Upload your first photos

Every image and video you use on pages, in Portfolio, Products, or client deliveries lives in Media. Upload once and reuse everywhere — that single library is why you are not re-uploading the same wedding set five times for five different features.

Prerequisites

Dashboard → Media → dropzone: "Drag and drop media/images/videos here"

What you're looking at

Main area: grid of media items with thumbnails.

Upload zone: "Drag and drop media/images/videos here" — click inside the zone to browse files from your computer.

Top actions: search and filter controls for finding uploads later.

Implementation steps

1. Click Media in the sidebar.
2. Drag files onto the dropzone labeled "Drag and drop media/images/videos here", or click inside the dropzone to browse and select files.
3. Wait for each file to finish uploading — watch progress indicators until they complete.
4. Confirm thumbnails appear in the library grid.
5. Click one item to open details such as filename, dimensions, and read-only metadata when shown.
6. Optional: upload a short video clip—see Upload and manage videos for limits, transcoding wait times, and when playback is ready on your site.
7. Check Storage or Settings → Subscription for updated usage after the upload.

What happens after upload (photos)

For still images, the platform reads embedded EXIF metadata when the file finishes processing—camera settings, capture date, and GPS coordinates when the file includes them. That data is stored on the media record and appears later in Media (read-only block) and can power Impact map pins when location is allowed.

[You upload a photo]
        |
        v
[Upload finishes + image is ready]
        |
        v
[EXIF read from the file (when present)]
        |
        +--> Camera fields (make, model, ISO, focal length, ...)
        |
        +--> GPS --> map coordinates on the media record
        |
        v
[Open the file in Media]
        |
        +--> Read-only metadata panel
        |
        +--> Set location on map (optional, if you need to add or fix a pin)

RAW / camera files may take longer—wait until status is ready before expecting EXIF. Videos are uploaded and transcoded separately—see Upload and manage videos. They do not get the same EXIF panel as photos.

What you'll see

Files appear in Media with thumbnails and become available when you add images to pages, Portfolio collections, or products. Photos with EXIF show a Read-only metadata section when you open the file in the library (see view-and-edit-media-in-library).

If EXIF or location is missing right after upload

Situation	What to do
Status still uploading or RAW still processing	Wait until the item is ready, then open it again.
Screenshot, export, or social re-save	File may have no EXIF—set location manually with Set location on map.
Very large JPEG (over typical probe size)	Dimensions may save without full EXIF—add location manually if needed.
GPS stripped for privacy before export	No coordinates in file—set location manually.
You already set location manually	EXIF GPS will not overwrite manual pins on re-processing.

For captions, titles, and troubleshooting the edit panel, see view-and-edit-media-in-library.

If an upload fails

Failed uploads often mean your storage quota is full or the file type is unsupported. Slow connections may timeout on very large files — retry with fewer files at a time and a stable network.

Verifying your setup

• At least one photo uploaded successfully via the dropzone.
• Thumbnail visible in the Media grid.
• Storage usage updated or confirmed within your quota.
• Optional: open a camera JPEG and confirm Read-only metadata or use Set location on map.