The Complete Guide to Short-Term Rental Photos (Airbnb, Vrbo, Booking.com)

Why photos decide bookings

Guests scan a grid of thumbnails before they read a title or a price. The cover photo earns the click; the next handful of photos answer the practical questions: is it clean, where does everyone sleep, is the kitchen usable, what is outside.

That makes photos the part of a listing you control most directly. You cannot move the property, but you can show it clearly and honestly.

What the platforms ask for

Airbnb's help pages ask for photos of at least 1024 x 683 pixels, recommend landscape photos, and ask for at least one photo of every room so it can appear in the photo tour. Its ground rules for hosts also say photos must accurately represent the space, and that AI or other editing must not be used to hide flaws or add amenities.

Vrbo and Booking.com publish their own guidance for hosts, and the details differ, so check each platform's help pages before you upload. The principles are the same everywhere: large, sharp, landscape photos that show the property as it is.

Prepare the property

Preparation does more for a photo than any edit. Clear surfaces, make beds with fresh linen, hang matching towels, hide bins and cables, and open every blind. Photograph the property in the state a guest will find it on arrival.

Shoot on your phone

A recent phone is enough for most rentals. Shoot in daylight, turn the phone sideways, stand in a corner or doorway at chest height and keep the phone upright with the grid on. Use the ultra-wide lens only where a room will not fit otherwise.

Bathrooms and small kitchens need the most care: mirrors, tiles and mixed lighting make them the hardest rooms to get right.

Build the gallery

Lead with the image that best represents the stay, usually the brightest living space, the view or the pool. Then order the rest the way a guest moves through the property: living area, kitchen, bedrooms, bathrooms, outdoor space, then details and amenities.

Show every room once before adding second angles. A missing bedroom or bathroom makes guests wonder what is being hidden.

Finish the photos honestly

A finishing pass makes a phone gallery look like one consistent set: straight walls, neutral colour, balanced windows and even brightness. That is correction, and every platform expects it.

Changing the property is different. Adding furniture, swapping the view or hiding wear sets guests up for disappointment and can break platform rules. ProLister is built for the correction side only: it fixes light, colour and lines in seconds, and nothing in the room is added, removed or changed.

Keep the photos current

Update photos when the property changes: new furniture, a renovated bathroom, a different season for outdoor space. Old photos that no longer match the home cause more problems than slightly dated ones that still do.

Guides by platform and rental type

ProLister has pages for each kind of host, and a free checklist to test your gallery before you publish.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a professional photographer for my rental?

Not usually. A recent phone, good preparation and daylight cover most rentals. A photographer can be worth it for large or high-end homes, or where the light is very difficult.

How many photos should a vacation rental have?

Enough to show every room once, plus the outdoor space and key amenities. Airbnb asks for at least one photo of every room so it can appear in the photo tour.

Can I use the same photos on Airbnb, Vrbo and Booking.com?

Usually, yes. Use landscape, full-resolution files and check how each platform crops its thumbnails.

Is it allowed to edit rental photos?

Correcting light, colour and straight lines is normal. Edits that add features, change the view or hide flaws misrepresent the property, and Airbnb's rules ask hosts to remove content edited that way.

The Complete Guide to Short-Term Rental Photos