How to Create an Image URL: 5 Easy Methods for Hosting & Sharing Images

Need to share an image via a link, embed it in an email, or use it on a website? You'll need an image URL—a web address that points directly to your image file. This guide shows you five different methods to create image URLs, from free options to professional solutions.

Quick Comparison: Image URL Methods

Method 1: Using an Image CDN (Recommended for Websites)

An image CDN (Content Delivery Network) is the professional choice for websites and applications. It hosts your images on servers worldwide, ensuring fast loading for all visitors while automatically optimizing file sizes.

Step-by-Step: Create an Image URL with VisionFly

https://img.visionfly.ai/abc123.jpg

https://img.visionfly.ai/abc123.jpg?w=800&f=webp

Why use a CDN?

• Images load 2-10x faster globally
• Automatic optimization reduces file sizes
• Professional, permanent URLs
• Analytics and usage tracking

Method 2: Free Image Hosting Services

If you just need a quick link to share an image (for forums, social media, or one-time use), free image hosts work well.

Popular Free Image Hosts

Imgur (imgur.com)

1. Go to imgur.com
2. Click "New post" → "Upload images"
3. Select your image
4. Right-click the uploaded image → "Copy image address"

Your URL will look like: https://i.imgur.com/abc123.jpg

Postimages (postimages.org)

1. Visit postimages.org
2. Click "Choose images" and select your file
3. Choose "Direct link" from the options
4. Copy the URL provided

ImgBB (imgbb.com)

1. Go to imgbb.com
2. Click "Start uploading"
3. Upload your image
4. Copy the "Direct links" URL

Method 3: Cloud Storage Services

Major cloud storage providers let you create shareable links to images stored in your account.

Google Drive

1. Upload your image to Google Drive
2. Right-click the image → "Share" → "Get link"
3. Set permissions to "Anyone with the link"
4. Copy the link

Converting to a direct image URL: The default Google Drive link isn't a direct image URL. To get one:

1. Copy the file ID from the share link (the long string of characters)
2. Use this format: https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=YOUR_FILE_ID

Dropbox

1. Upload your image to Dropbox
2. Click "Share" → "Copy link"
3. Change ?dl=0 at the end to ?raw=1

Example: https://www.dropbox.com/s/abc123/photo.jpg?raw=1

Amazon S3

For developers needing scalable storage:

1. Upload image to your S3 bucket
2. Set the object permissions to public (or use presigned URLs)
3. Your URL format: https://your-bucket.s3.amazonaws.com/photo.jpg

Method 4: GitHub (For Developers)

GitHub is excellent for hosting images in documentation, README files, and open-source projects.

Option A: Upload to a Repository

1. Create or open a repository
2. Upload your image to the repository (drag and drop into the web interface)
3. Click on the uploaded image
4. Click "Raw" to get the direct URL
5. Copy the URL from your browser's address bar

Format: https://raw.githubusercontent.com/username/repo/branch/path/image.jpg

Option B: Use GitHub Issues (Quick Method)

1. Open any GitHub issue (even in someone else's repo)
2. Drag and drop your image into the comment box
3. GitHub automatically uploads and creates a URL
4. Copy the generated markdown/URL (even if you don't submit the issue)

Format: https://user-images.githubusercontent.com/...

Method 5: Self-Hosting on Your Own Server

If you have your own web server or hosting, you can upload images directly and link to them.

Basic Steps

1. Connect to your server via FTP or file manager
2. Upload the image to a public directory (e.g., /public_html/images/)
3. Your URL is: https://yourdomain.com/images/photo.jpg

Using WordPress

If you have a WordPress site:

1. Go to Media → Add New
2. Upload your image
3. Click on the uploaded image
4. Copy the "File URL" from the attachment details

How to Use Your Image URL

Once you have your image URL, here's how to use it:

In HTML

<img src="https://img.visionfly.ai/abc123.jpg" alt="Description" />

In Markdown

![Description](https://img.visionfly.ai/abc123.jpg)

In CSS

.hero {
  background-image: url("https://img.visionfly.ai/abc123.jpg");
}

In Email

Most email clients support direct image URLs. Simply paste the URL or use the "Insert image from URL" option in your email composer.

Choosing the Right Method

Pro Tips for Image URLs

1. Use descriptive filenames Instead of IMG_3847.jpg, use blue-mountain-sunset.jpg. This helps with SEO and organization.

2. Optimize before uploading Large images slow down page loads. Compress images before uploading, or use a CDN that auto-optimizes.

3. Use HTTPS Always use https:// URLs. Many browsers block or warn about http:// images.

4. Consider hotlink protection If you're hosting images for your own site, enable hotlink protection to prevent others from using your bandwidth.

5. Have a backup plan Free image hosts can disappear. For anything important, use a paid service or keep local backups.

Get Started with Professional Image URLs

For websites and applications, a dedicated image CDN gives you the best combination of speed, reliability, and features. VisionFly offers a free tier with 1GB of bandwidth—enough to test everything without commitment.