You open your inbox and find a letter from Copytrack claiming you used a copyrighted image without permission. Your stomach drops. The good news is that if you actually licensed that image, you can resolve this quickly and cleanly by sending the right proof in the right format. This guide walks you through exactly how to do that, step by step.

Photo by Ann H from Pexels

TL;DR:
  • Do not ignore a Copytrack letter. Respond within the stated deadline with your licence certificate or proof of purchase.
  • Gather your licence document from the stock platform where you purchased the image (Shutterstock, Adobe Stock, Freepik, etc.) and send it directly to Copytrack.
  • If you cannot locate your licence, use a tool like Licence Downloader to bulk-retrieve certificates from your stock accounts before the deadline passes.

What Copytrack Actually Is

Copytrack is a Berlin-based image rights enforcement company. Photographers and agencies hire Copytrack to find unauthorized uses of their images online. When Copytrack's crawler detects a match, they send a letter to the website owner demanding payment or proof of a valid licence.

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Commission Copytrack Takes Per Settlement
"Copytrack operates on a no-win-no-fee model, taking a 45% commission on every settlement collected."
>, Copytrack Demand Letter? Here's What to Do (2026 Guide)

This means Copytrack is financially motivated to pursue every claim. They will not drop it because you stayed quiet. Ignoring the letter does not make it go away. It escalates it.

The letter typically includes:
  • The specific image they claim was used without authorization
  • A URL where they detected the image on your site
  • A deadline to respond (usually 14 to 30 days)
  • A settlement amount they want you to pay
If you hold a valid licence for that image, you do not owe them anything. But you need to prove it.

Common Mistakes That Make Things Worse

person organizing documents
Photo by Vanessa Garcia from Pexels

Freelance designers make a handful of predictable errors when a Copytrack letter arrives. Avoiding these saves time, money, and stress.

  1. Ignoring the letter entirely. Copytrack will follow up. They may escalate to legal proceedings in the photographer's jurisdiction. Silence is not a defense.
  2. Paying immediately out of panic. If you have a valid licence, paying the settlement is throwing money away. Check your records first.
  3. Sending a screenshot of a download page. A screenshot of your Shutterstock download history is not a licence certificate. Copytrack wants the actual licence document or invoice tied to that specific image.
  4. Responding aggressively. Threatening language or accusations of fraud do not help. A calm, factual response with attached proof resolves the claim fastest.
  5. Deleting the image from your site. Removing the image does not undo the alleged past infringement. It can also look like an admission of guilt. Respond with proof instead.
Warning: Never admit fault or agree to a settlement amount in your initial response. Simply provide your licence documentation and ask them to close the claim.
Claims Resolved With Valid Licence Proof
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Most claims against licensed users get resolved once proper documentation is submitted. The challenge is finding that documentation quickly.

Step-by-Step: Responding to Copytrack

How to Respond to a Copytrack Letter (With Licence Proof) process
Figure 1: How to Respond to a Copytrack Letter (With Licence Proof) at a glance.

Here is the exact process, broken into clear steps. Follow them in order.

1. Identify the Image

Open the Copytrack letter and find the image in question. They usually include a thumbnail or a direct URL. Match it to your records. Which stock platform did you download it from? When did you download it? Which account or subscription was active at that time?

2. Locate Your Licence

Log into the stock platform (Shutterstock, Adobe Stock, Freepik, Envato, iStock, Canva, or wherever you sourced the image). Navigate to your download history and find the specific image. Download the licence certificate or proof of purchase for that asset.

Each platform stores this differently:
  • Shutterstock provides a licence certificate PDF in your download history
  • Adobe Stock shows licence details under "Licencing history"
  • Freepik includes licence info in your download records
  • Envato Elements offers a licence certificate per download
  • iStock provides invoice and licence details in your purchase history
If you cannot find the certificate manually, or if you have hundreds of downloads to search through, licencedownloader.com can bulk-retrieve licence certificates from multiple platforms in minutes.

3. Verify the Licence Covers Your Use

Before sending anything, confirm that your licence actually covers how you used the image. A standard licence typically allows web use, social media, and marketing materials. An extended licence is needed for merchandise, resale products, or print runs above a certain quantity.

Check these details:
  • Does the licence permit commercial use?
  • Is the licence tied to your name or your client's project?
  • Was the licence active on the date the image appeared on the site?

4. Draft Your Response

Keep it short and factual. Include:
  • Your name and contact information
  • The Copytrack case/reference number from their letter
  • A clear statement that you hold a valid licence for the image
  • The attached licence certificate or proof of purchase
  • A request to close the claim

5. Send and Document

Email your response to the address provided in the Copytrack letter. Save a copy of everything you sent, including timestamps. If they have an online portal, submit through that as well.

Organizing Your Licence Files

digital files on screen
Photo by Pixabay from Pexels

The real problem most freelancers face is not the Copytrack letter itself. It is the scramble to find proof. You downloaded an image eight months ago for a client project. The project is done. The client paid. You moved on. Now you need to dig through three different stock platform accounts to find one licence certificate.

This is why proactive licence management matters. A few habits prevent the panic:

  • Download licence certificates at the time of purchase. Every time you download a stock image, grab the licence PDF too.
  • Name files consistently. Use a pattern like clientname-platform-imageid-licence.pdf so you can search later.
  • Store them in one place. A dedicated folder in your cloud storage, organized by client or project.
  • Bulk-export periodically. Once a month, export all new licence certificates from your active platforms.
Here is an example of what a well-organized freelancer's licence archive might look like:

Licence Archive Status (Example)

Shutterstock 47 licences Backed up
Adobe Stock 23 licences Backed up
Freepik 61 licences 12 pending
Envato Elements 15 licences Backed up
iStock 9 licences Backed up

When every certificate is already downloaded and filed, responding to a Copytrack letter takes ten minutes instead of two stressful days.

What If You Cannot Find the Licence?

freelance designer working laptop
Photo by Danik Prihodko from Pexels

Sometimes the licence genuinely cannot be found. The platform changed its interface. You cancelled the subscription. The download happened under a different email. Here is what to do:

  • Contact the stock platform's support. Explain the situation and ask for a copy of the licence or a confirmation that the image was downloaded under your account. Most platforms keep records for years.
  • Check your email for purchase confirmations. Search for the image ID or the platform name in your inbox. Purchase receipts often serve as secondary proof.
  • Use Licence Downloader. Connect your stock accounts and let it scan your full download history across platforms. It retrieves certificates you might not find manually.
  • Check with your client. If you purchased the image through a client's account, ask them for the licence documentation.
If after all of this you truly have no licence, you may need to negotiate the settlement or consult a lawyer who specializes in copyright. But exhaust every avenue for finding proof first.
Pro tip: Even if you resolve this claim successfully, use it as a wake-up call. Set up a licence backup system now so the next letter (if it ever comes) takes five minutes to handle.
Key takeaway: A Copytrack letter with a valid licence behind it is a paperwork exercise, not a legal crisis. Locate your licence certificate, send it with a factual response, and the claim closes.
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Without Licence ProofWith Licence Proof
Stressful multi-week processResolved in days
Risk of paying undeserved settlementZero payment owed
May need legal counselSimple email exchange
Reputation anxietyProfessional confidence

Copytrack Response Checklist

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FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

This guide is for freelance designers, content creators, and anyone who uses stock images in their work and has received a letter from Copytrack. If you purchase images from platforms like Shutterstock, Adobe Stock, Freepik, Envato, iStock, or Canva, and you received a copyright claim, this walkthrough applies to you.
If your licence files are organized and accessible, you can draft and send a response in under 30 minutes. If you need to search across multiple platforms for the right certificate, it could take a few hours to a couple of days. Using a bulk licence retrieval tool cuts that search time significantly.
Do not panic and do not pay immediately. Your first step is to identify the image in question and check whether you hold a valid licence for it. Open the letter, find the image reference, and log into the stock platform where you sourced it. Everything else follows from there.
Yes. Copytrack can and does pursue legal action on behalf of photographers, particularly in jurisdictions where the photographer is based. Ignoring the letter increases the risk of escalation. A timely response with valid proof is the fastest way to close the matter.
Free does not always mean licence-free. Many "free" image sites have specific licence terms that restrict commercial use or require attribution. Check the exact terms of the site where you found the image. If the terms did not permit your use, you may not have a valid defence. If they did, gather that documentation and include it in your response.
No. Removing the image does not address the alleged past infringement. Copytrack is claiming you used the image without authorization during a specific period. Taking it down now does not erase that period. Respond with your licence proof regardless of whether the image is still live.

Additional Resources

Have you dealt with a Copytrack letter before? What worked for you, and what caught you off guard?