Unsplash Integration

Add professional stock photos from Unsplash directly to your presentations.

Overview

The Unsplash integration provides access to millions of free, high-quality photos. Search for images, preview them, and add them to your slides without leaving Deckyard.

Setup

Get an API Key

Go to Unsplash Developers
Create an account or sign in
Create a new application
Accept the API guidelines
Copy your Access Key

Configure Deckyard

Add to your .env file:

UNSPLASH_ACCESS_KEY=your-access-key-here

Restart Deckyard to apply the changes.

Image library picker with categories, search, upload, and media grid

Using Unsplash

Access the Image Library

Open a slide in the editor
Click on an image field or the Add Image button
Select the Unsplash tab in the image picker

Search for Photos

Type your search query (e.g., “mountain sunset”)
Browse the results
Click a photo to preview it
Click Use to add it to your slide

Photo Sizes

Unsplash provides multiple sizes:

Size	Use Case
Thumb	Thumbnails in picker
Small	Mobile displays
Regular	Standard slides
Full	High-resolution export
Raw	Original quality

Deckyard automatically selects the appropriate size based on context.

API Features

Search

The integration uses Unsplash’s search API:

Full-text search across photo descriptions
Results sorted by relevance
Paginated results (20 per page)
Maximum 30 results per request

Download Tracking

Per Unsplash API requirements, downloads are tracked when you use a photo. This helps photographers see how their work is being used.

Attribution

Automatic Attribution

Deckyard stores photographer information with each photo:

Photographer name
Username
Profile URL
Original photo URL

Displaying Credits

You can add attribution to your presentation:

Create a credits slide at the end
List photographers and their Unsplash profiles
Link back to the original photos

API Terms

By using Unsplash through Deckyard, you agree to:

Use photos for free, without requiring permission
Not sell unaltered photos
Credit photographers when practical
Not compile photos to create a competing service

Rate Limits

Unsplash API has rate limits:

Demo apps: 50 requests per hour
Production apps: 5,000 requests per hour

If you hit limits, you’ll see an error message. Wait and try again later.

Upgrade to Production

To get higher limits:

Go to your Unsplash app settings
Apply for production access
Provide your app URL and description
Wait for approval (usually 1-2 days)

Troubleshooting

”Unsplash API is not configured”

The API key is missing or invalid:

Check UNSPLASH_ACCESS_KEY in .env
Verify the key is correct
Restart Deckyard

No Search Results

Check your search terms
Try more general keywords
Verify your API key has access

Rate Limit Exceeded

Wait for the limit to reset (hourly)
Apply for production access if needed
Cache frequently used images locally

Best Practices

Image Selection

Choose images that enhance your message
Look for consistent visual style
Consider your theme colors
Check image orientation (landscape vs portrait)

Performance

Deckyard uses appropriately sized images
Large presentations may benefit from caching
Consider using your media provider for frequently used images

Legal Use

Unsplash photos are free for commercial use
No permission needed for most uses
Attribution is appreciated but not required

API Details

Request Format

GET https://api.unsplash.com/search/photos?query=...
Authorization: Client-ID YOUR_ACCESS_KEY
Accept-Version: v1

Response Format

Each photo includes:

{
  "id": "abc123",
  "description": "Mountain landscape at sunset",
  "width": 4000,
  "height": 3000,
  "urls": {
    "thumb": "...",
    "small": "...",
    "regular": "...",
    "full": "...",
    "raw": "..."
  },
  "user": {
    "name": "John Photographer",
    "username": "johnphoto",
    "links": {
      "html": "https://unsplash.com/@johnphoto"
    }
  }
}