Guide · eBay
eBay Photo Requirements
The minimum eBay accepts, the size that actually unlocks zoom, and the two policies that block listings outright.
The numbers
| Requirement | Value |
|---|---|
| Minimum | 500 px on the longest side |
| Recommended | 1600 px on the longest side |
| Photos per listing | Up to 24, free |
| Formats | JPEG, PNG, TIFF, BMP, GIF |
| Best ratio | 1:1 square |
Upload at 1600 pixels. The 500 pixel minimum is what eBay will accept, not what you should send — at 1600 pixels the zoom viewer becomes available, and for anything where condition or detail matters, zoom is doing real selling work.
Square is the right ratio. eBay’s search results are square thumbnails, so a landscape photo gets centre-cropped in the one view that determines whether anyone clicks.
The two policies that block listings
Most eBay image guidance is advisory. Two rules are not.
No added text or graphics. Borders, “FREE SHIPPING” banners, price stickers, arrows and promotional overlays are not permitted on listing photos. This is enforced, and listings do get blocked for it.
No stock photos for used items. For anything not brand new in its packaging, eBay requires a photograph of the actual item. Using a manufacturer image for a used product is a policy breach, and it is also the fastest route to a “not as described” case — the buyer has no idea what they are actually getting.
If you watermark your photography by habit, exclude eBay listings. The watermark tool applies only to files you give it, so keep those batches separate.
What sells on eBay specifically
eBay buyers behave differently from Etsy or Amazon buyers. They are frequently buying used, and they are looking for reasons to trust the seller. Photographs are the main evidence available.
- Show the flaws. Photograph the scratch, the worn corner, the missing piece. Sellers instinctively hide damage and it is a mistake — an accurately photographed flaw prevents a return, and returns cost far more than the sale.
- Photograph serial numbers, labels and model plates. Buyers check compatibility and authenticity from these.
- Show what is included. Cables, chargers, manuals, original box. “Is the charger included?” is the most common question sellers get, and a photograph answers it before it is asked.
- Include a scale reference for anything where size is ambiguous.
You have 24 free photo slots. Using six of them is leaving evidence on the table.
A workflow for a batch of listings
- Shoot everything against the same plain background — the consistency reads as professional across your listings page.
- Crop the main photo to a square at 1600 × 1600, with the item filling most of the frame.
- Resize the rest to 1600 pixels on the longest side, in a batch.
- Compress as JPG at quality 85.
Resize before compressing. Compressing first and then shrinking wastes the compression work and produces a worse result.
Strip the location data
This matters more on eBay than on most platforms, because eBay sellers are frequently photographing items at home and dealing with individual buyers directly.
A photograph taken indoors with location services enabled records your home coordinates, accurate to a few metres, inside the file. eBay strips metadata on upload — but the same photo sent to a buyer in a message, by email, or posted elsewhere does not get that treatment.
The EXIF viewer shows exactly what a file contains before you share it, including a map link for any coordinates found. Removing it there does not re-compress the image, so there is no quality cost to being careful.
iPhone photos
eBay’s app handles HEIC, but desktop uploads and third-party listing tools frequently do not. Convert to JPG first if you are listing from a computer, or switch your phone to Settings → Camera → Formats → Most Compatible.
Where to confirm
eBay’s requirements differ slightly by category and by regional site. For anything critical, check eBay’s own picture policies for your marketplace. This guide is not affiliated with eBay.