View source for Wikipedia:WikiProject Images and Media/Tasks and tips

Here are some tasks you can do to improve image and media use on Wikipedia, and some tips on how best to do them.

{{hidden top|title=Move free media to Commons}}
Many free images can be moved to [[Wikimedia Commons]]. An easy way to find them is by looking through [[:Category:Copy to Wikimedia Commons]].
* ''Tip:'' The [http://toolserver.org/~magnus/commonshelper.php Move-to-Commons assistant] is a toolserver app that can make this easier, and [[User:Drilnoth/filescripts.js/doc|FileScripts]] is a javascript tool that makes it easier still.
* ''Tip:'' Only [[free content|free media]] can be transferred to Commons, and not all free media is eligible. For instance, a file is considered [[public domain]] (PD) here on the English Wikipedia if it is PD in the U.S., but Commons also requires that an image be PD in its country of origin. 
* ''Tip:'' Please do not transfer images that have unaddressed problems, such as a missing source or questionable license. First fix the image, and transfer it when you're sure it's in good shape. If the image is suspect, you may want to nominate it for deletion instead.
* ''Tip:'' Be sure that the image at Commons has a valid description and categories, and that all important templates have transferred successfully. You can then click the "Check now" link on the Commons image to certify that the image has been manually reviewed.
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{{hidden top|title=Suggest better names for images}}
Many images have cryptic or unsuitable names and have been tagged with {{tl|rename media}}. Each of these should be given a better name. These are found at [[:Category:Incomplete file renaming requests]].
* ''Tip:'' There is currently no easy way to rename images, but it is expected that soon this will be easy to do. Until then, simply suggest a better name within the template, like {{tlx|rename media|BetterName.jpg}}, and a bot will eventually move the image.
* ''Tip:'' If the image is free and should be transferred to Commons, it's easy to do both. Simply upload it to Commons under a new name, and tag the local image with {{tlx|Now Commons|NewName.jpg}}. A bot will replace all instances to the new name, and will nominate the local image for deletion once it is orphaned.
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{{hidden top|title=Review our best images and media}}
Our very best images and media on Wikipedia, as determined by common consensus, are honored with special significance.
* ''Tip:'' [[Wikipedia:Featured pictures|Featured pictures]] were covered at [[Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2009-01-24/Dispatches|this Wikipedia Signpost article]]. You can comment at the [[Wikipedia:Featured picture candidates|current candidates]] to say whether you think they fulfill our [[Wikipedia:Featured picture criteria|featured picture criteria]].
* ''Tip:'' [[Wikipedia:Valued pictures|Valued pictures]] not quite as good as featured pictures, but are still remarkable. See the [[Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2009-04-20/Dispatches|Signpost coverage]], [[Wikipedia:Valued picture criteria|criteria]], and [[Wikipedia:Valued picture candidates|current candidates]].
* ''Tip:'' There are also [[Portal:Featured sounds|featured sounds]] ([[Wikipedia:Featured sound criteria|criteria]], [[Wikipedia:Featured sound candidates|current candidates]]), and a [[Wikipedia:Picture peer review|picture peer review process]]. Your comments would be helpful at any of these fora.
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{{hidden top|title=Assist users with copyright questions}}
Copyright law is complicated and frequently misunderstood. Questions are at [[Wikipedia:Media copyright questions]]. Discussion on media copyright is also found at [[Wikipedia:Files for discussion]] and [[:Category:Non-free content review requested]].
* ''Tip:'' Since Wikipedia's servers are within the U.S. jurisdiction, files must follow U.S. copyright law in order to be used on Wikipedia. Overviews of U.S. copyright law can be found at [[User:Quadell/copyright]] and [http://www.copyright.cornell.edu/public_domain/ Cornell University's factsheet]. Official documents from the U.S. Copyright Office are the best source: [http://www.copyright.gov/circs/circ15a.pdf "Duration of Copyright"] and [http://www.copyright.gov/circs/circ38a.pdf "International Copyright Relations"] are particularly useful. 
* ''Tip:'' For works created in other countries, it is often necessary to know the copyright laws of those countries. Useful information can be found at [[Wikipedia:Copyright situations by country]] and [[List of countries' copyright length]]. Commons also has helpful information at [[Commons:Commons:Licensing]], and a user has summarized some of the most difficult cases at [[Commons:User:Lupo/Hairy copyright]].
* ''Tip:'' [[Wikipedia:WikiProject Copyright Cleanup]] may be of assistance in difficult cases.
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{{hidden top|title=Fix problems with non-free media}}
Non-free images and media must conform to our strict [[Wikipedia:Non-free content criteria]] in order to be used. Understanding these criteria is critical for any discussions of their use.
* ''Tip:'' The subcategories of [[:Category:Wikipedia files that may violate copyright]] contain images with problems that need to be addressed, or the images will be deleted within seven days. 
* ''Tip:'' All such images need non-free use rationales. Our official guideline is [[Wikipedia:Non-free use rationale guideline|here]], and we also have [[Wikipedia:Use rationale examples|examples]] and [[User:Ilse@/fairuse|a how-to]].
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{{hidden top|title=Fulfill image requests}}
In the sub-categories of [[:Category:Wikipedia requested photographs]] are many requests for images. Pick a subject and reduce the number of requests.
* ''Tip:'' Check article to see if images have been added since the request was made. You can also go through [[:Category:Articles which may no longer need images]] and see if the {{tl|reqphoto}} templates can simply be removed. [http://toolserver.org/~jarry/imagechecker/index.php ImageChecker] can help find such pages quickly.
* ''Tip:'' If you have an image of your own that matches a request, upload it! You can also [[Commons:Special:Search|search Wikimedia Commons]] for images, check pages of other languages of the article for useful images, or try [[Wikipedia:Finding images tutorial|other sources]].
* ''Tip:'' If you cannot find an image, you may still be able to expand the image request, or improve the parameters of the {{tl|reqphoto}} template.
At the [[WP:Graphic Lab|Graphic Lab]], you can help improve existing images.
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{{hidden top|title=Nominate unsuitable media for deletion}}
Images which may not be suitable for use on Wikipedia can be listed at [[Wikipedia:Files for discussion]] for further discussion. 
* ''Tip:'' A handy how-to guide to image deletion is at [[Wikipedia:Guide to image deletion]].
* ''Tip:'' If an image is tagged as free, but there is reason to doubt the tag, it should be listed at [[Wikipedia:Files for discussion]] instead for discussion and investigation. Some images can be speedily-deleted; the criteria for this are listed at [[Wikipedia:Criteria for speedy deletion#Files]].
* ''Tip:'' Both [[User:Howcheng/quickimgdelete.js|Quickimgdelete.js]] and [[WP:TW|Twinkle]] are tools that make it as easy as clicking a button or two to nominate an image for deletion or tag it for speedy-deletion. These tools also inform the image uploader, and performs other tasks as well.
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{{hidden top|title=Administrative tasks}}
Some image maintenance can only be performed by [[WP:ADMIN|administrators]], primarily because they involve image and media deletion. Areas where administrators can use their extra tools to help include closing discussions at [[WP:FFD|files for discussion]], keeping the backlog in [[:Category:Wikipedia files that may violate copyright]] and [[:Category:Rescaled fairuse images more than 7 days old]] to a minimum, and deleting [[:Category:Wikipedia files on Wikimedia Commons|files now available on Commons]].

* ''Tip:'' The following categories may have administrative backlogs which need to be cleaned out.
{{CSD backlogs|prod=no}}
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{{hidden top|title=Article counts for image maintenance categories}}
{| class="wikitable"
! Category
! Number
! Number as of <br> Sept 2012
|-
| [[:Category:Articles with missing files]]
|{{PAGESINCATEGORY:Articles with missing files}}
| 7,265
|-
| [[:Category:Copy to Wikimedia Commons]]
|{{PAGESINCATEGORY:Copy to Wikimedia Commons}}
| 7,872
|-
| [[:Category:Wikipedia files lacking a description]]
|{{PAGESINCATEGORY:Wikipedia files lacking a description}}
| 4,911
|-
| [[:Category:Images with inappropriate JPEG compression]]
|{{PAGESINCATEGORY:Images with inappropriate JPEG compression}}
| 1,842
|-
| [[:Category:Images which should be in PNG format]]
|{{PAGESINCATEGORY:Images which should be in PNG format}}
| 445
|-
| [[:Category:Images with watermarks]]
|{{PAGESINCATEGORY:Images with watermarks}}
| 238
|-
| [[:Category:Wikipedia non-free file size reduction requests]]
|{{PAGESINCATEGORY:Wikipedia non-free file size reduction requests}}
| 1,027
|-
| [[:Category:Wikipedia files that transclude the Non-free media rationale template with no Purpose specified]]
|{{PAGESINCATEGORY:Wikipedia files that transclude the Non-free media rationale template with no Purpose specified}}
| 432
|-
| [[:Category:Wikipedia files that transclude the Non-free use rationale template with no Purpose specified]]
|{{PAGESINCATEGORY:Wikipedia files that transclude the Non-free use rationale template with no Purpose specified}}
| n/a
|-
| [[:Category:Publicity photographs with missing fair-use rationale]]
|{{PAGESINCATEGORY:Publicity photographs with missing fair-use rationale}}
| 197
|-
| [[:Category:Wikipedia files with disputed copyright information]]
|{{PAGESINCATEGORY:Wikipedia files with disputed copyright information}}
| 1,199
|}
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<noinclude>[[Category:WikiProject Images and Media|Tasks and tips]]</noinclude>