Pixabay API

Welcome to the Pixabay API documentation. Our API is a RESTful interface for searching and retrieving free images and videos released under the Pixabay License.

Free Images If you make use of the API, show your users where the images and videos are from, whenever search results are displayed. A link to Pixabay is required and you may use our logo for this purpose. That's the one thing we kindly request in return for free API usage.

The API returns JSON-encoded objects. Hash keys and values are case-sensitive and character encoding is in UTF-8. Hash keys may be returned in any random order and new keys may be added at any time. We will do our best to notify our users before removing hash keys from results or adding required parameters.

Rate Limit

By default, you can make up to 100 requests per minute. Requests are associated with the API key, and not with your IP address. The response headers tell you everything you need to know about your current rate limit status:

To keep the Pixabay API fast for everyone, requests must be cached for 24 hours. Also, the API is made for real human requests; do not send lots of automated queries. Systematic mass downloads are not allowed. If needed, we can increase this limit at any time - given that you've implemented the API properly.

Hotlinking

Returned image URLs may be used for temporarily displaying search results. However, permanent hotlinking of images (using Pixabay URLs in your app) is not allowed. If you intend to use the images, please download them to your server first. Videos may be embedded directly in your applications. Yet, we recommend storing them on your server.

Error Handling

If an error occurs, a response with propper HTTP error status code is returned. The body of this response contains a description of the issue in plain text. For example, once you go over the rate limit you will receive an HTTP error 429 ("Too Many Requests") with the message "API rate limit exceeded".

Search Images

Parameters

Example

Retrieving photos of "yellow flowers". The search term q needs to be URL encoded: "{ KEY }" has to replaced with your API key.

Response for this request:

{
"total": 4692,
"totalHits": 500,
"hits": [
    {
        "id": 195893,
        "pageURL": "https://pixabay.com/en/blossom-bloom-flower-195893/",
        "type": "photo",
        "tags": "blossom, bloom, flower",
        "previewURL": "https://cdn.pixabay.com/photo/2013/10/15/09/12/flower-195893_150.jpg"
        "previewWidth": 150,
        "previewHeight": 84,
        "webformatURL": "https://pixabay.com/get/35bbf209e13e39d2_640.jpg",
        "webformatWidth": 640,
        "webformatHeight": 360,
        "largeImageURL": "https://pixabay.com/get/ed6a99fd0a76647_1280.jpg",
        "fullHDURL": "https://pixabay.com/get/ed6a9369fd0a76647_1920.jpg",
        "imageURL": "https://pixabay.com/get/ed6a9364a9fd0a76647.jpg",
        "imageWidth": 4000,
        "imageHeight": 2250,
        "imageSize": 4731420,
        "views": 7671,
        "downloads": 6439,
        "likes": 5,
        "comments": 2,
        "user_id": 48777,
        "user": "Josch13",
        "userImageURL": "https://cdn.pixabay.com/user/2013/11/05/02-10-23-764_250x250.jpg",
    },
    {
        "id": 73424,
        ...
    },
    ...
]
}

The following response key/value pairs are only available if your account has been approved for full API access. These URLs give you access to the original images in full resolution and - if available - in vector format:

Search Videos

Parameters

Example

Retrieving videos about "yellow flowers". The search term q needs to be URL encoded. "{ KEY }" has to replaced with your API key.

Response for this request:

{
"total": 42,
"totalHits": 42,
"hits": [
    {
        "id": 125,
        "pageURL": "https://pixabay.com/videos/id-125/",
        "type": "film",
        "tags": "flowers, yellow, blossom",
        "duration": 12,
        "picture_id": "529927645",
        "videos": {
            "large": {
                "url": "https://player.vimeo.com/external/135736646.hd.mp4?s=ed02d71c92dd0df7d1110045e6eb65a6&profile_id=119",
                "width": 1920,
                "height": 1080,
                "size": 6615235
            },
            "medium": {
                "url": "https://player.vimeo.com/external/135736646.hd.mp4?s=ed02d71c92dd0df7d1110045e6eb65a6&profile_id=174",
                "width": 1280,
                "height": 720,
                "size": 3562083
            },
            "small": {
                "url": "https://player.vimeo.com/external/135736646.sd.mp4?s=db2924c48ef91f17fc05da74603d5f89&profile_id=165",
                "width": 950,
                "height": 540,
                "size": 2030736
            },
            "tiny": {
                "url": "https://player.vimeo.com/external/135736646.sd.mp4?s=db2924c48ef91f17fc05da74603d5f89&profile_id=164",
                "width": 640,
                "height": 360,
                "size": 1030736
            }
        },
        "views": 169,
        "downloads": 66,
        "likes": 3,
        "comments": 2,
        "user_id": 1281706,
        "user": "CoverrFreeFootage",
        "userImageURL": "https://cdn.pixabay.com/user/2015/10/16/09-28-45-303_250x250.png"
    },
    {
        "id": 473,
        ...
    },
    ...
]
}

JavaScript Example

var API_KEY = 'YOUR_API_KEY';
var URL = "https://pixabay.com/api/?key="+API_KEY+"&q="+encodeURIComponent('red roses');
$.getJSON(URL, function(data){
if (parseInt(data.totalHits) > 0)
    $.each(data.hits, function(i, hit){ console.log(hit.pageURL); });
else
    console.log('No hits');
});

Support

Request full API access for retrieving high resolution images.