Policy page seen Oct 4, 2026 · reviewed every quarter
Sell AI images on Dreamstime: the conditions it sets and how to meet them
Yes, with conditions. Dreamstime accepts AI-generated images if you hold all the rights, state in the description that it is AI and tick the “Illustrations and Clip Art / AI generated” category. Generated people are the tricky part. Files are JPG, RGB/sRGB, 3 to 70 MP, according to its 2023 announcement.
Size, label and keyword your AI images once, then use them where the rules allow
- 1Create the image
- 2Own upscaler, up to 4x
- 3Title + keywords
- 4Upload to Adobe
- Title and keywords are free
- Upscale to 2x, 3x or up to 4x
- 2 images + 2 upscales to try
- No card to start
Plans from €49 a month, excluding VAT. Stock Creatives is our own product: it uploads to Adobe Stock, and you upload to Dreamstime yourself.
Last reviewed 2026-10-04
Prompt
Remote worker at a sunny kitchen table, natural light
3x
3x
3x
3x
Upscale
Upscale
3x
3x
Upscale- 3–70 MP
- image size range in Dreamstime's 2023 announcement of AI content (JPG, RGB/sRGB); not reconfirmed for 2026
- 3
- conditions for every AI image: hold the rights, say it is AI in the description, use the AI category
- 1
- special rule for people: generated faces only if a model release can be provided
- Oct 4, 2026
- date we saw Dreamstime's AI guidelines page listed; the page itself blocks automated reading
Does Dreamstime accept AI-generated images?
Dreamstime accepts AI-generated images under specific terms. It announced this in 2023 (“Dreamstime is now accepting AI generated content under specific terms”) and keeps a dedicated guidelines page for it. The page says Dreamstime recognizes the opportunities of AI content and also the legal and copyright challenges, and that its framework may change as AI regulation changes.
It is one of the four sites that take AI images. The others are Adobe Stock, Freepik/Magnific and 123RF, and Shutterstock, Alamy and iStock do not. The full table is in stock sites that accept AI images.
What are Dreamstime's conditions for AI images?
| Condition | What it says | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Rights | You must have all the rights to the generated image. Some AI tools give you full ownership only if you register for a paid service, so read your tool's terms | AI guidelines page (excerpt, Oct 4, 2026) |
| Description | The description must state clearly that the image was generated using AI | AI guidelines page (excerpt, Oct 4, 2026) |
| Category | One of the categories must be “Illustrations and Clip Art / AI generated” | AI guidelines page (excerpt, Oct 4, 2026) |
| Generated people | Faces of generated people only if a model release can be provided; otherwise do not upload them | AI guidelines page (excerpt, Oct 4, 2026) |
| Editorial | Do not upload AI images that would otherwise be considered editorial, because of legal implications | AI guidelines page (excerpt, Oct 4, 2026) |
| File | JPG, RGB/sRGB, 3 to 70 MP, “free of noise or any other artifacts” | 2023 announcement (archived copy); not reconfirmed for 2026 |
The 2023 announcement said not to upload faces of generated people at all. The current page's excerpt is more nuanced (see next section). The newer wording is the one to follow.
Can I upload AI-generated people on Dreamstime?
Only in limited cases. The guidelines page says Dreamstime does not, as a general rule, accept images of real-looking people generated by AI, and gives exceptions: characters with a cartoon or anime look, figures seen from behind or cropped at the neck (side views are not accepted), and body parts with no identifiable features. For faces of generated people, it asks for a model release, and says to skip the upload if that is not possible.
If you shoot or generate people for stock, photography of people on stock sites explains the releases. On Adobe Stock the equivalent is the “People and Property are fictional” checkbox: see Adobe Stock's AI requirements.
How do I prepare AI images for Dreamstime?
- 1Check the rights of your AI toolDreamstime asks you to hold all the rights. Read the licence of the generator you use, because some tools grant full ownership only on paid plans.
- 2Avoid people, or plan for the faces ruleLandscapes, objects, backgrounds, textures, cartoons and abstract scenes sidestep the faces question. For realistic people, you need a model release you can actually provide.
- 3Reach 3 MP or more, without artifactsThe 2023 announcement gave 3 to 70 MP and asked for files free of noise and artifacts. Upscale only as far as the image holds up at 100% zoom. Our image resolution checker shows megapixels and pixel size.
- 4Export JPG in sRGBRGB/sRGB JPG at high quality. Our upscaler outputs sRGB JPEG by default.
- 5Write a clean description, and say it is AIState clearly in the description that the image was generated with AI. Keep prompts, titles and keywords free of artists, brands and real people. Draft keywords with our stock keyword generator.
- 6Pick the AI categoryInclude “Illustrations and Clip Art / AI generated” among the categories, then submit for review. Dreamstime's reviewers decide whether a file is accepted.
What should I avoid when selling AI images on Dreamstime?
- Leaving out that an image is AI. The description must say it, and the AI category must be selected. Skipping either breaks Dreamstime's conditions.
- Realistic faces without a release. Generated faces need a model release you can provide, or no upload.
- AI images that would count as editorial. Dreamstime says not to upload them, because of legal implications.
- Rights you do not hold. Check your tool's licence, especially on free plans.
- Noise, artifacts and over-sharpening. The file must be free of them, so inspect at 100% before exporting.
- Real names and brands in prompts, titles and keywords.
How Stock Creatives fits in
Stock Creatives is our own app for contributors who sell AI images. It generates the image, upscales it with our own upscaler to 2x, 3x or up to 4x, and writes a title of up to 70 characters and up to 49 keywords at no credit cost. An automatic check flags hands, text and logos before you export.
Be clear about what it does not do: one-click upload and our CSV are for Adobe Stock, so for Dreamstime you download your files and upload them yourself. See how to upscale an image for Adobe Stock for the sizing logic, and pricing for plans.
- Download finished JPG files to upload anywhere
- Check hands, text and logos before submitting
- Real SVG vectors that never need upscaling
1.5 MP · under Adobe's 4 MP minimum
13.5 MP · 9x the pixels, well above 4 MP
Or at 4x: 6000 × 4000 px · 24 MP
Is Dreamstime worth it compared with the other sites?
We don't compare earnings, because we haven't verified commission or payout figures for Dreamstime and won't guess them. What the sources do show is the effort: Dreamstime's AI rules add a label, a category and a faces condition on top of the usual technical checks.
For most AI contributors, Adobe Stock is the first site, followed by Freepik/Magnific and 123RF. For the overview, read best microstock sites and how to become a microstock contributor.
Our own upscaler, up to 4x, built in-house for stock
Stock Creatives has its own upscaling technology, built for stock images: it adds real detail instead of just stretching pixels, and its Faithful mode keeps hands, faces and text in shape.
Choose 2x, 3x or up to 4x. For example, a 1500 × 1000 px photo (1.5 MP, under Adobe's 4 MP minimum) comes out at 4500 × 3000 px (13.5 MP) at 3x, or 6000 × 4000 px (24 MP) at 4x. Upscaling uses credits by scale (a 4x costs twice as much as a 2x), for the images you make in the app and for your own files.
- Our own technology, not a third-party upscaler
- Faithful mode: real detail, with hands and faces intact
- 2x, 3x or 4x: you choose, one upscale each
1.5 MP · under Adobe's 4 MP minimum
13.5 MP · 9x the pixels, well above 4 MP
Or at 4x: 6000 × 4000 px · 24 MP
Frequently asked questions
Does Dreamstime accept AI-generated images?+
Yes, under conditions. You must hold all the rights, state in the description that the image is AI-generated and include the “Illustrations and Clip Art / AI generated” category. Faces of generated people need a model release.
How do I label AI images on Dreamstime?+
In two places: the description must clearly say the image was generated using AI, and one of the categories must be “Illustrations and Clip Art / AI generated”.
Does Dreamstime allow AI-generated faces?+
Only if you can provide a model release. As a general rule it does not accept images of real-looking people generated by AI, with exceptions such as cartoon or anime characters, figures from behind or cropped at the neck, and body parts with no identifiable features.
What resolution does Dreamstime require?+
3 to 70 MP in JPG, RGB/sRGB, free of noise and artifacts, according to its 2023 announcement of AI content. We could not reconfirm it on the current page, so check it before uploading.
Is Dreamstime's AI policy still valid in 2026?+
Its AI guidelines page was still published when we checked on October 4, 2026, but the site blocks automated reading, so we could not see its update date or full text. Treat the rules here as the latest we could confirm.
Can I upscale AI images for Dreamstime?+
As far as we found, Dreamstime has no explicit upscaling rule. It does require files free of noise and artifacts and at least 3 MP, so upscale only as far as the image holds up at 100% zoom.
Can I use Midjourney images on Dreamstime?+
Only if you hold all the rights. Dreamstime notes that some AI tools give full ownership only on paid plans, so check the licence of the plan you used before uploading.
Can I try Stock Creatives before paying?+
Yes. Sign up and confirm your email to get 2 images and 2 upscales to try. No card is needed.
Sources
- Dreamstime: AI-Generated Images on Dreamstime, Guidelines and Conditions · 2026-10-04 Read as a search excerpt of the official page; the page blocks automated access, so its update date is unknown.
- Dreamstime: Now accepting AI-generated content under specific terms (2023, archived) · 2026-10-02 Source of the 3–70 MP, JPG, RGB/sRGB figures; read in an archived copy.
Keep reading
Stock photo sites that accept AI generated images: the 2026 list
Stock photo sites that accept AI generated images in 2026: Adobe Stock, Freepik, 123RF, Dreamstime, Shutterstock and more, with labels, limits and sources.
Sell AI images on Freepik: Magnific Contributor requirements and first steps
Yes, you can sell AI images on Freepik, now Magnific Contributor. Tag them as AI, keep every side between 2000 and 10000 px and avoid automatic rejections.
Sell AI images on 123RF: the AI category, the 6 MP minimum and the rules
123RF accepts AI images only in its “AI Generated Images” category, at 6 MP or more and with no real names. Upscaling is allowed. Rules and first steps.
Sell AI images on Shutterstock: the answer is no, and what to do instead
Can you sell AI images on Shutterstock? No: its policy bans AI content from contributors. See the quote, the rules for real photos and where to sell AI.
Best microstock sites to sell your photos, vectors and AI images
Best microstock sites for contributors, compared: AI policy, minimum size and formats for Adobe Stock, Shutterstock, Freepik, 123RF, Dreamstime and more.
Adobe Stock AI generated requirements: every rule, in one checklist
Adobe Stock AI generated requirements (2026): the AI label, fictional people box, model releases, prompt rules and the 3-iteration limit, with a checklist.
Get your AI images ready to upload
Generate, upscale and write your title and keywords in one place. 2 images and 2 upscales to try when you confirm your email. No card needed. Acceptance is up to each site's reviewers.
Try it free