High-quality images are essential for making your content engaging and effective. If you need visuals for your FlexDocs, branding, or other assets and aren't sure where to look, numerous free resources are available. In this article, we've curated some options for finding ready-made stock photos or generating custom images using AI.
Ready-made stock photos
Stock photos are high-resolution, ready-made visuals that offer a fast and easy way to add professional-looking images to your content. The following platforms provide libraries of these images, including many that are free for both personal and commercial use.
When downloading images for use in your Joy content, ensure the license covers commercial use.
Free for commercial use: You can use the image for business purposes, such as in training materials, marketing documents, or FlexDocs in Joy.
Free for personal use: You can use the image for private, non-business purposes (e.g., a personal blog or profile).
Always look for images marked as "Free to use" or "CC0" (Creative Commons Zero) to ensure you have the necessary commercial rights to use them.
When you find a stock photo that you like, download it from the site. Then, upload it to Joy in a FlexDoc, as a file, as part of your branding, or anywhere else you can add images.
Stock image resources
To begin sourcing high-quality visuals, explore the popular platforms listed below. While all these resources are free, some may require you to create a free account to download high-resolution images.
A curated library of stunning, high-resolution artistic photography.
A large, easily searchable collection of both free photos and short videos.
A massive, diverse library that includes not only photos but also illustrations and vector graphics.
Tips for success
When looking for professional-looking stock images, we recommend following these best practices:
To find the most relevant images, search using descriptive keywords that match your industry or topic (e.g., "office collaboration," "abstract technology," "leadership").
If the site offers filters, use them to narrow your search by color, orientation (landscape or portrait), or type (photo, illustration).
Consider maintaining a consistent style in each FlexDoc. Sticking to a single visual style (e.g., using only illustrations or only black-and-white photos) makes your content appear more professional and cohesive.
Always download the highest quality image available to prevent it from looking blurry or pixelated—this is especially important for large images.
Generate custom AI images
When you need a unique image that perfectly matches the subject or style of your content, consider using an AI image generator. These tools let you create custom visuals by simply typing in a description of what you want. For example, you could type, "a simple illustration of two hands shaking over a globe, bright colors," or "a photo of a person working happily at a standing desk next to a window, bright natural light."
Even when using a free AI-powered tool, always check the site’s usage policy to ensure the images you generate are approved for commercial use within your organization.
When you create an image you like, download it from the generator tool. Then, upload it to Joy in a FlexDoc, as a file, as part of your branding, or anywhere else you can add images.
AI image generation tools
To begin generating unique visuals, explore the free tools listed below. While the following tools are free to use, most require you to create a free account to access and use the image generation features.
A free tool that uses a simple text prompt to generate custom images quickly.
Offers high-quality, professional results with an intuitive interface focused on creative and design work.
Integrated directly into the design platform, allowing you to generate and then export custom images while you work on your layout.
Tips for success
When creating AI-generated images, we recommend the following best practices:
Write specific, detailed prompts. The more detailed your text prompt, the better the result. Include details about the subject, the style you want (e.g., photorealistic, digital art, cartoon), and the colors (e.g., "A cheerful blue robot teaching a class in a modern office, illustrated art").
If your first result isn't perfect, try refining your prompt by adding or removing details or adjusting the style, then generate the image again.
Keep in mind that while AI-image generation tools are powerful, they sometimes produce images with subtle flaws (e.g., distorted hands or unnatural textures). Always review a generated image before uploading it to Joy.