Where can I find Creative Commons images, music and video?
Openverse, a dedicated search engine run by Creative Commons, is where you start. Combine it with the license filters on Flickr, Vimeo and Wikimedia Commons. Every result from those tools demands one step you cannot skip: open the original source page and read the exact official license terms there.
Openverse As The Primary Search Tool
Openverse indexes works from dozens of sources. Type your search term and filter by image, audio or video. Every result shows the license name, version and a direct link to the source. Because the index is maintained by the organisation that stewards the 4.0 license suite, this is the single most reliable starting point.
What Openverse Cannot Do
Openverse does not verify ownership. It does not check whether the uploader had permission to license the work. It also does not guarantee that every component inside a video or a music file is covered by the same terms. The index is a starting point, not a guarantee. You still need the verify, record, comply and attribute checklist.
Platform License Filters And Their Limits
Flickr, Vimeo and Wikimedia Commons each offer a filter for Creative Commons terms. Flickr lets you search by specific licenses like CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 or CC0. Vimeo labels CC-licensed videos in the description. Wikimedia Commons requires every file to carry a license notice on its file page. These filters are useful but incomplete.
The Failure Case
A platform filter may show a CC badge next to a video. That badge alone is not proof. The uploader may have selected the wrong license in the dropdown. The platform's automated detection may be incorrect. Open the source page and read the exact terms written by the uploader. If the source page does not name a specific Creative Commons version, do not treat the work as CC-licensed.
Platform Terms Can Conflict With The License
Some platforms add exclusive sublicensing terms, download restrictions or DRM that contradict the license's core permission. Under version 4.0, a recipient may not impose additional legal terms or effective technological measures that restrict another recipient's exercise of the licensed rights. If the platform prevents downloading or requires a login, the CC badge may be incompatible with the platform's own rules. Check the platform's current help page for its CC policy before you rely on it.
| Media Type | Primary Source | Second Source | What To Check On The Source Page |
|---|---|---|---|
| Images | Openverse | Flickr, Wikimedia Commons | License name and version, creator, source URL, modification notes |
| Music | Openverse | Free Music Archive, ccMixter | License name and version, creator, source URL, any ND or NC conditions |
| Video | Openverse | Vimeo, Wikimedia Commons | License name and version, creator, source URL, note that music and clips inside the video may have separate licenses |
| Audio Books | Openverse | LibriVox | License name and version, reader credit, source URL |
The Verify, Record, Comply And Attribute Checklist
Run this four-step check before you use any CC work. It takes five minutes and prevents the most common compliance failures.
Verify The Source
Open the original source page. Do not rely on a repost, a search thumbnail or a platform filter alone. Read the license text on the page. Confirm it names a specific Creative Commons version, such as CC BY 4.0 or CC BY-NC-SA 4.0. If it says the work is licensed under a Creative Commons license but does not name the version, treat it as unlicensed. The terms only apply under the version stated.
Record What You Found
Save the creator name, the source URL, the exact license name and version, any displayed notices or exclusions, and the date you checked. Take a screenshot of the license notice for any use that matters. This record is your evidence if a dispute arises later. The dossier recommends preserving the source page, license notice, dates, files, communications and the challenged use.
Comply With The Conditions
Test your intended use against the four conditions. Are you sharing unchanged material or creating an adaptation? Translation is normally an adaptation under version 4.0. Synchronising music with a moving image is expressly Adapted Material. Cropping, excerpting, editing or combining may or may not create an adaptation depending on applicable copyright law. There is no universal boundary. If the work uses ND, you cannot share an adaptation. If it uses NC, your use cannot be primarily intended for commercial advantage or monetary compensation. Advertising, sponsorship, fundraising and internal business use all require context. No bright-line rule exists.
Attribute In A Reasonable Manner
For version 4.0, you must retain when supplied: identification of the creator and designated attribution parties; a copyright notice; a notice referring to the license; a warranty disclaimer; and a URI or hyperlink to the material where reasonably practicable. You must also link or refer to the license and indicate modifications, retaining earlier modification notices. The TASL mnemonic for title, author, source and license is useful but not the complete legal text. For 4.0, add an indication of changes and preserve supplied notices. Attribution must not imply endorsement.
Common Questions
Can I trust a CC badge on a video description alone?
No. Open the source page and read the exact license terms written by the uploader. A platform badge may be incorrect, or the uploader may have selected the wrong license. Only the source page is reliable.
What if the source page does not name the license version?
Do not treat the work as CC-licensed. A Creative Commons license only applies under the version stated. If the page says 'licensed under a Creative Commons license' but omits the version, you cannot know which terms apply.
Can I crop an image with a CC BY-ND license?
Cropping may or may not create an adaptation under applicable copyright law. No universal boundary exists. If the crop is considered an adaptation, sharing it under the ND license is not permitted. Use the work as-is or choose a BY or BY-SA work instead.
Does a CC0 work require attribution?
No. CC0 removes copyright and related rights to the extent legally possible. Attribution is not a legal condition. Citation, research integrity and community norms may still make credit proper.