Airbnb listing photos: what to fix before you reshoot

What Airbnb asks for

From Airbnb's Resource Center (How to take great photos for your listing, updated 8 November 2024, and How to add the best photos of your space, 13 October 2025):

• Light. Soft, natural light. Turn off the flash and open blinds and curtains.
• Orientation. Horizontal photos, because “images are cropped into squares in search results, and your listing page displays photos in landscape mode.”
• Size. “Use photos that are at least 1200 pixels by 800 pixels”, up to about 10 megabytes.
• Count. “You need at least 5 photos to get started.”
• Editing. Airbnb itself says: “Adjust each photo’s brightness, contrast, and highlights”.
• Captions. Use them to explain what a photo doesn't show, such as which floor a bedroom is on.

Accuracy: what Airbnb checks

Airbnb's ground rules say the photos and description “should accurately represent the space provided”, and that it “will ask hosts to remove content if AI or other digital technology has been used to edit flaws, hide damage, add amenities or attributes that are not part of a listing, or otherwise misrepresent the listing” (Ground rules for home hosts).

Airbnb also describes a photo accuracy check: hosts visit the listing in person and take new photos in the Airbnb app from the same perspective as the listed ones. It says: “As of today, we don’t ask Hosts to verify every photo listed on Airbnb” (Confirming photo accuracy for listings).

What editing can fix

• Rooms that look dark or grey.
• Windows that are pure white, and corners in shadow.
• Colour casts from warm bulbs or cloudy days.
• Photos that look flat or soft.

All of these are about how the photo was taken. Fixing them changes the photo, not the place.

Before After

Examples we made ourselves to show the kind of work. They are not client properties or client ads.

What needs a reshoot

• A room or amenity guests can use but that has no photo.
• Furniture, decor or bedding that has changed since the photos were taken.
• Photos smaller than 1200 by 800 pixels, or out of focus.
• Vertical photos of rooms that crop badly into squares.

Airbnb says “Professional photography is available through Airbnb in select cities worldwide” (Airbnb Resource Center).

Before After

Where Framelift fits

We improve every listing photo of one property while keeping every room exactly as guests will find it: light and exposure, white balance, windows, colour, sky and detail, for USD 99. Nothing is added, removed, moved or restyled, so the photos still show the space guests will find. A 25 to 40 second walk-through video made from the same photos is included. We deliver within 48 hours by a private download link, and you upload the photos to your listing.

More on vacation rental photo editing.