ImageShack is a free image hosting website. The site debuted in September 2003, offering a user-friendly and easy-to-use interface, and has since grown greatly in popularity.

The main page has a file selection field, where the user may select the image file to upload. The image file format must be either JPEG, JPG, PNG, GIF, TIFF, TIF, BMP, or SWF, and the file must be smaller or equal to 1024 kilobytes. Uploaded BMP, TIFF, and TIF images will automatically be converted to PNG format.

After the file is uploaded, the user is redirected to a page containing different versions of URLs to the uploaded image. These URLs are preformatted in HTML and Bulletin Board code, which can be used to hotlink them on websites and message boards. These URLs can't be reached publicly, therefore only the user and the persons he gives the URL to can know the file location.

Images are stored on ImageShack indefinitely unless the image or the user who uploaded it abuses the Terms of Service. The image may not be accessible for a short period if over 100 MB of bandwidth of viewing the image is used per hour.

There is also a free registration service that gives the user the ability to see and delete their previously uploaded images.

Users may also create galleries for their images — public collections of selected images with guestbook and rating functioanlity.

External links

• ImageShack homepage
• User review / Free-webhosts.com rating