may select an alias on the “My Profile" page of your Fotolia account. The alias will be used instead of your normal name for public display.

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Can I submit images of people, trademarks or protected goods?

Yes, you may submit images of people, trademarks, and protected items if you attach a signed model or property release with your image. Fotolia offers examples of model and property releases and provides information about intellectual property in wikilia.

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Do my pictures of people require a model release?

Yes all pictures of recognizable people will require you to submit a signed model release. If the model is under 18 then a parent must sign the model release. Model releases may be found on the Toolbox page of your member area.

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Do I need a model release if the photo is a self portrait?

Yes, even if the photo is a self portrait you need to provide a signed model release for us to keep on record.

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What formats does Fotolia supports?

On Fotolia, you can submit and sell :

Panoramic files must have a ratio between 0.26 and 0.5 (small side / large side). Your files must be less than 20 MB.

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How do I sell my images?

To start selling your images you need to first log into your account and click on “My files.". While on the “My files" page you need to select an upload method (Simple upload, Upload via Flash, or FTP). You just have to go in the “My files" section of your account and choose the way to upload your file.

Once the file is uploaded you will need to index your image (“edit button").

Indexation consists of creating a title, adding keywords, selecting categories and of course choosing your contract and pricing options.

Once the indexation is complete, your image will be reviewed by our photo editors who will decide if your image will be displayed on the website to be sold. In either case we will notify you via email if the photo was accepted or rejected.

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In what language should I keyword my images?

The Fotolia search engine automatically translates all the keywords. It allows buyers to search for all images no mater what language they use during their search and whatever language the contributor used during indexation. However, we find it important to only add keywords in your local language to prevent double translations and harm your display results. Keywords should be single words.

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How do I edit my sales price?

Photographers define the price of their images within their rank and exclusivity to Fotolia.

If you choose to sell your images only on Fotolia, you can increase your price faster and your commissions will be higher (from 47% to 61% of the sales price)

By the way, the more you sell on Fotolia, the more you will increase your ranking, thus increasing your ability to increase your prices.

Learn more about commissions and prices

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How long does the image selection process take?

This process generally takes between 24 and 48 hours. But, if too many images are received, this time may be delayed.

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Why was my photo rejected?

Fotolia receives thousands of images to be reviewed every day and we are not able to accept every image, some images must be declined. Often images are declined for technical reasons such as noise, and exposure. Images may also be declined because the images do not meet our current needs or our editors feel the images may not be marketable.

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How do I convert my credits into money?

Credit conversion allows you to send your Fotolia revenue directly to your bank account via one of our two payment solutions: Paypal or Moneybookers.

Before requesting a payment, please make sure you have created a Paypal or Moneybookers account.

To convert credits into cash go to the “My Credits" page of your Fotolia account and click on the Convert credits into cash button. (You may only cash out whole credits not partial credits). Make sure you enter the correct email address you used for your Paypal or Moneybooker account and submit your request.

Your credits will be sent to your Paypal or Moneybookers account and then if you choose on to your bank account.

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How are my images being used?

While it is impossible for us to know exactly how your images are being used by our buyers they are required to use our images within the license guidelines. Please note it is strictly forbidden for you to contact buyers.

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Why is my government id required to cash out credits

Fotolia operates a legal business entering into legal contracts with our buyers and suppliers. In an effort to protect Fotolia and our members from fraudulent sales we require anyone who cashes out credits from Fotolia to upload a valid government issued photo id for our records. If a valid id is not uploaded members may not cash out Fotolia credits.

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Why is the website only allowing me to set the XS License price at the time of upload?

During the “indexation process", a contributor answers a series of questions regarding image exclusivity and licensing. Depending on the contributors answers to these questions Fotolia provides a range and pricing recommendations to the contributor and allows them to enter the price for the Extra Small License (XS); based on this number, and the information provided our website calculates the prices for the rest of the sizes and licenses.

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How do I FTP?

In order to do FTP uploads, your login name will be your MEMBER ID number (You can find it in “My Files>Upload FTP" section) and your password will be your normal FOTOLIA USER NAME + your fotolia PASSWORD (All one word, no spaces). Have in mind that for FTP uploads, your login name and password should all be in lower case (no Caps).

Example:

Fotolia Login name: spot

Fotolia Password: 2222

FTP Login name: 8888 (Member ID)

FTP Login Password: spot2222 (Fotolia login name + password)

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Affiliation & API

How do I earn money with the affiliation program?

The Fotolia affiliation program offers every Fotolia member different tools to promote the website and earn money for all the transactions made by their affiliates.

A user becomes your affiliate when they click on a link containing your affiliate code and then register with Fotolia. Then you will receive rewards for all their revenue-generating actions on the Fotolia website.

Learn more about affiliation

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What are the different ways to promote Fotolia?

Fotolia offers different tools to promote the website and your portfolio. In the “Affiliation" section of your account you can send emails to introduce Fotolia, you can use links toward your portfolio, or you can integrate Fotolia buttons and banners into your website.

Moreover, Fotolia provides an API allowing your website visitors to search in the Fotolia database without leaving your website.

All those tools are provided with your affiliate code. So, thanks to the Affiliation program, you will be rewarded for all the operations made by your visitors.

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How can I use the Fotolia API?

The Fotolia API is a tool that allows a website to make requests to the Fotolia database and receive results with images. Thus, your website visitors can search images on your website without leaving it, and they will become your affiliates if they register on Fotolia.

In addition the Fotolia API can be used to integrate our services in your product (search and purchase functions) or to build applications using Fotolia (plugin, add-on software, web service, widget etc).

More information about the API

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Will I know the identity of my affiliates?

No. Privacy laws prevent us from distributing this information.

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Troubleshooting

I can’t log in to my Fotolia account. What should I do?

Make sure your browser accepts cookies, and your firewall doesn’t block out going information.. Make sure your cap lock is off as the login and password fields are case sensitive. If you continue to have problems, you should clear your cache and delete your Internet history. You might also speak to your network administrator to make sure they are not blocking the Fotolia website.

Please note that Fotolia does not support Internet Explorer for MAC or AOL browsers.

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I bought an image, but I can’t download it or the file is corrupted

We recommend trying to download the photo again via the “my files" page. Download links stay active for 72 hours after the initial purchase. If the download link has expired please contact customer support.

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I can’t buy credits

Make sure your credit card is accepted by our financial partners and you filled in all fields required for the payment.

(Please note that our current billing partner uses a very unique international payment form, asking for house numbers and house number extensions. We realize this may be confusing to new members but please do not edit these two fields.)

If it doesn’t work, try again with Paypal. Paypal is another payment method that will accept a credit card. You do not need to register with Paypal to use there credit card service.

If it still doesn’t work, you can choose Click and buy which also provides a credit card payment solution after registering. It’s instant, it’s free and there is no sign up fee.

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I can’t upload images on Fotolia

  • Make sure you send files in a format accepted by Fotolia.
  • Make sure your file is less than 20 MB
  • Make sure your image is bigger than 1600 x 2400 pixels (4 megapixels) (AI and EPS files must be less than 2 megabyte)
  • Make sure you firewall doesn’t block outgoing information.

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I lost my password

If you lost your password and want to retrieve it by email, please use the following link

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