eBay rules
eBay photo size and picture rules, checked against eBay's pages
eBay requires at least one photo per listing, 500 pixels or more on the longest side, and recommends about 1600 x 1600 pixels. You can add up to 24 photos free, up to 12MB each, and eBay bans added borders, added text, watermarks and stock photos of used items.
Every rule on this page was checked against eBay's own help pages on October 2, 2026, and each one links to the page it came from. Where two eBay pages disagree, this page says which one to go by.
What size should eBay photos be?
eBay photos have to be at least 500 pixels on the longest side, and eBay recommends about 1600 x 1600 pixels. The 500-pixel floor is policy: a smaller photo isn't allowed. The 1600 figure is a recommendation, not a rule. eBay also says square (1:1) and wide (16:9) photos generally look best in listings and search results.
| Rule | What eBay says | Where it says it |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum size | "at least one photo that is 500 pixels on the longest side" | Picture policy |
| Minimum resolution | "a minimum resolution of 500 x 500 pixels" | Adding pictures to your listings |
| Recommended size | "we recommend images that are about 1600 x 1600" | Adding pictures |
| Shape | "photos in a 1:1 or 16:9 aspect ratio look best" | Adding pictures |
| File size | "maximum 12MB each" | Adding pictures |
Source: the eBay pages linked in each row, read October 2, 2026.
How many photos can you put on an eBay listing?
eBay lets you add up to 24 photos to a listing, and they're free. eBay's fee page lists "up to 24 photos with zoom and enlarge" among the things you get free of charge. The first photo is the main photo. It's the one shown next to your title in search results, so it should show the whole item, face-on.
eBay's Seller Center puts it as "More is more when it comes to photos." That holds when each photo shows something new: the back, the label, each flaw, a scale shot. Ten frames of the same angle fill slots and answer nothing. The listing photo checklist covers what to shoot, in order.
What file types and file sizes does eBay accept?
eBay accepts JPEG, PNG, GIF, TIFF, BMP, WEBP, HEIC and AVIF files, up to 12MB each, according to its help page on adding pictures. HEIC is what an iPhone saves when its camera format is set to High Efficiency, the setting Apple recommends, so you don't need to switch to Most Compatible (JPEG) for eBay. eBay keeps your photos in your completed listings for up to 90 days, so you can reuse them if you relist.
What does eBay not allow in listing photos?
eBay doesn't allow listing photos that misrepresent the item, placeholder images, stock photos of used, damaged or defective items, added borders, added text or artwork, or watermarks of any kind. That's the six-item list in eBay's picture policy, in eBay's words:
- Photos that don't accurately represent the item
- Placeholder images used to convey messages
- Stock photos for used, damaged, or defective items
- Photos with added borders
- Photos with added text, artwork or marketing material
- Watermarks of any type, including those used for ownership attributions
Two more rules sit in eBay's images, videos and text policy. You can't use photos copied from other websites, including a manufacturer's site, even when they're public. And a photo can't send buyers off eBay: no contact details, web addresses or "go to our site" messages in the image.
Can you use stock photos on eBay for used items?
No. eBay's picture policy bans stock photos for used, damaged or defective items, and its help page says you can't use a catalog or stock photo if you're listing an item as used. A used item needs photos of the actual item, flaws included. Images from eBay's own product catalog are allowed under the images policy, but not on an item listed as used.
Are watermarks allowed on eBay photos?
No. eBay's picture policy bans watermarks "of any type, including those used for ownership attributions," so a shop name or logo stamped on the photo counts. eBay's help page adds that badges, logos and copyright notices can affect where a listing places in search. Seller Center says added text and logos can keep photos out of third-party search results.
What happens if a photo breaks eBay's picture policy?
eBay may remove the listing, issue a warning, restrict activity on the account or suspend it. Its picture policy lists those as possible actions. eBay's Seller Help page shows policy issues on your account and listings, so check it first if a listing is removed.
What if two eBay pages give different numbers?
Go by eBay's help page on adding pictures, which the picture policy itself points to, and where a minimum differs, meet both. eBay's own pages don't all agree, which is why guides online quote different numbers. These were the differences on October 2, 2026:
| Topic | One eBay page says | Another says | Go by |
|---|---|---|---|
| Largest file | 12MB (help page) | 7MB (export guide) | 12MB. eBay's picture policy points to the help page for guidelines |
| Minimum size | 500 pixels on the longest side (picture policy) | 500 x 500 pixels (help page, Seller Center) | Make both sides 500 or more and both are met |
| Recommended size | about 1600 x 1600 (help page); 1600 x 1600, or "at least 1600 x 1600" (Seller Center) | 800 to 1,600 pixels on the long side (export guide) | About 1600 x 1600 |
| Overhead light | avoid it to reduce glare (help page) | use bright overhead lighting (Seller Center) | Both say no flash. Use soft side light and watch shiny items for glare |
Source: the eBay pages linked above, read October 2, 2026. When eBay updates one page and not another, the numbers split again, so check the date on any guide you use, this one included.
How do you check a photo's size before uploading?
Open the photo's details on your phone, which list its pixel dimensions, and check that the longer side is 500 or more. Straight off the camera it should be: eBay's export guide says most cameras and camera phones exceed the minimum, and a 12-megapixel iPhone photo is 4032 x 3024 pixels, about eight times eBay's 500-pixel floor.
Size gets lost after the shot: a tight crop, a screenshot of a photo, or a photo sent through an app that shrinks images to save data. Upload the original file, not a copy that went through a chat. Phone camera settings covers the rest.
What should the photos show on a used item?
On a used item, the photos have to show what a buyer can't check through a screen. eBay's help page asks for the whole item face-on as the main photo, several angles, clear close-ups of any flaws, and a coin or ruler when the size isn't obvious. Seller Center adds close-ups of tags, labels and other key details.
The label photo has two readers. A buyer uses it to check the brand, the size and the model. The item specifics come from it too, whether you type them or a tool reads them from the photo.
eBay's own app does some of this. It fills in details when you scan a barcode, and a photo of a PSA-graded card autofills the listing from a matched card. A tool that reads photos can't read a tag the photo doesn't show clearly. A blurry tag is a blank field.
Photographing flaws covers the close and wide pair for each flaw. The shot list builder gives you the full set for your category.
What should you check before uploading eBay photos?
Check five things before you upload: the pixel size, the edges, any added words, the main photo, and that every photo shows the real item. Each check maps to a line in eBay's picture policy or help page.
- Count the pixelsEvery photo is at least 500 pixels on both sides. Crops and screenshots are where this fails.
- Look at the edgesNo border, frame or letterbox bars. Some collage and editing apps add them.
- Look for wordsNo shop name, logo, watermark, price or "free shipping" text on any photo.
- Check the main photoThe whole item, face-on, with nothing in the frame that isn't part of the sale.
- Check it's the real itemA used item needs photos of the actual item, flaws included. No stock or catalog shots.
What size should photos be for eBay?
How many pictures can you put on eBay for free?
What type of photos does eBay accept?
Can you use other people's photos on eBay?
Why can't I add a photo to my eBay listing?
Does eBay allow borders or text on listing photos?
Disclosure The people who build FlowLister run Listing Photo Lab. FlowLister is AI eBay listing software that turns item photos into complete eBay listings. Because it works from photos, a clear photo helps it and a blurry one doesn't. That's our interest in better photos. It's AI, so it misses things. Nothing here needs our tool.
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