How to Upload Metadata via CSV to Adobe Stock

Last updated: May 2026 · 6 min read

Adobe Stock supports CSV upload for metadata — titles, keywords, and descriptions for your entire batch in one file. This is the fastest way to add metadata to a large batch. Here's exactly how to do it.

Why use CSV upload instead of manual entry?

Entering metadata individually in Adobe Stock's contributor portal is the slowest possible workflow. With CSV upload via Adobe Bridge, you can apply metadata to hundreds of images at once — as long as your filenames match.

Manual entry

~10–20 min per image. 100 images = 1–3 days.

CSV upload

Seconds to import. 100 images = under 5 minutes total.

Adobe Stock CSV format requirements

Adobe Stock's CSV import requires specific column headers in a specific order. The required columns are:

Filename, Title, Keywords, Category, Editorial

Filename:Must exactly match the filename you'll upload (including extension: photo.jpg)
Title:Descriptive title, under 200 characters, no keyword stuffing
Keywords:Comma-separated list, up to 50 keywords
Category:Adobe Stock category number (optional but recommended)
Editorial:TRUE or FALSE — TRUE only for editorial submissions

Important

Filenames in your CSV must exactly match your uploaded image filenames — including capitalization and file extension. A mismatch means the metadata won't be applied.

Step-by-step: importing CSV via Adobe Bridge

1
Prepare your CSV
Generate your metadata and export as CSV. Make sure filenames match your image files exactly.
2
Open Adobe Bridge
Open Adobe Bridge and navigate to the folder containing your images.
3
Go to Tools > Adobe Stock
In the top menu: Tools → Adobe Stock → Import from CSV.
4
Select your CSV file
Browse to your CSV file and select it. Adobe Bridge will preview the import.
5
Review and confirm
Check that filenames match and metadata looks correct. Confirm to apply.
6
Upload to Adobe Stock
With metadata applied, upload your images to Adobe Stock via Bridge or the contributor portal.

Common CSV import errors and fixes

Error: Metadata not applied to images

Fix: Filename mismatch. Check that your CSV filenames exactly match your image files (case-sensitive, including extension).

Error: CSV import fails entirely

Fix: Column header format is wrong. The first row must be exactly: Filename, Title, Keywords, Category, Editorial

Error: Keywords appear as one long string

Fix: Keywords must be comma-separated in a single cell. Don't use separate columns for individual keywords.

Error: Special characters causing issues

Fix: Save the CSV as UTF-8 encoding. In Excel: File → Save As → CSV UTF-8 (Comma delimited).

How to generate your CSV automatically