How to Upload Images to the Internet
Pick Imgur for quick, general-purpose image hosting needs., Start by clicking the "upload images" button., Copy and paste the links you're given., Optionally, use a social media sharing option., Consider creating an account., Use Flickr for...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Pick Imgur for quick
Imgur.com, the largest website of its kind, is an image hosting site that allows users to upload image files and share them with others quickly, easily, and anonymously.Because of its ubiquity and ease of use, Imgur is a good "first stop" for casual image hosting needs.
Pros:
Easy to use, no sign-up required, massive user base.
Cons:
User base tends towards "meme-y" content, potential loss of quality on large image files.
Use for:
Sharing pictures via links in email/forum posts, uploading memes, posting Reddit/Digg content.
Note that Imgur pictures are deleted if they receive no views after six months.
In addition, Imgur will automatically compress large images to save bandwidth. -
Step 2: general-purpose image hosting needs.
Uploading an image to Imgur is easy.
Once you've reached the home page at Imgur.com, use the following instructions to upload your file:
Click "Upload Images" at the top of the page.
Pick your upload option.
You can browse your computer for images that you have saved, drag and drop images into the Imgur window, or even paste copied images from the clipboard.
Note that you can upload more than one image at once — to do this, just repeat the upload process for each new photo and it will be added to your queue.
Once you are satisfied with your selections, click "Start Upload." The images will be uploaded onto the Imgur server (you can watch each image's progress via the bar next to its thumbnail picture.) , Once your image is uploaded, you will be taken to its page on Imgur.
On the right side of the page, you will see a list of links.
Each link is labeled with a method for sharing it — to show people your image, just copy and paste the appropriate link into your online conversation.
Your options for sharing are:
Image link:
Gives the viewer a hyperlink to the image page.
Used for emails/social site conversations.
Direct link:
Gives the viewer a link to the image itself — not its Imgur page.
This option and "Image link" are the easiest for general-purpose use.
Markdown link:
As indicated, used for including the image in Reddit comments.
HTML:
Used for including the image on a website.
BBCode/Linked BBCode:
Used for certain forums and message boards. , If you want to share your image with your friends and family on social media and don't want to deal with the hassle of copying and pasting links, just click one of the icons on the right side of the page to link the image to the indicated social network site.
A pop-up window will appear asking you to comment on your image and submit it.
The social networks Imgur supports are:
Facebook Twitter Pinterest Google+ Tumblr Reddit Stumbleupon , If you find yourself using Imgur frequently, you may want to register an account by clicking the "Sign Up" button in the top right of the site.
There are added benefits to creating an Imgur account, and, best of all, regular accounts are free.
Free account features include:
Options for commenting and rating images Privacy controls Photo album creation Captions and titles High-quality image upload options Pro account ($23.95/yr) features include:
No ads Analytics options Extra image/thumbnail features , While Flickr doesn't have the membership of Imgur or large social media sites, it has its own strengths.
Flickr gives you a large amount of storage to upload your images to, and Images are not compressed or resized.
Flickr also allows you to easily link to your images from your blog (though some advanced users report problems with the way Flickr handles professional photography.)Pros:
No resizing or compression, ample sharing options, welcoming community of professional/amateur photographers, storage of high-quality videos of up to three minutes allowed, basic photo-editing tools included.Cons:
Some minor features that are unappealing to professional photographers.Use for:
Hosting photography work, high-quality images, some videos. , Flickr offers 1 terabyte of free storage — more than anyone could realistically expect to use.
This makes Flickr a good place to store all backups of your photos, even if you don't intend to share them.
To upload an image, use the following steps:
Create an account.
Flickr requires members to register before uploading images.
Flickr uses your Yahoo account — if you don't already have one, click the "Sign up" button in the top left to get started.
Click the "Upload" button at the top of the screen.
Drag and drop images into the window or click the "Choose photos and videos" button to browse your hard drive.
Select more photos as desired.
You can also add a description and tags for each photo using the options on the left.
When finished click the "Upload" button in the top right to start the upload. , Like many social media sites, Flickr uses a system of tags to organize your images.
These tags are key words describing your image that allow you to easily organize them and other users to easily find them.
To add tags, click the uploaded photo and scroll down to the options underneath it.
Click "Add tags," type in a word that describes your image, and hit enter.
Repeat as needed. , To share your image with your friends on a social network site, click the button that looks like an arrow pointing to the right in the corner of the image's page.
In the pop-up menu, select the network you want to share on, then follow the on-screen prompts to finish.
You may need to supply your login credentials for the site you choose.
The networks supported by Flickr are:
Facebook Twitter Pinterest Tumblr , In addition to its online services, Flickr also offers an image-sharing app that is very similar to Instagram, but allows you to store your pictures at their original size and shape.
This free app is available for both Apple and Android devices.
Search for "Flickr" on iTunes or the Google Play Store to download and install the app. , Like the sites above, Photobucket allows you to share and link to your stored images.
However, Photobucket has several features that set it apart from the pack, including the ability to make albums, scrapbooks, slideshows, and more, making this site a good choice for those interested in creating unique photo experiences for their viewers.
Pros:
Easy to use, lots of creative presentation features.
Cons:
Free accounts have limited storage.
Use for:
Slideshows, collages, albums, etc. , Getting started on Photobucket is easy: you can either login using your Facebook account, or create a dedicated Photobucket account.
A basic Photobucket account is free — just click the "Sign Up" button in the top right to begin the registration process and follow the on-screen prompts. , You can upload images from your computer, import images from your Facebook page, and even upload images using the Photobucket app on your smartphone.
You also have the option of emailing images to your Photobucket account using the email address you receive when you sign up — the images you send will be uploaded automatically.
See our guide to using Photobucket for more details on uploading images to Photobucket. , One of the great features of Photobucket is that you can organize your images into albums for easier sorting.
This lets you organize your images by theme and share specific groups of images easier.
Use the steps below to create an album:
Click the "Library" option at the top of the screen.
Select "Create Album." Provide any pertinent details.
In the pop-up window, you can give your album a name and add descriptors that work like tags in social media.
Click "Create" when you're done.
Click "Upload Images." On the next screen, you'll see your album, currently empty.
Click the upload button and add images as you normally would. , As with the other image-hosting sites above, you can quickly share your images to various social networks on Photobucket.
On the image's page, click the appropriate buttons along the top and, if necessary, provide your login credentials when prompted.
The social networks supported by Photobucket are:
Facebook Twitter Google+ Tumblr Pinterest , If you use Photobucket frequently, you may want to take the time to download the free desktop program.
This easy-to-use application allows you to easily back up large numbers of images at once without dealing with the online Photobucket site.The desktop client is available for both Windows and Mac operating systems. , Shutterfly.com is somewhat unique among image-hosting sites in that it's designed to allow users to assemble and order custom scrapbooks, greeting cards, stationary, and so on.
While the site isn't practical for general image-sharing needs, it's a high-quality service if you're looking to use your photos for gifts, crafts, and so on.Pros:
Allows users to order professional photo products using their images.
Cons:
Not a conventional image-hosting site — designed more as a commercial service.
Use for:
Holiday cards, scrap books, etc. , Like its name suggests, tinypic.com is all about minimalism.
Its extremely stripped-down interface offers the basics and little else, but if you just want to get you images or videos online, it's harder to find a quicker, more direct route.
Pros:
No-frills, no-nonsense design.
Allows uploading of videos in addition to image files.
Cons:
Little in the way of extra features/sharing options Use for:
Quick fixes. -
Step 3: Start by clicking the "upload images" button.
-
Step 4: Copy and paste the links you're given.
-
Step 5: Optionally
-
Step 6: use a social media sharing option.
-
Step 7: Consider creating an account.
-
Step 8: Use Flickr for high-quality image hosting.
-
Step 9: Upload your images.
-
Step 10: Add tags for organization.
-
Step 11: Share your photos.
-
Step 12: Consider downloading the Flickr app.
-
Step 13: Use Photobucket for feature-rich photo-sharing needs.
-
Step 14: Create an account.
-
Step 15: Upload images.
-
Step 16: Create albums.
-
Step 17: Share your images.
-
Step 18: Consider downloading the Photobucket desktop program.
-
Step 19: Use Shutterfly for printing needs.
-
Step 20: Use Tinypic for quick tasks.
Detailed Guide
Imgur.com, the largest website of its kind, is an image hosting site that allows users to upload image files and share them with others quickly, easily, and anonymously.Because of its ubiquity and ease of use, Imgur is a good "first stop" for casual image hosting needs.
Pros:
Easy to use, no sign-up required, massive user base.
Cons:
User base tends towards "meme-y" content, potential loss of quality on large image files.
Use for:
Sharing pictures via links in email/forum posts, uploading memes, posting Reddit/Digg content.
Note that Imgur pictures are deleted if they receive no views after six months.
In addition, Imgur will automatically compress large images to save bandwidth.
Uploading an image to Imgur is easy.
Once you've reached the home page at Imgur.com, use the following instructions to upload your file:
Click "Upload Images" at the top of the page.
Pick your upload option.
You can browse your computer for images that you have saved, drag and drop images into the Imgur window, or even paste copied images from the clipboard.
Note that you can upload more than one image at once — to do this, just repeat the upload process for each new photo and it will be added to your queue.
Once you are satisfied with your selections, click "Start Upload." The images will be uploaded onto the Imgur server (you can watch each image's progress via the bar next to its thumbnail picture.) , Once your image is uploaded, you will be taken to its page on Imgur.
On the right side of the page, you will see a list of links.
Each link is labeled with a method for sharing it — to show people your image, just copy and paste the appropriate link into your online conversation.
Your options for sharing are:
Image link:
Gives the viewer a hyperlink to the image page.
Used for emails/social site conversations.
Direct link:
Gives the viewer a link to the image itself — not its Imgur page.
This option and "Image link" are the easiest for general-purpose use.
Markdown link:
As indicated, used for including the image in Reddit comments.
HTML:
Used for including the image on a website.
BBCode/Linked BBCode:
Used for certain forums and message boards. , If you want to share your image with your friends and family on social media and don't want to deal with the hassle of copying and pasting links, just click one of the icons on the right side of the page to link the image to the indicated social network site.
A pop-up window will appear asking you to comment on your image and submit it.
The social networks Imgur supports are:
Facebook Twitter Pinterest Google+ Tumblr Reddit Stumbleupon , If you find yourself using Imgur frequently, you may want to register an account by clicking the "Sign Up" button in the top right of the site.
There are added benefits to creating an Imgur account, and, best of all, regular accounts are free.
Free account features include:
Options for commenting and rating images Privacy controls Photo album creation Captions and titles High-quality image upload options Pro account ($23.95/yr) features include:
No ads Analytics options Extra image/thumbnail features , While Flickr doesn't have the membership of Imgur or large social media sites, it has its own strengths.
Flickr gives you a large amount of storage to upload your images to, and Images are not compressed or resized.
Flickr also allows you to easily link to your images from your blog (though some advanced users report problems with the way Flickr handles professional photography.)Pros:
No resizing or compression, ample sharing options, welcoming community of professional/amateur photographers, storage of high-quality videos of up to three minutes allowed, basic photo-editing tools included.Cons:
Some minor features that are unappealing to professional photographers.Use for:
Hosting photography work, high-quality images, some videos. , Flickr offers 1 terabyte of free storage — more than anyone could realistically expect to use.
This makes Flickr a good place to store all backups of your photos, even if you don't intend to share them.
To upload an image, use the following steps:
Create an account.
Flickr requires members to register before uploading images.
Flickr uses your Yahoo account — if you don't already have one, click the "Sign up" button in the top left to get started.
Click the "Upload" button at the top of the screen.
Drag and drop images into the window or click the "Choose photos and videos" button to browse your hard drive.
Select more photos as desired.
You can also add a description and tags for each photo using the options on the left.
When finished click the "Upload" button in the top right to start the upload. , Like many social media sites, Flickr uses a system of tags to organize your images.
These tags are key words describing your image that allow you to easily organize them and other users to easily find them.
To add tags, click the uploaded photo and scroll down to the options underneath it.
Click "Add tags," type in a word that describes your image, and hit enter.
Repeat as needed. , To share your image with your friends on a social network site, click the button that looks like an arrow pointing to the right in the corner of the image's page.
In the pop-up menu, select the network you want to share on, then follow the on-screen prompts to finish.
You may need to supply your login credentials for the site you choose.
The networks supported by Flickr are:
Facebook Twitter Pinterest Tumblr , In addition to its online services, Flickr also offers an image-sharing app that is very similar to Instagram, but allows you to store your pictures at their original size and shape.
This free app is available for both Apple and Android devices.
Search for "Flickr" on iTunes or the Google Play Store to download and install the app. , Like the sites above, Photobucket allows you to share and link to your stored images.
However, Photobucket has several features that set it apart from the pack, including the ability to make albums, scrapbooks, slideshows, and more, making this site a good choice for those interested in creating unique photo experiences for their viewers.
Pros:
Easy to use, lots of creative presentation features.
Cons:
Free accounts have limited storage.
Use for:
Slideshows, collages, albums, etc. , Getting started on Photobucket is easy: you can either login using your Facebook account, or create a dedicated Photobucket account.
A basic Photobucket account is free — just click the "Sign Up" button in the top right to begin the registration process and follow the on-screen prompts. , You can upload images from your computer, import images from your Facebook page, and even upload images using the Photobucket app on your smartphone.
You also have the option of emailing images to your Photobucket account using the email address you receive when you sign up — the images you send will be uploaded automatically.
See our guide to using Photobucket for more details on uploading images to Photobucket. , One of the great features of Photobucket is that you can organize your images into albums for easier sorting.
This lets you organize your images by theme and share specific groups of images easier.
Use the steps below to create an album:
Click the "Library" option at the top of the screen.
Select "Create Album." Provide any pertinent details.
In the pop-up window, you can give your album a name and add descriptors that work like tags in social media.
Click "Create" when you're done.
Click "Upload Images." On the next screen, you'll see your album, currently empty.
Click the upload button and add images as you normally would. , As with the other image-hosting sites above, you can quickly share your images to various social networks on Photobucket.
On the image's page, click the appropriate buttons along the top and, if necessary, provide your login credentials when prompted.
The social networks supported by Photobucket are:
Facebook Twitter Google+ Tumblr Pinterest , If you use Photobucket frequently, you may want to take the time to download the free desktop program.
This easy-to-use application allows you to easily back up large numbers of images at once without dealing with the online Photobucket site.The desktop client is available for both Windows and Mac operating systems. , Shutterfly.com is somewhat unique among image-hosting sites in that it's designed to allow users to assemble and order custom scrapbooks, greeting cards, stationary, and so on.
While the site isn't practical for general image-sharing needs, it's a high-quality service if you're looking to use your photos for gifts, crafts, and so on.Pros:
Allows users to order professional photo products using their images.
Cons:
Not a conventional image-hosting site — designed more as a commercial service.
Use for:
Holiday cards, scrap books, etc. , Like its name suggests, tinypic.com is all about minimalism.
Its extremely stripped-down interface offers the basics and little else, but if you just want to get you images or videos online, it's harder to find a quicker, more direct route.
Pros:
No-frills, no-nonsense design.
Allows uploading of videos in addition to image files.
Cons:
Little in the way of extra features/sharing options Use for:
Quick fixes.
About the Author
James Richardson
Enthusiastic about teaching hobbies techniques through clear, step-by-step guides.
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