Creative Commons licences appear everywhere: on photo platforms, in learning materials, in Wikipedia-related projects and on blogs. Many students assume that a CC image can be used freely without anything to observe. That is only partly true. This guide explains what a licence allows, which details you must give when you use a work and how to recognise mistakes in attribution.
Short answer: You may use an image under a Creative Commons licence only within the conditions of the licence. Under CC BY 4.0 you must give appropriate credit, link to the licence and indicate changes you made. Creative Commons itself is not the author, so “Photo: Creative Commons” is incorrect. Last updated: November 2026.
The most important points at a glance
- A Creative Commons licence grants you rights of use, but only under the conditions set out in the licence text.
- Under CC BY 4.0 the two main duties are appropriate credit and a link to the licence.
- You must indicate if you changed the work. Under version 4.0 you also need to keep a note of earlier modifications.
- Creative Commons is not the author. Where the creator is named, the credit must name the actual creator.
- Licence variants with further building blocks do not allow everything the basic licence allows. The conditions are on the respective licence page.
What a Creative Commons licence actually is
Creative Commons is an organisation that provides standardised licence agreements. Authors can use them to determine the conditions under which others may use their work. The licence does not replace copyright law. It provides a pre-formulated framework within which use is permitted. Creative Commons states on its website that its legal tools are available without a fee.
This does not mean that the work has no conditions. Every licence says what you have to do, and some restrict use further. The licence applies only to the work to which it refers. If an image appears on a page that does not state the licence correctly, check the author before using it.
Which duties the CC BY 4.0 licence contains
The basic licence CC BY 4.0 is the most open variant. According to the licence page, you must give appropriate credit, provide a link to the licence and indicate whether you made changes. In addition, you may not apply legal terms or technological measures that legally restrict others from doing what the licence allows.
| Duty | What you concretely do | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Attribution | Name the creator, title and source of the work | “Title of the photo, photo by First Last, source” |
| Link to the licence | Link to the licence text of the version | Link to the page of the CC BY 4.0 licence |
| Indication of changes | State what you have changed | “Cropped and colour adjusted” |
| No additional restrictions | Do not pass on rights that restrict others | No restrictions in your imprint or terms |
The credit should be as complete as the circumstances allow. Where the creator is named on a platform, you take over that name. If no title is given, you leave that part out without inventing one.
What a correct attribution looks like
Creative Commons’ recommendations on attribution list the title of the work, the name of the creator, the source and the licence as components. You can use them as a memory aid. The organisation also recommends using the original address of the work where possible instead of a shortened link.
| Element | Good attribution (example) | Faulty attribution |
|---|---|---|
| Title | “Harbour at night” | Missing entirely |
| Creator | “Photo: Anna Example” with a link to the profile | “Photo: Creative Commons” |
| Source | Original address of the work | Only a shortened link without context |
| Licence | “CC BY 4.0” with a link to the licence text | “Free to use” without a licence statement |
| Changes | “Cropped, colours adjusted” | No note on a modified version |
The difference between the creator and the organisation is important. Creative Commons provides the licence, but the work comes from a person or institution. An attribution that names only Creative Commons does not name the creator and is therefore not sufficient.
Which licence variants exist and what to watch
Besides the basic licence there are variants that set additional conditions. The abbreviations appear on the respective licence page and in the information attached to the work. Each variant changes the framework in which you may use the work. Therefore always read the licence itself before using a work, and do not rely only on memorising the abbreviation.
Typical additional conditions concern passing on under the same conditions, excluding commercial use or prohibiting adaptation. For students this matters in practice, because a presentation on a university website, in a sales offer or in a video with advertising may be assessed differently. Check the licence anew each time.
When an image counts as already edited
A crop or a brightness correction changes the work. Creative Commons’ practice recommendations discuss the case of an edited photo and recommend stating the change expressly. A crop that leaves the message of the image unchanged counts in this context as a rather mechanical adjustment. It is still advisable to name the change so that the credit is complete.
If you change the image heavily, for example through collages or added elements of your own, a new work may emerge. You then need to check which licence applies to the result and whether the original licence allows it at all. If in doubt, a short request to the author helps.
Frequently asked questions
May I use a CC image in my term paper?
Yes, as long as you keep to the conditions of the licence. That includes attribution, a link to the licence and marking of changes. A term paper is not a commercial use, but the licence can still contain duties that you must observe.
Is it enough to name the licence only next to the image?
The attribution should appear in a place where readers can see it. In presentations that can be the slide, in texts the caption or a list at the end. What matters is that the details are complete and can be assigned to a specific image.
What happens if I forget the licence?
Then the use becomes legally more difficult, because you did not keep to the conditions. If the mistake comes to light, correcting it immediately is the best route: adding the missing details, removing the image or replacing it with a suitable work. If you are unsure, ask a qualified office.
Is an image found through a search engine automatically CC?
No. Search engine filters often show images with licence information, but they do not guarantee that the information is correct. Always check the page where the image actually sits and look there for the licence and the creator.
Do the same rules apply to AI-generated images?
AI-generated images raise their own questions, for example about authorship and the terms of the platform. The duties of a CC licence refer to an existing work. More on this topic is in the guide on AI images and copyright (in German).
What to do now
- Check the licence on the page where the image sits and note creator, title, source and licence abbreviation.
- Read the conditions of the specific licence variant, not just the abbreviation.
- Write the attribution directly next to the image and note changes such as cropping or colour correction.
- Keep a list of all images you use so that you can check the details quickly later.
Related guides
- Digital rights in everyday life: the overview for students
- AI images and copyright in study
- Recognising AI images: which labels exist and what they are worth
- Using illustrations from specialist books in presentations (in German)
Sources: Creative Commons, licence CC BY 4.0, licence conditions, retrieved November 2026; Creative Commons, Best practices for attribution (wiki), retrieved November 2026.
Last updated: November 2026. This guide is general information, not individual advice.
