Free, no sign-up · New rules from 22 Oct 2026
Etsy AI rulescheck
Etsy changed its rules on AI and listing photos. Paste a listing link and see, point by point, where it stands and what to fix before a buyer reports it.
- The unedited photo, previews for downloads and AI disclosure
- Handmade claims, AI patterns and prompt bundles
- Read the AI labels inside your photo files before you upload
Free, 3 listings a day. Reads the public listing through Etsy's API and looks at the first 3 photos. Takes about 20 seconds.
The rulesit checks
- 01
One unedited photo of the real item
Most physical items now need at least one photo of the actual item on a real background, with no editing or AI at all. Print on demand items may use an authorized stock mockup.
- 02
A preview of what the buyer downloads
Digital downloads with visual content must show a preview or excerpt of the real files. Lifestyle mockups alone may not be enough.
- 03
Say when AI was used
Items made with AI must say so in the description. Etsy also suggests noting AI-edited photos.
- 04
Not presented as handmade
AI-made work cannot be sold as handmade or as entirely your own creation.
- 05
No AI patterns, recipes or instructions
Guides buyers rely on must be your own work, with at least one real photo of a finished result.
- 06
No AI prompt bundles
Selling prompts on their own is not allowed. They can only come with the finished artwork.
From Etsy's seller handbook article "Important updates to AI use on Etsy" and its Listing Image Requirements policy, both updated on 22 October 2026. Read the policy on Etsy.
Why the photosmatter most
Etsy did not ban AI. It made the photos answerable: they must show what the buyer receives. A buyer who gets something that looks different from the photos can open a case and win the refund, and Etsy can remove the listing.
That puts the risk on the gallery. A generated scene that changes the product, a mockup with no real preview of the file, or a physical item with no plain photo are the gaps this check looks for.
Members get Listing Designer, which builds listing images from the real files and adds an exact preview with no AI changes, and Listing Writer, which puts the AI line in every description.
Questions aboutthe AI rules
Can this tool tell if a photo was made with AI?
Not from the picture alone, and no tool can do that reliably. The listing check describes what each photo looks like (a real photo, a mockup, a rendered scene or a flat preview), because that is what Etsy's rules ask about. The photo file check reads the AI labels many tools write into the file, which is a fact, not a guess.
Why does the file check need my own photos?
The photos buyers see on Etsy have their file labels removed, so a live listing cannot show them. The file you upload still has them, and Etsy says its listing form will start giving guidance when it detects AI images.
Does a clean result mean Etsy will not remove my listing?
No. This checks your listing against the rules Etsy published on 22 October 2026. It is not Etsy's own review, and Etsy has not published how it detects or scores listings. It is not legal advice.
Are AI-made products banned on Etsy now?
No. AI-made art is still allowed when you play a clear creative role and say that AI was used. What changed is the photos: they must show what the buyer receives, and most physical items need one unedited photo. AI-generated patterns, recipes and instructions are no longer allowed.
What happens to listings that do not meet the new photo rules?
Etsy says sellers must update them. If a buyer opens a case because the item is different from the photos, the seller can be responsible for the refund, and misleading listings can be removed.
Is it really free?
Yes. You can check 3 listings a day without an account, and the photo file check has no limit because it runs in your browser.