Hello everyone,I am facing repeated rejections on Adobe Stock with the reason “Similar Content.” I am trying to understand what exactly is causing this and how I can avoid it in the future.🔹 My situation:I create multiple variations of the same design (for example, different colors, slight layout changes, or small edits).When I upload them, some files get accepted, but many others are rejected as “Similar Content.”Sometimes even designs that I feel are different enough (in color, style, or composition) are still rejected.🔹 My questions:How much variation does Adobe expect between files to avoid the “similar content” rejection?Is it okay to upload different color versions of the same design, or should I only submit the most unique one?What are the best practices to make sure each file is considered unique enough for approval?Are there official guidelines or examples from Adobe that explain what qualifies as “too similar”?🔹 Why this matters to me:I don’t want to waste time preparing files that will be rejected. I also want to maintain a professional portfolio that follows Adobe Stock’s quality standards.If anyone (especially experienced contributors or Adobe staff) can share tips, examples, or official references, it would really help me — and probably other contributors facing the same issue.Thanks in advance for your guidance 🙏Best regards,MD.BELLAL A Contributor

Participant

Question

Why are my files getting rejected for “Similar Content”?

Forum|Forum|6 months ago
October 2, 2025
8 replies
351 views

Hello everyone,

I am facing repeated rejections on Adobe Stock with the reason “Similar Content.” I am trying to understand what exactly is causing this and how I can avoid it in the future.

🔹 My situation:

I create multiple variations of the same design (for example, different colors, slight layout changes, or small edits).
When I upload them, some files get accepted, but many others are rejected as “Similar Content.”
Sometimes even designs that I feel are different enough (in color, style, or composition) are still rejected.

🔹 My questions:

How much variation does Adobe expect between files to avoid the “similar content” rejection?
Is it okay to upload different color versions of the same design, or should I only submit the most unique one?
What are the best practices to make sure each file is considered unique enough for approval?
Are there official guidelines or examples from Adobe that explain what qualifies as “too similar”?

🔹 Why this matters to me:
I don’t want to waste time preparing files that will be rejected. I also want to maintain a professional portfolio that follows Adobe Stock’s quality standards.

If anyone (especially experienced contributors or Adobe staff) can share tips, examples, or official references, it would really help me — and probably other contributors facing the same issue.

Thanks in advance for your guidance 🙏

Best regards,
MD.BELLAL A Contributor

Abambo

Community Expert

Read the documents as linked by others. Even by restricting your submissions the the 3 variations, and the complex colour changes, as suggested in the contributor manual, you may still experience the similar refusal. For a while, Adobe is using a tool now, to detect similar assets that are currently part of the database, and nobody really understands how this tool is calibrated, and what to avoid to pass the moderation. My best guess is that Adobe will not publish their parameters here, to avoid people to scam their checking. And by doing that, they also accept that a number of legit assets get refused. That is today part of our contributor life.

You always can submit all assets to different stock providers. Adobe does not ask for exclusivity. And anyhow, when Adobe refuses, and others accept your creation, you can sell on their platform. No issue.

ABAMBO | Hard- and Software Engineer | Photographer

Nancy OShea

Community Expert

Possibly Related:

============

Vector Graphic Variations

https://helpx.adobe.com/stock/contributor/help/vector-requirements.html

Single Icons and Icon Sheets

https://helpx.adobe.com/stock/contributor/help/vector-requirements/icons.html

Nancy O'Shea— Product User & Community Expert

M

MD BELLALAuthor

Participant

Thank you very much

jacquelingphoto2017

Community Expert

Hi @MD BELLAL ,

Although I do not see your assets, judging from your description, I believe you are genuinely submitting similar assets. Here's a thread that shows some examples of similar assets. Please note that different colors do not qualify your assets as being similar with something different to offer.

Best wishes

Jacquelin

Nancy OShea

Community Expert

Show us one or two samples of work that Stock refused for "Similar Content."

Nancy O'Shea— Product User & Community Expert

Nancy OShea

Community Expert

Are there official guidelines for “too similar”?
By @MD BELLAL

============

This is what Stock says about 'Similar Content.'

https://helpx.adobe.com/stock/contributor/help/how-to-submit-distinct-content.html

Be selective about curating content for submission.
Diversify your Metadata (keywords, titles, descriptions).

Think like the customer who is searching for unique content.

Nancy O'Shea— Product User & Community Expert

Jill_C

Community Expert

"Similar content" can refer to similarities within your portfolio, or similarities across the entire database. You said that you are making inky small changes between images that you submit, which could result in rejections if they're too similar. Small tweaks aren't enough to distinguish them.

Read some of the many other posts in this forum relating to the similarity issue and you'll learn that no one knows how to avoid such rejections.

Jill C., Forum Volunteer

daniellei4510

Community Expert

Welcome to the club. Needless to say, no one wants to waste their time submitting assets that are going to be rejected regularly. That's why many contributors here have slowed down submitting, or who have diversified and submit rejected assets elsewhere.

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

RALPH_L

Community Expert

We have no idea what the new criteria is that Adobe is using to reject assets for being similar. We cannot help or answer your questions. We only have the information offered in the contributor guideline help pages..

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