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Help / FAQ / General Flickr Questions

What is Flickr?

Flickr is the best way to store, sort, search and share your photos online. Flickr helps you organize that huge mass of photos you have and offers a way for you and your friends and family to tell stories about them.

The best way to learn about Flickr is to upload some photos, explore the site, join some groups and make some friends. You can find more info about Flickr on our About page.

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What are the rules for using Flickr?

Please read our Community Guidelines to find out everything you need to know about being a model Flickr citizen.

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Will Flickr always be free?

Yes, there will always be a free version of Flickr. It will be limited in some ways, and you get more with a paid subscription, but it's still fun!

You can always upgrade to a Flickr Pro account, for just $24.95 (U.S.) per year. You can also buy a Pro account for a friend if you feel generous.

To find out more, visit the Upgrade page.

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I'd like to use a photo I found on Flickr. How do I do that?

We don't act as matchmakers, so contact the photographer yourself. Only members of Flickr can send messages to one another, so if you haven't created an account, that's your first step.

As a member of Flickr, you can move your mouse over someone's buddy icon and click the little arrow to open the "person menu." Then select "Send FlickrMail" and compose your message. When you contact a photographer, it's best to include as much info as possible about the photo, yourself, and how you want to use the photo.

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What is Flickr Gamma?

Gamma is a slightly tongue-in-cheek reference to a standard software development cycle, where beta is normally applied to a system that is mostly working, but still being tested.

Flickr is always being tested by you, dear member. We like to think the system is always in transition, especially when we look at all the fantastic features we have planned!

So, labeling Flickr as "gamma" is just our way of saying that the site is in a state of perpetual improvement.

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