Guides for hosts

AI photos on Airbnb: originals, not edited images

Which photos Airbnb expects with a damage request and how to submit them safely.

BildProof EditorialUpdated 9/30/20262 min read
In short

Submit only unedited original files to Airbnb, with no filter, crop or AI. If Airbnb cannot verify your photos, it may ask for more or deny the request.

What makes a photo safe for Airbnb?

Airbnb wants evidence that is true and unaltered. These points help.

  1. 1

    Original file

    Upload the file your camera saved, not a copy and not a screenshot.

  2. 2

    No filters

    Do not brighten, sharpen or use AI tools.

  3. 3

    Full image

    Do not crop; say in your message what to look at.

  4. 4

    Check automatic mode

    Switch off your phone's automatic image enhancement where you can.

  5. 5

    Before and after

    Photos of the condition before check-in show what changed during the stay.

  6. 6

    Other records

    Receipts, repair estimates and an inventory with purchase dates support your photos.

Already have damage?

Guest damaged something?

Don't just leave the photos in your camera roll. BildProof helps you document the damage, add supporting evidence and create an organised, sealed report for your claim.

Create my damage report · €9.99

One-time purchase · No app download required

Which rules apply

Under the Airbnb Host Damage Protection Terms, evidence must be true and accurate and not doctored or falsified, including by artificial intelligence. You ask the guest to pay within 14 days of checkout and file the request with Airbnb within 30 days.

General information, not legal advice.

Frequently asked questions

Does this apply to my phone's automatic processing?

The terms do not name automatic processing; they require that nothing is doctored or falsified, including by AI. Switch automatic enhancement off where you can, and submit the original file.

Can I crop a photo so the damage is easier to see?

Better not, because any change to the file raises doubt. Upload the full image and write what to look at.

By when do I have to submit the photos?

Within 14 days of checkout you ask the guest to pay, for example through the Resolution Center. If they do not pay, you file the request with Airbnb within 30 days of checkout, with your evidence.

More on this

GuideAirbnb evidence rules 2026: what now counts as proofGuidePhotos as Airbnb Damage Proof: Why They Often Fail

Also in this topic: Proving smoke odour at Airbnb: which evidence countsAirbnb expects reasonable care: what the rule means for hostsAirbnb Resolution Center: process, deadlines and orderAirbnb Damage Report Deadlines: The 14-Day Rule

Next guest arriving soon?

Scan the place before check-in and after check-out, with unedited original photos. That way a damage claim rests on a comparison, not on a single image.

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