Shutterstock video categories: the full list

Shutterstock categories list for video

Shutterstock publishes its categories at the bottom of its contextual metadata standards, last updated on 26 February 2026. Of the 26, these 19 are available for video. The names are exact, slashes included; the descriptions summarize Shutterstock's definitions.

A few definitions are broader than their names. Holidays also covers seasons, weddings, birthdays, vacation and travel. Science takes technology and medical symbols as well as lab subjects. Backgrounds/Textures includes scenery and architectural details shot to serve as a background. Read the definition before you rule a category out.

The seven categories not available for video

Shutterstock marks seven categories with an asterisk and the note "Not available for video". They exist for images only. The right-hand column is our suggestion of the closest video category, based on Shutterstock's definitions; Shutterstock itself gives no mapping.

Interiors is the one to watch for video: a slow pan across a living room or a hotel lobby has no dedicated category for video. Buildings/Landmarks, defined as "the built environment", is the closest fit, with People or Business/Finance as the second choice when the room is in use.

One required, one optional

Every submission needs one category; a second is optional. Shutterstock says so in its metadata standards and repeats it in the submission editor guide. Both must be "relevant and applicable to the content you are submitting".

Metadata that does not relate to the subject is a rejection reason in itself: Shutterstock rejects content for "Metadata - Commercial Requirements" or "Metadata - Editorial Requirements" in that case. The category is part of the metadata, alongside the description, keywords and location.

Shutterstock's own examples, both still images, show the two patterns:

Choosing categories for a clip

Start with the main subject, the thing a buyer would search for first. Use the second slot only when the clip clearly belongs to another theme too; an empty second slot is better than an unrelated one.

Categories narrow a search; the description and keywords do most of the matching. How to write those for footage is in how to keyword stock footage. For a clip with a recognizable brand or event, see editorial stock footage.

Writing categories in a Shutterstock CSV

In Shutterstock's CSV, Categories is column D, one of the four required columns. The help article says it takes "1 or 2, separated by commas", and that they "must be selected from this list".

• Use the exact name, slash and spacing included: Animals/Wildlife, Food and Drink, Sports/Recreation.
• Quote two categories. Two names separated by a comma make the cell contain a comma, so standard CSV rules put it in double quotes. Spreadsheet programs do this on export.
• Letter case. The list writes Animals/Wildlife, while Shutterstock's sample screenshot writes animals/wildlife. Shutterstock does not say whether case matters; copying the list exactly avoids the question.
• Do not put Editorial in Categories. The sample screenshot shows "editorial" in that column for a news clip, but Editorial is not on the category list. Use the Editorial column with Yes.

Filename,Description,Keywords,Categories,Editorial
harbor_0001.mov,Fishing boats leave a small harbor at sunrise,"fishing boat, harbor, sunrise, sea, port, coast, morning",Transportation,No
kitchen_0002.mov,Chef slices fresh vegetables on a wooden board,"chef, kitchen, cooking, vegetables, knife, food, cutting board","Food and Drink, People",No

Shutterstock rejects a CSV that is not formatted exactly as its sample. The full column order and upload sequence are in the Shutterstock CSV guide. Without a CSV, the submission editor lets you select several clips at once and give them the same keywords and categories.

Common category mistakes

The other metadata limits, from the 150-character description in the editor to the 7 to 50 keywords, are on the Shutterstock video requirements page. Adobe Stock works differently, with one numbered category per file: see Adobe Stock categories.