Swiss Picture Bank's Frequently Asked Questions
1. What file types can I upload?
Currently, Swiss Picture Bank accepts 24 bit RGB JPEGs.
2. How much does creating a Swiss Picture Bank account cost?
Creating a Swiss Picture Bank account is free. When you create one, you'll automatically receive 100 MB of permanent space. When you need more storage space, you can purchase it at our store or earn more free storage by inviting other photographers to join.
3. How does buying and using storage space work?
Buy the amount of space you want from our store then fill it as you upload photos. When you run out of space, you can purchase more. You can also avoid the repurchasing step by enabling our auto-pay feature. It automatically charges your credit card and ads more space to your account. See our affordable storage packages to learn more.
4. What's the difference between a Snapshot and Full Size upload?
When you upload photos to your Swiss Picture Bank account, you may save them in the default "Full Size" format or switch to "Snapshot" format. A snapshot is a photo resized to 1600x1200 pixels to make storage more convenient and affordable for you, but it won't be optimal for advanced editing and large prints.
Snapshot sized photos take up space a little differently. One Snapshot costs the same as a half a megabyte of space in your account.
Snapshot sized photos take up space a little differently. One Snapshot costs the same as a half a megabyte of space in your account.
5. What is Auto-Pay?
This feature saves time and hassle when repurchasing storage space. Whenever your account runs out of storage space, Swiss Picture Bank automatically charges your credit card $19.99 and adds 1 GB of space to your account. If you want to upload 10 MB of photos, but only have enough space for 9 MB, Auto-Pay will instantly repurchase space so you don't have to interrupt the process to buy more. (You would then have 1023 MB remaining in your account.)
6. What can I do with my photos at Swiss Picture Bank?
Once we confirm your photos have been successfully uploaded to our system, they're guaranteed safe for 99 years. You can login to your account 24/7 to catalogue and organize your photos, view them in slideshows, share them online, print them in a variety of sizes and styles, and download them for personal use.
7. What happens if some of my photos are damaged or I can't find them?
If you feel that some of the photos you have uploaded to your account are missing or have been damaged, please send us an email at support@SwissPictureBank.com and let us know what the problem is. Chances are we will be able to quickly address the issue. If it turns out that your photos are actually damaged or deleted, you will be eligible to receive our Guarantee. It should give you peace of mind to know that no Swiss Picture Bank user has ever needed this guarantee.
8. How does the Swiss Picture Bank Guarantee work?
Swiss Picture Bank guarantees to keep your photos safe and accessible online for 99 years from the Date of Upload. If we cannot retrieve your original images within 30 days after you report them missing or damaged, Swiss Picture Bank will pay you double what you paid to store them. To learn more about our Guarantee, please read our Terms.
9. What happens if I forget my login password?
Click on "Forgot your password?" on the member login screen or send us an email at support@SwissPictureBank.com and we'll send you a temporary password for your account. Use this temporary password to login to your account. Then go to "My Profile" to create a new one.
10. What happens after the 99 years my photos are guaranteed?
You or a legal heir to your Swiss Picture Bank account will have the opportunity to simply extend the service when the time comes. It's a long way off, but Swiss Picture Bank is here so you can share your photography with generations to come.
11. How are my pictures organized?
The pictures in your account are organized by "Date Taken" (the date the picture was taken), "Date Uploaded" (the date you saved the picture to Swiss Picture Bank), and "Albums" (albums you create in your account). You can view these lists in ascending or descending order.
Drag & drop pictures into the selection box at the bottom of the screen to create albums or place them directly into an existing album. Remove photos from albums by dragging & dropping them into the trashcan. You cannot, however, delete photos from the "Date Taken" or "Date Uploaded" folders. Critical to our ability to guarantee permanent storage, is total protection from deletion.
Drag & drop pictures into the selection box at the bottom of the screen to create albums or place them directly into an existing album. Remove photos from albums by dragging & dropping them into the trashcan. You cannot, however, delete photos from the "Date Taken" or "Date Uploaded" folders. Critical to our ability to guarantee permanent storage, is total protection from deletion.
12. How can I share my photos?
You can easily share your photos online either by direct email or by embedding a link to your photos on a web page. Simply drag any photos you wish to share into the selection box and click "Share." You'll then be given the choices of how you want to share and what privacy limitations (if any) you want to set.
13. What kind of prints can I order?
Swiss Picture Bank offers dozens of print options at affordable prices through AdoramaPix, one of the world's leading photo retailers. Choose from a variety of professional-quality papers and sizes ranging from wallet to poster size. You can even create gifts such as photo books, calendars and gift cards. Go to our shop to see the listings and prices.
14. What can I use Privacy Settings for?
Privacy settings give you control over your photos when you share them online. When you click "Share", you'll be prompted to select your privacy settings. These include whether or not you want to give your contacts permission to download your photos and limiting the number of times they can view them.
It's important to remember that the internet isn't completely secure and the people you share with still might be able to print your photos or share them with others. Please use caution and share your pictures only with people you trust.
It's important to remember that the internet isn't completely secure and the people you share with still might be able to print your photos or share them with others. Please use caution and share your pictures only with people you trust.
