Please try the troubleshooting tips below for resolving problems encountered using eBay Basic Picture Uploader.

Picture Size Issues

• If you receive an error message stating that your file is too large, please check the size of your picture. Use your image editing software (such software is usually included as an extra with new digital cameras), and re-size your picture to 4.0 megabyte (4,000 KB) in size or smaller. To check the size of the picture file on a Microsoft Windows system, open the folder that contains the picture and select Details on the View menu. The size of the picture file will display in the size column.

• If you are on a dial-up connection to the internet (using a phone line), it may take several minutes for each 4.0 megabyte picture to upload to eBay. If you want to make uploads faster, you can use your image editing software to re-compress the picture files before uploading, usually with no noticeable effect on quality. We recommend you not re-compress large files to less than 200 KB or to dimensions less than 1000 pixels on the longest side.

Problems Adding Pictures to the Sell Your Item form

• If you use Microsoft Windows and Internet Explorer and are having trouble using the Basic Picture Uploader on the Sell Your Item form, or can't see the Browse buttons to upload your pictures please try the following steps to clear your browser cache:

  1. Close all windows and restart your computer.

  2. Click the Windows Start button, select Settings, and then click the Control Panel button.

  3. Open the Internet Options Control Panel.

  4. Click the General tab.

  5. Click Delete Files, select the Delete all offline content tick box, then click OK.

  6. Click Apply.

  7. Click OK.

  8. Sign in to eBay and resume your listing. In most cases, the eBay Basic Picture Uploader should now work correctly.

• If you are not using Microsoft Windows and Internet Explorer or if the steps above do not correct the problem, then software such as firewalls, ad blockers, and web accelerators may be conflicting with eBay Basic Picture Uploader. Please try the following:

Web Accelerators

Disable any ad blockers and web accelerators. Web accelerators—for example, the AOL TopSpeed accelerator—are programs that speed up browsing of some websites.

Please try to disable your Web accelerator software temporarily (consult software vendor or ISP documentation for specific instructions). If this enables the Basic Uploader to work, then you will need to disable your web accelerator whenever you use it, or, if possible, change its settings not to cache content from *.ebay.co.uk and *.ebay.ie URLs.

Firewall Settings

Firewalls limit how your computer communicates with websites and are an important part of your computer security. However, they can also block content you need to receive or send with eBay and other websites. You need only one firewall enabled on your computer and its settings must allow information to flow to and from eBay. As a first step, if your computer runs the Windows XP operating system and you have installed a third-party software firewall (e.g., Norton Internet Security, ZoneAlarm), then disable the built-in Windows XP firewall if it is also enabled.

After adjusting these third-party software settings, clear your browser cache again as described above. Otherwise, the non-operating filtered pages stored in the cache may be still be used when you re-try adding pictures to your listing.

If you have received an error code SDFB013

• The SDFB013 error indicates a problem with the connection to eBay Picture Services servers. This can be caused by a poor network connection, but most often indicates a software conflict. Pop-up and ad-blockers are two of the programs that can prevent uploaders from loading your pictures. If you use Microsoft Windows with Internet Explorer, please try the instructions below to turn off the built-in pop-up blocker.

  1. Open Internet Explorer.

  2. Click Tools on the Internet Explorer menu then select Internet Options...

  3. Click the Privacy tab.

  4. In the Pop-Up Blocker section, clear the Block pop-ups tick box. If there is no tick in the tick box, click Cancel.

  5. Click Apply.

For more information, go to Microsoft’s Web page Block Pop-up Windows with Internet Explorer

If you have received an error code SDFB003

• The error code SDFB003 indicates data corruption when connecting to the eBay Picture servers. The most common cause for this is a setting in a firewall. Normally this setting will appear something like "remove unknown headers" and can be disabled to allow you to upload your images. If you are unable to find or adjust such a setting in firewall software you run on your own computer, then your Internet connection is likely filtered by a firewall operated by your Internet Service Provider. You can report the issue to your ISP, requesting that they tell you how to adjust the firewall setting to allow pictures to be uploaded to eBay.

Self Hosting

• If you are unable to resolve issues with uploading pictures, you can self host your pictures. Click the Add Pictures button in the Pictures section of the Sell Your Item form, and then click the Self Hosting tab. Enter the web address (URL) of the picture in the Picture URL field.

• Note: Self Hosting requires you have storage space on a publicly accessible web server where you have previously uploaded your pictures. Many ISPs include such space in their service package, but may restrict how it is used. Refer to your ISPs services description.