Known Participant

Answered

Similar images already submitted!!!

Forum|Forum|10 months ago
March 30, 2025
71 replies
50903 views

Hello there,

I went from a 95% acceptance rate to 20% or less. Almost all of my submissions are being rejected for the "similar image" reason.

The quality of the images is really good and doesn’t have any issues.

I am uploading at most 2 or 3 variations of each object ,PNGs only and a variety of different items across many categories. I also make sure not to upload similar content that I’ve previously submitted. I am 100% certain that my entire account doesn’t have more than three variations of any given item.

Sometimes, I upload the same object in different styles.

for example, a car in a 3D style and another version in watercolor or clay, so they are still distinct. (2 to 3 variations for each style)

Is this a general issue that will be resolved soon, or is it only affecting me?

Contributors

Correct answer daniellei4510

Hello everyone. Adobe Stoke made a reject of my photo under the pretext that I posted a similar picture. But this is not true. Can anyone explain what is happening?

hanks for giving us the chance to consider your image. Unfortunately, during our review we found that it's similar to another image(s) you've already uploaded, so we can't accept it into our collection.

Images must be different enough to provide additional value to our customers. We can't accept more than three color variations of the same image or similar images, and models must appear in different situations or with different expressions to be considered. Please be selective and submit only the very best from each image series.

..

File ID: 1370485346

Original name: IMG_3779 3.jpg

(moderator merging this with similar thread)

A number of contributors are having assets rejected for being too similar when in fact they are not. We don't know why. Our only option is to wait things out until the situatioin is explained or fixed. Some have ceased to submit new assets in the meantime.

Show previous replies

A

ArunimaSri

Participant

Starting last month, a lot of my AI images are being rejection due to the reason - Similar images already submitted. Even though they are no way near previous published ones. Are there any other factors that could affect this?

[Moderator merged the thread.]

M

muhammad_7751

Inspiring

Alot of contributers facing same issue.. it's not a bug .

V

Visualize Vivid

Participant

Hi everyone, "Similar images" rejection case also happened with me. IDK what happened to the Adobe Stock

J

jie_8284

Known Participant

Maybe they have similar invisible watermarking noise in them: could you try with some random other "adversarial noise" added to them and see what happens?

lornet42765951

Inspiring

(Apologies for font size issues, if tehy've remained when posting!)

I've had a bit of a conversation with Adobe, after giving their rep a one-star rating, after they sent me the original reply I posted.

After a "discussion" they finally came back with...

"Yes, I understand the entire thread is about why both their and your files were rejected for similar reasons.

In response to customer feedback requesting a better search experience, we are improving our efforts to make content more relevant and better aligned with the needs of our global base of customers.

There is no glitch in the system.

We reject files that are too similar to what we already have for sale on our website. However, if you believe you uploaded a file that is very unique and unlike anything currently on Adobe Stock, please send me the file number so we can review the rejection reason."

I still don't believe this is the case. Everything I'm uploading is now gettting rejected. it makes zero sense, as I know what I'm doing, but there's nothing more I can do with this rep.

I have sent another general email, starting again, in the hope we get someone that will investigate properly.

lornet42765951

Inspiring

I've received a reply.

Your file may be considered overly repetitive or highly similar to other content already available for sale on the Adobe Stock website. To avoid refusal, we suggest reviewing the below resources on our Learn & Support site

Research Existing Content: Look at similar content already available on Adobe Stock. Identify common themes, styles, and subjects to ensure your submission offers a different perspective or approach. What is in demand.

Add Unique Elements: Incorporate unique elements, techniques, or perspectives that set your content apart from others. This could include unique angles, lighting, compositions, or creative concepts.

Quality and Creativity: Focus on high-quality production and creative originality. Ensure your content is well-executed and visually appealing. https://helpx.adobe.com/stock/contributor/help/contribution-tips.html

8 Tips for Better Images.

By following these steps, you can increase the chances that your content will be considered accepted on Adobe Stock.

Obviously , I wasn't impressed, sending this...

Thanks for your reply — although I have to say I’m very disappointed by the lack of engagement with the actual concern I raised.

I specifically asked not to receive a generic response, yet that’s exactly what was sent. The issue here is not with the usual guidelines or quality standards — I’ve been a successful contributor in the past with a high acceptance rate, and I continue to follow Adobe’s submission rules carefully.

The problem appears to be systemic. As I mentioned, and as evidenced in numerous threads on your own contributor forums (including the one I linked to in my original message: (link removed) many contributors are reporting mass rejections for files that are clearly not repetitive or similar to previously submitted content. This strongly suggests a flaw in your current review process.

What I’m asking for is not a restatement of policy, but for this issue to be investigated properly. If your review system is currently driven by automation or AI, then there may well be a bug or misconfiguration at play. At the very least, a real human needs to review this pattern and provide insight — not just to me, but to the wider contributor community.

Please escalate this matter to someone with the authority and ability to look into potential issues with your current review process. I would appreciate a response that addresses the specifics of this concern.

J

jie_8284

Known Participant

In short, the approval system is run by AI nowadays, AI can either accept your submission in 10 minutes, or reject it in 10 days.

N

natalia_g

Known Participant

Hello. I have had an illustration rejected due to similars. I understand what that means. But if you take my rejected artwork as an example: 1 Set of vetirinar cats and 2 Bear miner with a lamp, I didn't find a huge amount of such works in the stock search. Yes, the cats at the vet have lots of illustrations, but the cat itself in the vetirinar profession is almost nonexistent. Here are screenshots from the search. Please explain more, I would not like to violate your rules and create similars, but I can not figure out how to avoid it.

[Moderator merged this with a similar topic]

RALPH_L

Community Expert

We have heard altot of this lately and cannot give you an answer. We suggest you use the >C>ontact Us link on your dashboard to request assistance.

N

natalia_g

Known Participant

Thanks for the tip

I

Ivan28999453u1a1

Inspiring

It's definitely spring cleaning aka automated tool with parameters "to delete all unnecessary assets from AS side of view"

Nope, it doesn't look like they delete or reject only similar images , most likely they delete everything that the algorithm thinks is unnecessary in the database.

Example stats on AS serach

11/04

781,259,244 results in all

AI asset :

356,620,100 results in all

14/04

730,259,244 results in all

AI asset :

316,620,100 results in all

Also, as an example :

https://stock.adobe.com/search?k=Looking+up+at+blue+sky+and+palm+trees%2C+view+from+below%2C+vintage+style%2C+tropical+beach+and+summer+background%2C+travel+concept+&search_type=usertyped

This is showing that "similar" still exist in the database, the same title and the same photo theme style , IMO.

In conclusion, more deleting than approving, so we should wait with submitting for a while ... 😅

H

hotspurs99

Known Participant

You may be right about waiting for a while before submitting because the recent problem coincided with the Layered Image Missions for AI training. That's my suspicion. I was invited by AS to submit and have been doing so for a while in recent weeks, with submission limits up to 2,000 sets per invitee (up to 5 images per set in some instances). This large volume of images for AI training would require lots of resources from within Adobe, and so I suspect inpectors previously doing inspection work on contributors' submissions may have been asked to do inspections on those submitted for Missions as a priority. I'm just guessing. The reviews for images submitted for the Missions take about the same turnaround time as previous contributor image submissions.

Abambo

Community Expert

That's my suspicion. I was invited by AS to submit and have been doing so for a while in recent weeks, with submission limits up to 2,000 sets per invitee (up to 5 images per set in some instances). This large volume of images for AI training would require lots of resources from within Adobe, and so I suspect inpectors previously doing inspection work on contributors' submissions may have been asked to do inspections on those submitted for Missions as a priority. I'm just guessing.

By @hotspurs99

If I could guess, I would guess that the missions are checked by a different group of moderators.

ABAMBO | Hard- and Software Engineer | Photographer

H

hopko

Known Participant

I do quite a lot of macro insect photography. Can I make a living off it? No! But do my images sell? Yes!

A specific problem that I am experiencing with the "similar image already submitted" issue is that I am getting rejections of photographs that look alike but are actually completely different. Let's say I have had 2 images of grasshoppers. Both grasshoppers are green. But they are each a different genus/species! Even though this is described in the title and keywords, one or both get rejected. Do I have a lot of grasshopper photos in my portfolio? Yes. Are they different, yes!

The same has happened with my robber fly collection. If both robber flies happen to be black, or I already have a black robber fly in my portfolio, the image gets rejected. Never mind that it is a completely different species! So, anyone looking for a specific genus or species of a particular insect may not find it in my portfolio because they have all been rejected as being "similar" to other insects I have already photographed.

This is why we need human eyes on our work, not a bot that cannot understand how images may look alike but can be completely different things. Maddening!

daniellei4510

Community Expert

Images that are NOT similar to other images are still being rejected as similar. It's happening to a lot of contributors regardless of subject. I do believe there is a poorly programed bot that is doing this, but we are all at a loss as to why. It is suspicous, though, that the too similar rejections began at or around the same time that contributors began seeing older images that were previously accepted being rejected (often for being exact duplicates, not similar). Hopefully, this is temporary.

Adobe Community Expert | If you can't fix it, hide it; if you can't hide it, delete it.

Kristina987

Participant

Same issues here. Initially, I supported this policy, as it made sense not to flood the Adobe database with overly similar images. But now the system has become too strict, making it risky to even submit new assets, let alone variations.

It’s incredibly discouraging to have so many rejections after investing hours of work. I genuinely believe many of the rejected files had original value and could have appealed to customers.

I can’t help but wonder how all of this will impact sales and how many contributors might end up walking away because of it. I really hope Adobe reconsiders this practice, it can't be good from the business perspective.

lornet42765951

Inspiring

It has to be a glitch, not a proper review.

I've sent a complaint to the team, linking to this thread. I doubt I'll get anywhere, but you never know!

E

Esta228104281sle

Participant

Bonjour à tous,

Pensez vous au ces rejets similaires puissent être liés à la nouvelle fonctionnalité du site qui permet de modifier son fichier acheté ?

E

Esta228104281sle

Participant

Bonjour à tous,

Même problème que ceux que vous évoquez. Un taux de rejet affolant pour photo ou l'IA pour cause de similarité (et parfois vraiment il n'y en a parfois pas du tout).

J'espère que ce sera corrigé parce que je n'ose plus rien proposer...

Show more replies

Sign up

To post, reply, or follow discussions, please sign in with your Adobe ID.

Sign in to Adobe Community

To post, reply, or follow discussions, please sign in with your Adobe ID.

Scanning file for viruses.

This file cannot be downloaded