Wikipedia is a free content encyclopedia. Therefore non-free images are generally not allowed. In some cases an exception can be made when a non-free image significantly increases readers' understanding of the topic of the article it is used in. More information about the use of non-free content is available on Wikipedia:Non-free content.

The following four steps are designed to help Wikipedians in using non-free images.

Step 1. Check significance

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Each use of a non-free image in an article must be significant.

Only include a non-free image in an article when all these points can be confirmed:

  1. the subject of the image is explicitly discussed in the text of the article
  2. the image conveys information that is significant for the readers' understanding of the topic of the article
  3. the information in the image cannot be conveyed by means of words alone
  4. the information in the image cannot be conveyed by means of an alternative and non-free image
  5. the image caption points out the significant information in the image

Step 2. Specify non-free use rationale

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See for detailed information WP:NFURG.

Include one non-free use rationale for each article that uses the non-free image.

Use {{Non-free use rationale}} to include all necessary components:

{{Non-free use rationale
| Description       = 
| Source            = 
| Article           = 
| Portion           = 
| Low_resolution    = 
| Purpose           = 
| Replaceability    = 
| other_information = 
}}

Step 3. Specify location

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Specify the location of the image in the purpose of use description:

in the infobox of the article [[X]]
in the lead of the article [[X]]
in the section [[X#Y|Y]] of the article [[X]]

Step 4. Specify significance

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See for detailed information WP:NFCC, policy criterion #8 "Significance".

Good purpose of use descriptions specify the significance in the non-free use rationale:

 Y "To identify the logo of CNN in the infobox of the article CNN." [1]
 Y "To illustrate the visual style of the film Baseball Bugs in the section Plot synopsis of the article Baseball Bugs." [2]
 Y "To visually identify Mickey Mouse in the infobox of the article Mickey Mouse." [3]

Bad purpose of use descriptions don't specify the image location and/or the significance:

 N "The screenshot is used to illustrate something described in the article."
 N "Its use here is entirely encyclopedic."
 N "This is a visual representation of the topic."