View source for Wiki143:Moving files to Commons

{{Information page|WP:MTC|WP:MITC|WP:TOCOMMONS|WP:TRANSFER}}
{{nutshell|[[Free content|Freely licensed]] files should be moved to the [[Wikipedia:Wikimedia Commons|Wikimedia Commons]] so all [[Wikimedia Foundation]] projects can use them.}}
[[File:To Commons.svg|200px|right]]
'''Moving files to Commons''' is an activity of moving [[Free content|freely licensed]] files from Wikipedia to the [[Wikipedia:Wikimedia Commons|Wikimedia Commons]], which serves as the central file repository for all [[Wikimedia Foundation]] projects. When our local files are transferred there, they will provide the added benefit of becoming instantly and globally available across all Wikimedia Foundation projects.

==Why move files to Commons?==
* Commons files may be used by any [[Wikimedia Foundation]] project, such as Wikipedia, Wikinews, or Wiktionary.  Some projects, such as the Simple English Wikipedia, exclusively use files hosted on Commons. A file uploaded to Commons only has to be uploaded and maintained once, as opposed to dozens of times for each individual Wiki.
* Commons extensively categorizes files, making it easy to find them across a wide variety of topics.
* Commons files are maintained even if they are not immediately used to illustrate articles. Wikipedia, by contrast, is not a [[File server|file host]] and therefore does not permit [[Wikipedia:What Wikipedia is not#Wikipedia is not a blog, Web hosting service, social networking service, or memorial site|unused files]].

==Should a file be moved to Commons?==
[[File:Move To Commons For English Wikipedia Flowchart.svg|center|700px|thumb|A simple flowchart to help determine whether a file should be moved to Commons]]

=== What not to transfer ===
{{Ombox
| type      = notice
| text      = For specific questions regarding the eligibility of any file, please use [[Wikipedia:Media copyright questions]].
}}
{| class="sortable wikitable" style="width: auto;"
|+Files that should not be moved to Commons
|-
! Do '''not''' Transfer
! Because
! Action to Take?
|-
| {{Cross|16}} [[Wikipedia:Non-free content|'''Non-free''' content]]
| [[c:Main page|Commons]] does not accept non-free content.
|
|-
| {{Cross|16}} [[c:Commons:Derivative works|'''Derivatives''' of '''non-free''' content]]
| [[c:Main page|Commons]] does not accept non-free content.
|
|-
| {{Cross|16}} Photographs of '''2D/3D works''' taken in countries where there is <ins>no</ins> [[c:Commons:Freedom of panorama|'''freedom of panorama''']].
| [[c:Main page|Commons]] does not accept non-free content.
|
|-
| {{Cross|16}} Non-'''[[Public domain]]''' works <ins>exceeding</ins> the [[c:Commons:Threshold of originality|'''threshold of originality''']] in their home country.
| [[c:Main page|Commons]] does not accept non-free content.
|
|-
| {{Cross|16}} Files <ins>lacking</ins> a clear and [[Wikipedia:Verifiability|'''verifiable''']] source.
| Files ''must'' be clearly sourced so that their <ins>copyright status</ins> may be verified by anybody.
| Tag these with {{Tlxs|Nsd}}
|-
| {{Cross|16}} Files <ins>lacking</ins> adequate [[Wikipedia:Requesting copyright permission|'''evidence of permission''']].
| Files created by a third party and uploaded to Wikipedia under a free license '''must''' include a permission statement (e.g. link to online permission statement, [[Wikipedia:Volunteer Response Team|VRT]] permission) so that it can be verified that said party has actually agreed to such publication.
| Tag these with {{Tlxs|Npd}}
|-
| {{Cross|16}} Files <ins>without</ins> a [[Wikipedia:File copyright tags|'''license tag''']].
| License tags describe the copyright status of a file.
| Tag these with {{Tlxs|Nld}}
|-
| {{Cross|16}} Files with a [[free license]] <ins>restricting</ins> derivatives/commercial use, or restricting usage to Wikipedia only.
| Freely licensed files uploaded to Wikipedia and Commons must allow derivatives/commercial use, and usage outside Wikipedia.
| Tag these with {{Tlx|Db-f3}}
|-
| {{Cross|16}} Files with <ins>dubious</ins> '''Own work''' claims. (e.g. Claiming an image of [[Pikachu]] as own work)
| These are probably [[Wikipedia:Copyright violations|copyright violations]].
| List at [[Wikipedia:Files for discussion|FfD]] and/or tag egregious cases with {{Tlx|Db-f9}}
|-
| {{Cross|16}} Files which are '''[[Public domain]]''' in their country of origin, but ''still'' '''copyrighted''' in the USA.
| Commons requires that files be free in '''both''' their country of origin and the USA.  Note that the English Wikipedia does not have such a restriction for uploaded PD files.
|
|-
|{{Cross|16}} Files which are '''[[Public domain]]''' in the USA but ''still'' '''copyrighted''' in their country of origin.
| Commons requires that files be free in '''both''' their country of origin and the USA.
|
|}

==Tools==
{{Main|Commons:Commons:Upload tools#Transfer tools}}

There are several software tools available to assist in moving files from the various Wikipedias into commons. Tools that are "web apps" can be run without first being downloaded to your computer.

'''[[mw:Help:Extension:FileImporter|FileImporter]]''', from our own Wikimedia, is the default and preferred tool.

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align: center; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"
|+Tools for moving files to Commons
|-
! Name
! Status
! Create wikitext
! Can upload
! Import history
! OAuth
! Platform
! Coded in
! Where to get
! Author or maintainer
|-
| |[[mw:Help:Extension:FileImporter|FileImporter]]
| {{Yes|Active}}
| {{Yes}}
| {{Yes}}
| {{Yes}}
| {{Yes}}
| [[Web app]]
| [[PHP]]
| The "Export to Wikimedia Commons" tab on the [[Help:File description page|file description page]]
| [[m:Wikimedia Deutschland|Wikimedia Deutschland]]
|-
| |[[toollabs:magog/fileinfo.php|Fileinfo]]
| {{Yes|Active}}
| {{Yes}}
| {{No}}
| {{No}}
| {{N/A}}
| [[Web app]]
| [[PHP]]
| [[toollabs:magog/fileinfo.php]]
| {{User|Magog the Ogre}}
|-
| {{Plain link|https://github.com/fastily/mtc-cli|mtc-cli}}
| {{Yes|Active}}
| {{Yes}}
| {{Yes}}
| {{No}}
| {{No}}
| [[CPython]] ([[Windows]], [[macOS]], [[Linux]])
| [[Python (programming language)|Python]]
| {{Plain link|https://github.com/fastily/mtc-cli|fastily/mtc-cli}}
| {{User|Fastily}}
|-
| [[User:This, that and the other/For the Common Good|For the Common Good]]
| {{Partial|Unclear}}
| {{Yes}}
| {{Yes}}
| {{No}}
| {{No}}
| [[.NET Framework 2.0]] or [[Mono (software)|Mono]] ([[Windows]], [[macOS]], [[Linux]])
| [[C Sharp (programming language)|C#]]
| {{URL|1=https://atlight.github.io}}
| {{User|This, that and the other}}
|-
| [[toollabs:commonshelper|CommonsHelper]]
| {{No|Abandoned}}
| {{Partial|Poorly}}
| {{Yes}}
| {{No}}
| {{Yes}}
| [[Web app]]
| [[PHP]]
| [[toollabs:commonshelper]]
| {{User|Magnus Manske}}
|-
| [[mw:Manual:Pywikibot/imagecopy.py|imagecopy.py]]
| {{No|Abandoned}}
| {{Yes}}
| {{Yes}}
| {{No}}
| {{Yes}}
| [[CPython]] ([[Windows]], [[macOS]], [[Linux]])
| [[Python (programming language)|Python]]
| [//phabricator.wikimedia.org/diffusion/PWBO/browse/master/imagecopy.py Phabricator]
| {{User|Multichill}}
|-
| [[Wikipedia:MTC!|MTC!]]
| {{No|Abandoned}}
| {{Yes}}
| {{Yes}}
| {{No}}
| {{No}}
| [[Java SE]] ([[Windows]], [[macOS]], [[Linux]])
| [[Java (programming language)|Java]]
| [[Wikipedia:MTC!#How do I get MTC!?|WP:MTC!]]
| {{User|Fastily}}
|}
Only FileImporter can preserve the full page history. MTC! has some additional automation features and admin-only options.

===Manual transfer===
Save the file to transfer onto your computer and upload it at [[Commons:Special:Upload|Commons]]. Include the following information on the file's Commons description page:
* '''The contents of the local {{Tlx|Information}} template''' — {{A note}} [[toollabs:magog/fileinfo.php|Fileinfo]] generates the upload information text to transfer manually.
* '''The license tag''' — {{A note}} some templates used locally exist with another name on Commons. For example, {{Tlx|PD-old}} is {{Tl2|PD-old-100|sister=c}} on Commons, and {{Tl2|PD-old|sister=c}} on Commons is {{Tlx|PD-old-70}} on Wikipedia.
* '''A copy of the local upload log''' — You <ins>must</ins> state the username of each uploader and the date/time at which the upload was performed. This is a '''strict requirement''' for the [[GNU Free Documentation License|GFDL]] and [[Creative Commons license]]s. You are not required to upload previous versions of the file, or mention reverted [[Wikipedia:Vandalism|vandalism]]/[[:File:Visual demonstration of a file usurpation.png|file usurpations]].

Once you are finished, please tag Wikipedia's copy of the file with {{Tlxs|Ncd}} or {{Tlxs|Ncd|File:New filename.png}} (if you chose a new name for the Commons file).

==Backlog status==
{{Backlog progress bar|initial=19895|category=Copy to Wikimedia Commons|unit=files}}
{{Backlog progress bar|initial=103491|goal=80000|category=Copy to Wikimedia Commons (bot-assessed)|unit=files}}

==See also==
{{Sister|project = commons|text = Wikimedia Commons has media help related to: '''''[[c:Commons:Moving files to Commons|Moving to Commons]]'''''}}
* [[:Category:Copy to Wikimedia Commons]]
* [[c:Commons:For Wikipedians|Commons:For Wikipedians]]

{{Wikipedia technical help|collapsed}}

[[Category:Wikipedia how-to|{{PAGENAME}}]]
[[Category:Moving files to Wikimedia Commons]]