Using Flickr Tools

What is an uploading tool?

Flickr offers a range of tools you can install on your computer to make uploading your photos easier. You can drag and drop photos from your hard disk into Uploadr, and then publish them straight to your Flickr account. No mess, no fuss.

You can also use the upload form on the Flickr site.

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How do I use Uploadr?

Uploadr is the new best way to get your photos on Flickr. You can get the new Uploadr from the Flickr Tools page.

Uploadr is cross platform, which means it works and looks the same on Windows and Mac. So, no matter your operating system these FAQs apply to you.

Working offline

You can either drag and drop photos from your computer into the Uploadr photo tray (the big white area), or click the '+ADD' button to browse your computer for photos you want to upload. In the photo tray, you can drag and drop your photos to rearrange their order. The order you see is the order they'll show up in your photostream.

You can enter tags, titles and descriptions for your photos, as well as set privacy and content type. Just select the photos you want to work with, and apply whichever settings you wish.

Working online

In order to access your sets, and in order to upload photos, you have to be signed in.

The first time you sign in, you'll be asked to give Uploadr permission to access your Flickr photos. You'll grant that permission on Flickr.com, and we'll take you there do it.

Once you're finished working with your photos, just click the big UPLOAD PHOTOS button, and they'll be sent off to Flickr.

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How do I use Uploadr on someone else's computer?

To use Uploadr on a computer other than your own, you need to add your profile.

If someone is already signed into Uploadr

Click the 'Switch users?' link near the top left of the screen. This will bring up the Preferences window, and from there click the 'Add new user' button to add your profile. You will be taken to Flickr to authorize your account, and then you're good to go!

If no one is signed into Uploadr

Click the 'Sign in' button at the top of the screen, and follow the instructions. You will be taken to Flickr.com to authorize your account, and then you can begin using Uploadr.

Note: You can delete your profile from Uploadr when you are finished using it. Just go back to the Preferences window, select your name, and click the 'Remove selected user' button.

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Windows Uploadr isn't authorizing. What can I do?

When some users install Uploadr, instead of opening the browser window to Flickr for authorization, Uploadr shows the folder where it is located on the computer, or perhaps the browser does not open at all. If this happens, your computer is not opening a web browser correctly.

In that case, close Uploadr. Then make sure a default web browser is listed on your computer.

If you usually use Internet Explorer, do this:

Click the Windows Start button and select Settings > Control Panel.
In the Control Panel, double-click Internet Options.
In the Internet Properties dialog box, click the Programs tab.
Make sure Internet Explorer is selected as your default web browser.

Note: If you are using Microsoft Vista, you get to that dialog window slightly differently:
Control Panel > Network and Internet > Internet Options > Programs

Now restart Uploadr and try to authorize. If it did not work, download a second browser like Mozilla Firefox and install it in order to reset Windows to use a default browser. During installation, make sure you select Firefox as your default browser. Start Uploadr again to authorize.

You can reset your default browser to Internet Explorer following the instructions above if you want.

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I finished the upload, but Windows Uploadr opened a directory. What's up with that?

If you finish an upload and click the button to visit your photos on Flickr, a directory on your computer opens, you may need to "teach" Windows to look for the web browser. It's possible that the association to go to a URL by a web browser is not being recognized.

If this happens, close Uploadr. Now, check to see if there is a default web browser listed on your computer. If you usually use Internet Explorer, do this:

Click the Windows Start button and select Settings > Control Panel.
In the Control Panel, double-click Internet Options.
In the Internet Properties dialog box, click the Programs tab.
Make sure Internet Explorer is selected as your default web browser.

Restart Uploadr and try to upload a photo. If it still opens a directory, download a second browser like Mozilla Firefox and install it in order to reset Windows' choice of a default browser. During installation, make sure you select Firefox as your default browser. Try another photo to upload.

You can reset your default browser to Internet Explorer following the instructions above if you want.

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Help! I am having trouble uploading!

If your upload is slower than normal, fails to connect, or only partial images are displayed, there may be a network issue on a point somewhere between your computer and Flickr.

Sometimes these problems are ISP-related and sometimes might be specific to your local computer/network setup. (And most of the time, it's temporary. :-)

If you only tried uploading with Uploadr, try using the web form to compare results or one of the other upload tools. If you cannot upload with any of them, it's likely a network issue that will affect any upload to Flickr.

Some quick suggestions:

Use both the web upload page and Uploadr. Does the upload fail for one or both?
Briefly turn off the power to any broadband modems and routers to reset the network connection.
If you connect wirelessly, move your computer closer to the wireless access point, or 'plug in'.
Temporarily turn off any antivirus or firewall software and try an upload. If the upload is successful, look to see if you can add Uploadr to an exceptions list of applications that can access the Internet.
If you are a regular Firefox user on Windows, make sure Internet Explorer is not set to "Work Offline" mode (this only applies to older versions- make sure you have the latest version).

If you are networked through a router that is plugged into a home broadband modem, unplug the router and connect your computer directly into the modem itself. If the connection is now open, then the router could be slowing or blocking the connection and you may need to consult your manual for configuration options. Sometimes setting to a slightly lower MTU value or matching it to the value used by your ISP helps. (Some users report problems with specific network hardware in our Forums. A search there might reveal one.)

If you have tried all of these suggestions and you still can't upload, please copy and paste the bullet points into your help email and let us know what happened when you tried each one. (Without this specific info it is very hard to troubleshoot upload issues :)

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I tried to use your upload page and got a "BONK" error. What's that?

A 'BONK' message means your upload failed. You might come across this on the Upload page.

Here are a few possibilities: there may be a problem with the format of the image, there could be a problem with the file itself, or it is possible the internet connection timed out, so the upload itself was incomplete.

If you get that error, you can try the same photo through the old upload page, or the Uploadr (which you can download from the Tools page), or an upload by email. If the file only fails in the Flash upload page, feel free to send us some detail on what files failed for you.

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Or, return to the main help page.