> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://seedanceapi.us/docs/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Media upload

> Upload images and videos for use as generation inputs.

Many models accept media inputs (`image_url`, `video_url`, `reference_images`). Upload a file to get a URL, then pass that URL in your generation request.

We host uploads for you and return a URL you can use immediately. You can also pass any publicly reachable HTTPS URL without uploading.

## Upload a file

```bash theme={null}
curl -X POST https://api.seedanceapi.us/v1/media/upload \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer ak_YOUR_API_KEY" \
  -F "file=@./reference.png"
```

### Response

```json theme={null}
{
  "url": "https://...",
  "type": "image",
  "filename": "reference.png",
  "size": 102400
}
```

Use `url` as `image_url` or `video_url` on video/image endpoints.

## Use the URL in a generation

```bash theme={null}
curl -X POST https://api.seedanceapi.us/v1/videos \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer ak_YOUR_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "model": "seedance-2.5/image-to-video",
    "prompt": "Camera slowly pushes in",
    "image_url": "https://...your-uploaded-url...",
    "duration": 5
  }'
```

## Supported formats

| Type   | Formats                                       |
| ------ | --------------------------------------------- |
| Images | JPG, JPEG, PNG, WebP, GIF, BMP, TIFF          |
| Videos | MP4, MOV, WebM, MKV, AVI, and common variants |
| Audio  | MP3, WAV, OGG, AAC, FLAC, M4A                 |

## Limits

| Limit           | Value                                            |
| --------------- | ------------------------------------------------ |
| Max upload size | 25 MB (20 uploads / 100 MB per hour per account) |
| Larger files    | Pass a public HTTPS URL instead of uploading     |

## Tips

* Upload first, then start generation with the returned `url`
* Prefer public URLs for files over \~25 MB
* Uploaded media is temporary storage for inputs — do not treat it as long-term hosting

## Errors

Upload and generation errors return clear messages. Common cases:

| Status | Meaning                                |
| ------ | -------------------------------------- |
| `400`  | Missing or invalid `file` field        |
| `401`  | Invalid API key                        |
| `413`  | File too large                         |
| `502`  | Upload temporarily unavailable — retry |