> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.adclear.ai/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Upload quality guide

> Make sure Adclear can clearly assess what you upload, and avoid the most common causes of inaccurate flags.

## Why upload quality matters

Adclear can only assess what it can clearly see. Poor-quality or incomplete uploads cause the AI to misread text, miss disclosures, or flag issues inaccurately - leading to delays and rework that could have been avoided.

This guide is primarily for uploaders preparing files to submit, but it's also referenced by reviewers when assessing whether an upload is fit for review. If you're a reviewer, see the [Compliance User Guide](/compliance/overview) for guidance on what to do when an upload is too low quality to assess fairly.

<Warning>
  Every issue in this guide has been reported by real users. Taking two minutes to check your file before uploading saves significant back-and-forth with your compliance team.
</Warning>

## Image quality and resolution

Compressed or blurry images cause Adclear to misread text, misinterpret brand names, and produce inaccurate flags.

Why this happens: Screenshots pasted into Word or PowerPoint, images exported from compressed sources, and low-resolution mobile captures all reduce the text clarity Adclear needs.

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Do this" icon="circle-check" color="#16a34a">
    Upload original files - screenshots taken at full resolution, PDFs exported directly from your design tool, or final creative exports. Zoom in before capturing to confirm text is sharp.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Avoid this" icon="circle-xmark" color="#dc2626">
    Pasting screenshots into Word or PowerPoint then re-exporting. Uploading blurry, compressed, or mobile-captured images. Including unnecessary cover pages, headers, or stock imagery.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## Missing context and information

Adclear reviews only what is uploaded. If disclaimers, footnotes, or risk warnings aren't visible in the file, they will be flagged as missing - even if they appear on the live page.

Drafts and works-in-progress are fine to submit. What matters is that the upload is complete - meaning all relevant context, disclaimers, and qualifying information are present in what you upload, regardless of whether the asset is in a draft state.

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Do this" icon="circle-check" color="#16a34a">
    Ensure all disclosures, footnotes, and qualifying text are visible in the file. If expandable or tooltip content can't be captured inline, include it as a separate page.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Avoid this" icon="circle-xmark" color="#dc2626">
    Assuming Adclear will infer missing tooltip or pop-up content. Uploading an asset where key disclaimers or risk warnings have been left out of the file entirely.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## Multiple promotions in one file

Combining unrelated promotions into a single PDF creates cross-referencing errors - Adclear may attribute risk from one promotion to another.

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Do this" icon="circle-check" color="#16a34a">
    Upload each financial promotion as a separate file. Use Adclear's Batch Upload feature to handle multiple unrelated items efficiently. See [Upload types](/upload-types) for guidance on which type to use.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Avoid this" icon="circle-xmark" color="#dc2626">
    Combining unrelated promotions into one PDF. Manually merging multiple promotions before uploading. Uploading multiple variants without clear identification per file.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## Cropped screens missing context

Tightly cropped images can remove the qualifying language, risk warnings, or surrounding content that compliance needs to assess your promotion accurately.

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Do this" icon="circle-check" color="#16a34a">
    Include the full page where context matters. Ensure risk warnings appear alongside claims in the same file. Capture complete sections of webpages - not just banners.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Avoid this" icon="circle-xmark" color="#dc2626">
    Cropping tightly around headline claims only. Removing surrounding qualifying language. Uploading partial screenshots without the full context of the page.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## Website link vs. file upload

A common question: is it better to submit a website link or a PDF screenshot?

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Use a website link when..." icon="link" color="#2563eb">
    The page is live. Adclear captures a screenshot of the webpage automatically, showing it exactly as it appears to a visitor - including any dynamically loaded content.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Use a file upload when..." icon="file" color="#7c3aed">
    The page isn't live yet, or you need to record a specific version. Remember that video content won't be captured from a static upload - include disclosure information from videos as a separate page.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## Pre-upload checklist

Run through this before every submission.

<Steps>
  <Step title="Is the upload complete?">
    Check that all relevant context, disclaimers, and risk warnings are included in the file. Drafts and works-in-progress are fine - what matters is that nothing required for a fair assessment has been left out.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Are all disclosures and risk warnings visible?">
    Check that footnotes, qualifying text, and risk warnings are all included in the upload - not hidden in tooltips or pop-ups that won't be captured.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Is the file high resolution and fully readable?">
    Zoom in on any text-heavy areas. If you can't read it clearly at full size, Adclear can't either.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Is there only one promotion per upload?">
    If you have multiple unrelated promotions, use the right [upload type](/upload-types) - not a single combined file.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Have unnecessary pages been removed?">
    Strip out cover pages, internal notes, or stock imagery that isn't part of the promotion being reviewed.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## For reviewers: Signs of a poor upload

If you're reviewing a promotion and suspect a flag was caused by a poor upload rather than a genuine compliance issue, request changes and ask the uploader to resubmit a higher-quality or more complete version.

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Signs of a good upload" icon="circle-check" color="#16a34a">
    * Sharp, high-resolution image or PDF
    * All disclosures, footnotes, and risk warnings visible in the file
    * One promotion per file - no merged PDFs
    * Full page context, not just a cropped banner
    * Complete version - all required information present, regardless of draft state
  </Card>

  <Card title="Signs of a poor upload" icon="triangle-exclamation" color="#d97706">
    * Blurry or pixelated text - Adclear may misread content
    * Missing disclaimers or risk warnings that should be present
    * Multiple unrelated promotions merged into one file
    * Tightly cropped image that removes surrounding qualifying language
    * Key information absent from the file, regardless of whether it's a draft or final version
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

### Common upload issues and what they cause

| Upload issue                             | What it leads to                                                                                  |
| ---------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Blurry or compressed image               | Adclear misreads text, misidentifies brand names, produces inaccurate flags                       |
| Missing disclaimers or risk warnings     | Flags raised for content that may be present on the live page but wasn't captured                 |
| Multiple promotions in one file          | Risk from one promotion may be attributed to another                                              |
| Tightly cropped screenshot               | Qualifying language or context removed - promotion appears non-compliant when it isn't            |
| Required information missing from upload | Flags raised against incomplete content; the upload does not give Adclear enough to assess fairly |

<Note>
  You are not required to make a final decision on an upload that is clearly incomplete. Requesting changes for upload quality reasons is a valid review action.
</Note>

## Related pages

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Marketing Guide" icon="bullhorn" href="/marketing/overview">
    Uploading, submitting, and resubmitting promotions end-to-end.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Compliance User Guide" icon="clipboard-check" href="/compliance/overview">
    How reviewers assess promotions and what they look for.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Upload types" icon="layer-group" href="/upload-types">
    The four upload types and when to use each.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>