MLS photo size requirements
Every MLS sets its own photo limits, so check yours. The short answer that works for the MLSs we checked: a landscape JPEG, at least 2048 × 1536 pixels, under your MLS’s file size limit.
Updated on
What real MLSs ask
connectMLS (SmartMLS, Connecticut)
- Size
- JPEG, 1920 × 1080 pixels or larger
- File size
- Up to 40 MB per photo
- Photos per listing
- Up to 40
Unlock MLS (Texas)
- Size
- At least 2048 × 1536 pixels
- Photos per listing
- Up to 40
MLS Now (Ohio)
- Photos per listing
- Up to 50
Zillow (through the MLS feed)
- Too small to show
- Photos under 330 × 220 pixels are not displayed
The best shape: landscape
Listing sites show photos in a wide frame. Phones shoot in 4:3 and most cameras in 3:2; both fit well. Portrait (vertical) photos show up small, with empty space on both sides.
How to export for the MLS
- Save as JPEG. It is the format every MLS accepts.
- Keep the long side at 2048 pixels or more; bigger is fine if your MLS allows the file size.
- Export once from the original. Saving a JPEG again and again makes it softer each time.
- Do not send photos through text messages first: many messaging apps make them smaller.
Photos still look soft online? Read why listing photos look blurry on Zillow.
Questions and answers
What size should MLS photos be?
Check your MLS first. A safe choice for the MLSs we checked is a landscape JPEG at least 2048 pixels wide and 1536 tall, under the file size limit your MLS sets.
Can I upload portrait (vertical) photos to the MLS?
Most MLSs and portals show photos in a landscape frame, so a portrait photo appears small with empty space beside it. Shoot rooms in landscape.
Why do my photos look worse on the MLS than on my phone?
MLSs and portals make smaller copies of every photo for fast pages. Start from a large, sharp original so the copies stay sharp too.
Sources
Edit your listing photo, keep the original.
Start with one photo. Your original always stays as you took it.