The Files for upload process allows unregistered and new users (that are not autoconfirmed) to submit files to be uploaded. Remember that these users are new and might not have much experience with Wikipedia and Wikipedia policies, so please don't bite them.
Reviewing Requests
editExistence: If the user has provided an article for the file to be used in their request, see if the file or a similar file has already been uploaded and is on that article. If the file or a similar file exists decline the request and tell the user where the existing file is. If not, search for the proposed title and similar titles; some users remember that they have an account and upload it themselves.
License: Visit the source provided and check the page. If there is no information on the page to suggest that the file has been released under a suitable license consider asking the user if it's their file and whether they'd release the file under a suitable license (this is especially true for images on Flickr). If the page states that the file would be copyrighted decline the request. It's always best to have a source confirming the license status of an file.
If the file is hosted on an image host (Imageshack, Tinypic, Photobucket etc.) or on MySpace and not alongside a website, ask the user for a link to the license information, or if they are the copyright holder ask them to email you a declaration of consent form (which you can then forward onto OTRS and then upload their file). Note that unregistered users can't use Special:EmailUser so you need to specify a real email address (use Template:NoSpam to mask it). If in doubt about an file's copyright status, please do not upload it. You can ask on the Media Copyright Questions Board if you need help.
Suitability: Is the file suitable for Wikipedia?
Accepting a request
editIf the submission meets the above guidelines:
- Upload the files
. Free files should be uploaded to Wikimedia Commons. Fair use files need to be uploaded here on Wikipedia.
- Commons Upload Form
- Free files hosted on Flickr should always be uploaded with the highest resolution; consider using Flickr upload bot which is doing most of the work.
- Wikipedia Upload Form
- Commons Upload Form
- Create the talk page of the new file here on Wikipedia. To do this, you need to search for the file here, then click on the discussion tab. Add the AfC banner by typing
{{subst:WPAFCF}}and saving the page. - Place
{{subst:ffu a}}directly below the section header of the request. - Remove the "Do not archive until" line from the top of the request. This is how the archival system works on this page and must be done when closing requests.
- Below the request, type
{{subst:ffu|file=Filename.ext}}~~~~ - At the bottom of the request, type
{{subst:ffu b}}(this closes{{ffu a}}). - Save the page.
- Open the user's talk page, create a new section without a title with the following message:
{{subst:ffu talk|file=Filename.ext}}~~~~ - Add the file to the article specified in the request.
Declining a request
edit- Place
{{subst:ffu d}}directly below the section header. - Remove the "Do not archive until" line from the top of the request. This is how the archival system works on this page and must be done when closing requests.
- Below the request, type
:(replace reason with your reason for declining the request).{{subst:ffu|d}}reason ~~~~ - At the bottom of the request type
{{subst:ffu b}}(this closes{{ffu d}}). - Save the page.
- Open the user's talk page, create a new section with an appropriate title (like
Your [[WP:FFU]] request) with the following message:{{subst:ffu talk|d}}~~~~ - Save the page.
Commenting on a request
edit- Place
:{{subst:ffu|c}} your comment ~~~~after the request. - Replace your comment with your comment/concern/question and save the page.
- Open the users talk page, create a new section with an appropriate title (like
Your [[WP:FFU]] request) with the following message:{{subst:ffu talk|?}} ~~~~. - Save the page.
Delaying a request
edit- Place
:{{subst:ffu|h}} ~~~~after the request. - Open the users talk page, create a new section with an appropriate title (like
Your [[WP:FFU]] request) with the following message:{{subst:ffu talk|h}} ~~~~. - Save the page.
Templates
edit
Container templates:
edit| Output | Code | Usage | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
{{subst:ffu a}} | Placed immediately beneath the section heading if the request has been accepted. | |||
|
{{subst:ffu d}} | Placed immediately beneath the section heading if the request has been declined. | |||
  On hold until 2 January 2025 |
{{subst:ffu h}} | Placed immediately beneath the section heading (without replacing DoNotArchiveUntil) if the request is on hold. Will change to a "hold expired" message after 7 days. | |||
| This is an archived discussion. Please do not modify it. | {{subst:ffu b}} | Placed at the bottom of the section to close the container. |
Response templates:
edit| Output | Code | Usage |
|---|---|---|
 File uploaded. Thank you for your contribution to Wikipedia!
|
{{subst:ffu|a}} (or accept) | If the file has been uploaded. |
| File uploaded. You can find it at File:fileName.jpg. Thank you for your contribution to Wikipedia!
|
{{subst:ffu|a|file=fileName.jpg}} | If the file has been uploaded, and you wish to specify the name of the file. |
| File uploaded. Thank you for your contribution to Wikipedia!
|
{{subst:ffu|a|file=fileName.jpg|file2=example.png}} | If the file has been uploaded, and you wish to specify the name of the file, this is possible with up to ten files! |
 File upload request declined.
|
{{subst:ffu|d}} (or decline) | If the request has been declined. |
| File upload request declined. This request is blank or lacks important information about the file.
|
{{subst:ffu|blankreq}} | If the requesting editor did not fill in the necessary fields. |
| File upload request declined. Permission has not been granted.
|
{{subst:ffu|permission}} | If permission has not been granted to use the file. |
| File upload request declined. The file is copyrighted and not free.
|
{{subst:ffu|copyrighted}} (or copy) | If the file is copyrighted, and not available under the given license. |
| File upload request declined. File is corrupt.
|
{{subst:ffu|corrupt}} | If the file is not loading properly or is malformed. |
| File upload request declined. File is blank.
|
{{subst:ffu|blank}} | If the file is blank. |
| File upload request declined. File is too low quality.
|
{{subst:ffu|quality}} | If the file is too low-quality to use in an article. |
| File upload request declined. File is already available. You can find it at File:fileName.jpg.
|
{{subst:ffu|redundant|file=fileName.jpg}} | If a very similar file already exists. |
| File upload request declined. No valid use for this.
|
{{subst:ffu|useless}} | If there is no reason to have such an file on Wikipedia. |
| File upload request declined. File makes no sense.
|
{{subst:ffu|nonsense}} | If the file is too strange to be used. This is not the same as corrupt above. |
| File upload request declined. Any file that disparages or threatens its subject or some other entity is not permitted.
|
{{subst:ffu|blp}} (or attack) | If the file is a BLP violation. |
| File upload request declined. Advertising is not permitted.
|
{{subst:ffu|advert}} (or adv, ad) | If the file is spam or advertising. |
| File upload request declined. Vandalism is not permitted.
|
{{subst:ffu|van}} (or vandal, vandalism) | Plain, pure vandalism files. This is not the same as nonsense, because vandal requests are usually made in bad faith. |
| File upload request declined. The draft in which this file should be used has not been reviewed at Articles for creation. This may take 8 weeks or more, since drafts are reviewed in no specific order. You may resubmit this request once the draft has been accepted.
|
{{subst:ffu|afce}} (or afcexpired) | For submissions that were on hold pending a draft's review at AfC where the draft has not been reviewed due to the backlog. This decline should only be used after a 7-day hold. |
| File upload request declined. The draft in which this file should be used was declined at Articles for creation.
|
{{subst:ffu|afcd}} (or afcdeclined) | For submissions that were on hold pending a draft's acceptance at AfC, which was declined. This option also accepts a full page name parameter for where the draft is located, seen below. |
| File upload request declined. The draft, Draft:Sandbox, in which this file should be used was declined at Articles for creation.
|
{{subst:ffu|afcd|page=Draft:Sandbox}} | As seen with the full page name parameter for where the draft is located. |
| File upload request declined. The article in which this picture was requested for was deleted at AfD.
|
{{subst:ffu|afdd}} (or afddeleted) | For submissions that were on hold pending an AfD outcome, which was delete. This option also accepts a full page name parameter for where the AfD is located and a parameter for the name of the article being considered, seen below. |
| File upload request declined. The article, Example, in which this picture was requested for was deleted at AfD.
|
{{subst:ffu|afdd|page=Example}} | As seen with the page name parameter of the article. |
| File upload request declined. The article in which this picture was requested for was deleted at AfD. You can view the discussion on its entry's page.
|
{{subst:ffu|afdd|afd location=Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Example}} | As seen with the full page name parameter for where the AfD is located. |
| File upload request declined. The article, Example, in which this picture was requested for was deleted at AfD. You can view the discussion on its entry's page.
|
{{subst:ffu|afdd|page=Example|afd location=Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Example}} | As seen with the page name parameter of the article and the full page name parameter for where the AfD is located. |
| File upload request declined. The article for which this picture was requested has been speedily deleted.
|
{{subst:ffu|csdd}} (or csddeleted) | For submissions where the associated article has been deleted under CSD. This option also accepts a parameter for the name of the article that was speedy deleted, seen below. |
| File upload request declined. The article, Example, for which this picture was requested has been speedily deleted.
|
{{subst:ffu|csdd|page=Example}} | As seen with the page name parameter of the article. |
 Comment:
|
{{subst:ffu|c}} (or ?, comment, q, question) | If you wish to leave a content. Put your message right after the template. |
| Hello, and thank you for your request. Please provide a link to a page proving the file's license. We need this to be able to upload the file. Generally, the webpage the file is on will have the license information on it. If an appropriate license link is not received within seven days, the request will be declined. Regards.
|
{{subst:ffu|l}} (or lic, nolic, license) | If no license has been given. |
| Hello, and thank you for your request. According to the link the file is either copyrighted, or contains one of the following elements: non-commercial (nc) or no-derivatives (nd). If the file's license isn't changed to a license compatible with {{cc-by-sa-3.0}} within seven days, then this request will be declined. Regards.
|
{{subst:ffu|flickr}} | For copyrighted Flickr files, where it could be assumed, that the request was made by the owner of the Flickr account. |
| Hello, and thank you for your request. As this is a "free" file and you are registered, please log in to Wikimedia Commons (using your Wikipedia username and password) and upload the file there. If you have any problems uploading the file to the Commons please reply back here. Regards.
|
{{subst:ffu|commons}} | Asks the user to upload the file to Wikimedia Commons. |
Comment: As this is a non-free file, could you please complete the "non-free use rationale" below? See Wikipedia:Non-free use rationale guideline for instructions. If a rationale isn't provided within seven days, the request will be declined. Thank you.
{{Non-free use rationale
| Description =
| Source =
| Article =
| Portion =
| Low_resolution =
| Purpose =
| Replaceability =
| other_information =
}}
|
{{subst:ffu|rat}} (or nonfree) | Asks the user to complete a non-free use rationale for the file, if none has been provided, and the file meets the Non-free content guideline. |
| This request has been placed on hold because it lacks a url. In order to upload the file it must be available on the internet. If a working url isn't provided within seven days, the request will be declined.
|
{{subst:ffu|nourl}} (or nolink) | If the request lacks an url to the file, but it indicates a presence of an offline source. |
| This request has been placed on hold because the url provided does not lead to an image, or is otherwise broken. In order to upload the file it must be available on the internet. If a working url isn't provided within seven days, the request will be declined.
|
{{subst:ffu|fixurl}} | If the request contains a url that does not work. |
| This request has been placed on hold while pending a confirmation of permission. For further steps and how to proceed, please read Wikipedia:Declaration of consent for all enquiries. If a response is not received within seven days, the request will be declined.
|
{{subst:ffu|h}} (or hold) | Places a request on hold while a reviewer awaits a permission confirmation. |
| This request has been placed on hold because the article in which this picture should be used is currently at AfD.
|
{{subst:ffu|afd}} | Places a request on hold if a non-free image is to be used in an article, which is at AfD. This option also accepts a full page name parameter for where the AfD is located and a parameter for the name of the article being considered, seen below. |
| This request has been placed on hold because the article, Example, in which this picture should be used is currently at AfD.
|
{{subst:ffu|afd|page=Example}} | As seen with the page name parameter of the article. |
| This request has been placed on hold because the article in which this picture should be used is currently at AfD. You can participate in the discussion on its entry's page.
|
{{subst:ffu|afd|afd location=Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Example}} | As seen with the full page name parameter for where the AfD is located. |
| This request has been placed on hold because the article, Example, in which this picture should be used is currently at AfD. You can participate in the discussion on its entry's page.
|
{{subst:ffu|afd|page=Example|afd location=Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Example}} | As seen with the page name parameter of the article and the full page name parameter for where the AfD is located. |
| This request has been placed on hold because the article in which this file should be used is currently a draft. If the article is not accepted within seven days, the request will be declined.
|
{{subst:ffu|afc}} | Places a request on hold if a non-free image is to be used in an article, which is awaiting review at AFC. This option also accepts a full page name parameter for where the draft is located, seen below. |
| This request has been placed on hold because the article, Draft:Sandbox, in which this file should be used is currently a draft. If the article is not accepted within seven days, the request will be declined.
|
{{subst:ffu|afc|page=Draft:Sandbox}} | As seen with the full page name parameter for where the draft is located. |
Notification templates:
edit|heading=no will suppress the level 2 heading generated by the template.
|section= should be set to the request's section heading on the FFU page.
| Output | Code | Usage |
|---|---|---|
|
|
{{subst:ffu talk}} | If the file has been uploaded. |
|
|
{{subst:ffu talk}} | If the file has been uploaded, and you wish to specify the name of the file. |
|
|
{{subst:ffu talk|d}} (or decline, or declined) | If the request has been declined. |
|
|
{{subst:ffu talk|comment}} (or ?, c, q, question) | If you left a comment or question about the request. |
|
|
{{subst:ffu talk|h}} (or hold) | If the request has been put on hold. |
|
|
{{subst:ffu talk|afc|page=Draft:Sandbox}} (or hold) | If the request has been put on hold due to AfC. |
Alternate Templates
edit| Useful Leftovers from the Old System | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| All of these are still functioning templates left over from before FfU spun off from AfC and created a separate system of templates.
Like the above templates, these must be closed with a bottom tag, which in this case is | |||
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