Assume any photo you find online belongs to someone. Sharing a link is fine; copying the picture into your newsletter, website, flyer or business post usually needs permission or a license that allows it. The easy fix: use photos that are clearly marked free to use, and give credit.
Copyright in one minute
In the U.S., a photo is protected by copyright automatically from the moment it’s taken. No © symbol or registration is needed. The person who took it (or their employer) decides who can copy, share or change it. “It was on Google” doesn’t make it free to use: search engines just show pictures that live on other people’s websites.
Usually fine
- Sharing a link to the page with the photo, or using the app’s own share button.
- Using your own photos, or photos a friend or family member says you can use.
- Photos with a license that allows your use (see below), with credit given the way the license asks.
- Photos in the public domain, which anyone can use.
Ask first
- Putting someone else’s photo on a website, in a newsletter, an ad or anything for a business.
- Printing it on items to sell, like T-shirts or mugs.
- Editing someone’s photo and posting it as your own.
Free-to-use photos: Creative Commons
Creative Commons (CC) licenses let creators say in advance how their work may be used. Almost all require you to give credit. The letters tell you the rules:
- BY: credit the creator.
- SA: if you change it, share your version under the same terms.
- NC: non-commercial use only.
- ND: no changes; use it as is.
To find them, in Google Images choose Tools → Usage rights → Creative Commons licenses, then open the picture’s License details and confirm it on the original site. Google notes the filter relies on what sites report, so always check.
How to give credit
A simple credit includes the title (if any), the creator’s name, where you found it, and the license, for example: “Sunset over the lake” by Jane Doe, via [site], CC BY 4.0. Link each part if you’re online.
Where did this photo come from? Reverse image search
A reverse image search finds other places a picture appears online. It helps you find the original creator, spot a photo that’s been taken out of context, or check a suspicious profile picture.
- Google Lens: in the Google app or Chrome, tap the camera (Lens) icon and choose a photo, or right-click an image in Chrome and choose Search with Google Lens.
- Look for the earliest or most official source, and check its license or contact info.
- Wondering if a picture is AI-made? See how to spot AI images and videos.
Quick tips
- Assume online photos are copyrighted unless marked otherwise.
- Use Creative Commons or public domain photos, and give credit.
- Use reverse image search to find a photo’s original source.
Sources
- U.S. Copyright Office: What is copyright?
- U.S. Copyright Office: What photographers should know about copyright
- Creative Commons: About CC licenses
- Google Search Help: Find images you can use & share
- Google Search Help: Search with an image
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