Facebook allows users to upload photos and create photo albums to share with friends. There is a limit to how many photos you can upload at one time and how many total photos your account can store.
What is the limit for uploading photos to Facebook?
When uploading photos to Facebook directly from your computer or mobile device, you are limited to uploading 40 photos at a time. This limit applies to dragging and dropping photos as well as using the upload photo option in Facebook.
If you try to upload more than 40 photos at once, you’ll get an error message from Facebook stating “Too Many Files” and you’ll have to reduce the number of photos you are uploading.
What happens if I try to upload more than 40 photos?
If you try to upload more than 40 photos at one time to Facebook, the upload will fail and you will get the following error message:
“Too Many Files Sorry, you can’t upload more than 40 files at a time. Please try again with fewer files.”
You will have to reduce the number of photos you are uploading down to 40 or fewer to get past this error. The easiest way is to simply split your photos up into multiple batches of 40 or less.
Is there a size limit for individual photos?
Yes, Facebook does have size limits for individual photos you upload:
- Up to 4K resolution (4000 pixels on the longest side)
- Up to 30MB file size
If you try to upload a photo larger than those size limits, Facebook will compress the photo to meet their requirements.
Is there a limit on total photos you can have?
Yes, there is a limit to the total number of photos your Facebook account can store. The limit depends on when you created your account:
- Accounts created after December 2017: 250,000 photos
- Accounts created before December 2017: 200 photos
Once you reach the limit, you will receive an error when trying to upload new photos. You will need to delete existing photos to free up space.
How many photos can you add to an album?
When creating a new photo album on Facebook, there is a higher limit than just uploading photos to your timeline:
- You can add up to 1000 photos to an album at one time
- The total limit per album is 5000 photos
So if you have a large batch of photos, creating an album first allows you to upload them in larger quantities.
Can Pages upload more than 40 photos?
Facebook Pages have different limits than personal profiles when it comes to uploading photos:
- Pages can upload up to 100 photos per post
- Video posts with slideshows can have up to 100 images
So Pages have more flexibility for photo uploads than personal accounts.
Tips for Uploading Large Quantities of Photos
If you want to upload a large number of photos, over 40, here are some tips:
- Split your photos into batches of 40 or less and upload separately
- Create an album and add your photos – albums support up to 1000 photos on initial upload
- Upload your photos over time in smaller batches
- Use a third party app or service that integrates with Facebook
- Upgrade to a Facebook Page which allows 100 photos per post
Can you edit the order of photos after uploading?
Yes, after you have uploaded photos to Facebook, you can change the order they appear:
- On your timeline, click the 3 dots above the post and select “Edit Post”
- For albums, open the album and click “Rearrange Photos”
- Use the drag and drop interface to drag photos into your preferred order
The edited order will update after you save the changes. You can continually re-arrange the order this way after uploading.
Can you upload photos from the desktop website?
Yes, you can upload photos directly from the desktop version of Facebook at www.facebook.com.
To upload photos on desktop:
- Go to your profile or page and click on Photo/Video at the top
- Click the blue button “Upload Photos/Video”
- Select up to 40 photos from your computer to upload
- Edit the post and add a description if desired
- Click Post to publish the photos
This process allows you to open photos from your computer like normal file uploads. The 40 photo limit still applies.
Can you upload from Facebook mobile app?
Uploading photos directly from the Facebook mobile app is easy and has the same 40 photo limit.
To upload photos from the Facebook app:
- Tap the + icon in the app
- Tap Photo/Video
- Select up to 40 photos to upload from your phone
- Edit the post and description as desired
- Tap Post to publish the uploaded photos
The mobile apps make it convenient to upload photos taken directly from your phone or tablet.
Can you schedule photo uploads?
Unfortunately, Facebook does not have a built-in feature to schedule photo uploads for a future date or time. Your options are:
- Upload photos immediately when ready
- Wait to manually upload at desired date/time
- Use a third-party scheduling tool connected to Facebook
Some social media management platforms like Buffer or Hootsuite allow you to schedule photo uploads. But you cannot schedule natively with Facebook’s tools.
Can you upload photos via email?
Facebook used to allow uploading photos via email but removed this feature. Currently, there is no way to upload photos to Facebook by emailing them.
How do I upload higher quality photos?
To upload photos to Facebook with the highest quality:
- Use high resolution images, at least 720px or 1080px
- Upload JPG images rather than PNGs when possible
- Avoid excessive image compression when editing
- Use original digital photos instead of screenshots
- Remember Facebook compresses larger images
Following those tips will ensure your photos upload with the best possible quality allowed by Facebook.
Should I edit photos before uploading?
Doing some light editing of your photos before uploading to Facebook can improve their appearance. Some things you may want to edit:
- Cropping to subject or correcting orientation
- Removing blemishes or distractions
- Adjusting brightness, contrast, saturation
- Adding filters or special effects
Avoid excessive editing as that can degrade image quality. The goal is to enhance photos not transform them.
Can I upload from multiple accounts?
You can upload photos from multiple Facebook accounts by:
- Switching between accounts within Facebook app
- Using different browsers signed into each account
- Uploading from Pages associated with your accounts
The 40 photo per upload limit applies to each individual account. You are not limited to just one account.
Are there restrictions on photo content?
Facebook does prohibit certain types of photo content. You cannot upload:
- Nudity or sexual content
- Hate speech, threats, graphic violence
- Illegal or harmful activity
- Infringement on intellectual property
- False information or impersonation
Uploading prohibited content can lead to your post or account being deleted. Make sure your photos follow the community standards.
Can I upload photos via API or SDK?
The Facebook API and SDKs allow developers to build applications that interface with Facebook programmatically. These tools permit uploading photos:
- Graph API – upload via /user/photos endpoint
- Marketing API – manage Facebook ad images
- Instagram API – upload images to Instagram accounts
When using the APIs, the standard Facebook photo requirements and limits apply. The APIs just allow automation.
What are best practices for uploading photos?
To upload great looking photos quickly follow these best practices:
- Upload high-res JPG files for best image quality
- Use descriptive filenames and titles
- Add location tags and complete image metadata
- Post photos in small batches for faster uploads
- Create albums for organizing many photos
Optimizing your uploads this way will provide the best experience for you and your viewers.
What tools can I use to manage bulk uploads?
To help upload many photos to Facebook efficiently, the following tools can help:
| Tool | Key Features |
|---|---|
| Buffer | – Schedule uploads in advance – Integrates with Facebook – Allows bulk uploads to queue |
| Hootsuite | – Social media management system – Schedule and queue uploads – 30-day free trial available |
| SocialPilot | – AI assistant for scheduling – Photo and video uploader – Plans for individuals and teams |
Conclusion
While Facebook limits you to uploading 40 photos at a time, there are ways to publish even large collections of photos:
- Upload photos in multiple batches of 40
- Use albums to upload up to 1000 photos initially
- Leverage Facebook Pages which allow 100 photos per post
- Use scheduling and automation tools to queue bulk uploads
With the right technique, you can share as many photos as you want over time. Just be aware of the 40 photo per post limit and work around it.