Short answer
Start by finding the images that actually appear on public pages. Then check whether each image has a known source and license record. Automated tools can highlight stock and reuse signals, but your internal records are still the source of truth for whether you have permission to use an image.
1. Check the live website, not only the CMS
Media libraries often contain unused files, while live pages can load images from themes, builders, plugins, CDNs, and old landing pages. Review the public site first: homepage, service pages, blog posts, category pages, checkout pages, and campaign pages.
2. Identify where each image came from
- Stock platform purchase or download record.
- Agency or freelancer deliverable with license transfer details.
- Client-owned photo shoot or brand asset library.
- Free stock platform page with saved license terms and attribution requirements.
- Unknown source that needs replacement or further review.
3. Run reverse image and stock-platform checks
Reverse image search can show whether the same image appears on stock platforms, other websites, blogs, or template demos. ImgCompliance automates this check across the images it finds and adds risk levels so you can prioritize the review.
4. Look beyond obvious photos
Risk is not limited to large hero photos. Blog thumbnails, background images, testimonial portraits, PDF covers, gallery images, landing-page illustrations, and template demo assets can all be copied across redesigns.
5. Decide: document, replace, or ask for help
If you find proof, store it. If the source is unclear, replacing the image is often faster than reconstructing years of agency history. If a claim is already active, speak with a qualified attorney before responding.
Use a report as the working list
The ImgCompliance report gives you a structured list of images, page locations, sources, risk indicators, and recommended actions. For a broader process, see the website image copyright audit guide.