How to upload video to Adobe Stock

Footage is the highest-margin stock content: $70–200 per download. Here is the full journey of a clip from generation to publication on Adobe Stock, and the typical rejection causes.

Step 1. Check the technical parameters

Before any upload, verify the clip: MP4/MOV, minimum 1280×720 (1920×1080 or 4K preferred), 5–60 seconds, up to 3.9 GB, h264 codec. Adobe silently discards non-compliant files — no errors, no notifications. Quick check: our free video checker runs right in your browser.

Clip below 720p? Upscale to Full HD — Stock Metadata Tagger does it automatically via a checkbox at upload.

Step 2. Prepare the metadata

A video needs: a title up to 200 characters describing the motion in frame, up to 49 keywords (the first 7–10 carry the most weight) and a mandatory category. Include dynamics words in your tags: slow motion, timelapse, aerial, pan, loop — that's how footage buyers search.

AI can write all of it for you: the service analyzes 6 frames of the clip, generates motion-aware metadata and embeds XMP right into the MP4.

Step 3. Upload the file

Two ways:

• The Contributor portal web interface — fine for single clips;
• SFTP — for batches; important: the file must go out with its real extension (.mp4/.mov), otherwise the intake drops it silently.

Step 4. Complete the submission and send to review

With XMP embedded, the form arrives pre-filled — pick a category, flag «Created with generative AI» for AI clips and submit. Video takes longer to index than photos: from a few hours to a day.

Why videos get rejected at review

Top causes after a successful intake:

• recognizable people without a Model Release;
• logos, brands and trademarks in frame;
• noise, flicker, compression artifacts (object morphing in AI clips);
• too little usable content (a 5-second clip where 3 seconds are fade-outs).