• Identify subject like notable people (use {{Depicted person}} template), animals, objects, cars, weapons, etc.
• Identify location (if relevant) by text, like: city, country, building name or address, etc.
• Note that location coordinates are not directly included as separate field in the "Information" template. Template {{Location}} (for camera location and heading, preferred) and/or {{Object location}} (for the depicted objects) should be used. Template {{Location}} should be placed directly above or below {{Information}}.
  Note: some users prefer to include location template(s) into the „Description“ field of {{Information}} template in order to group all location information together – this solution is fully serviceable but objections are in point of graphic design not ideal adjusted for such use. See this and this discussion.
• In general description should provide information to support all subject categories of the file.
• In case of group pictures or other images where image details might warrant separate description please use image annotations, but remember that those annotations might not be visible on Wikipedias which did not adopt the gadget to display them.

Description format should use:

• Multilingual templates like {{En}} or {{De}} to specify the language of the description.
• Wikilinks to Wikipedia articles. This helps with disambiguation and allows shorter format.

• ISO 8601 is the preferred format, e.g. "2006-01-15" for "15 January 2006". Dates following this format are processed by {{ISOdate}}. The following formats are recognized:
  • YYYY
  • YYYY-MM
  • YYYY-MM-DD
  • YYYY-MM-DD hh:mm
  • YYYY-MM-DD hh:mm:ss
• Use {{Other date}} for less precise dates, like: circa..., after..., spring of..., between..., etc.
• It is possible to use {{Date}} template. For example "date=2008-06-09" is equivalent to "date={{date|2008|6|9}}", but ISO 8601 format is preferred.

In many cases multiple dates and/or extra explanations are required:

• For photos, we have special templates {{Taken on}} and {{Taken in}} to indicate when the photograph was taken and to distinguish it from the creation date of the depicted work or from the creation date of the derivative work (modified or cropped photo, collage etc.). Those templates use ISO format (e. g. {{Taken on|YYYY-MM-DD hh:mm}} or {{Taken in|YYYY}}).
• If date is missing but digital file has EXIF data then {{According to EXIF data}} template can be added (usually done by a bot). The templates use ISO format (e. g. {{According to EXIF data|YYYY-MM-DD}}).
• If the creation date of a file moved from other project is unknown, {{Original upload date}} can be used — this template should be also used (in addition) if the first publication date (outside Commons) is relevant in relation to copyright. This template also uses the ISO format.
• If the creation date of a file (not moved from other project) is unknown, {{Upload date}} can be used. This template also uses the ISO format.
• If the file is a modified or derivative work, both date of the original (source) work and date of the last version (derivative work) should be stated with appropriate comments or notes.
• If the date has to be furnished with some specifying text, not covered by one of the above templates, (e. g. "date of creation", "date of the first publication", "date of modification" etc.) then dates have to be specified using {{ISOdate}} (i.e. {{ISOdate|2009-08-18}} (date of creation))) or {{Date}} (i.e. {{date|2008|6|9}} (date of modification)) templates.
• If the file is not a simple copy of the depicted work, the date or year of the creation of the depicted work should be stated rather in the "description" field.

• {{Own}} for works uploaded by the author.
• URL where the file was found on the web.
• {{Derived from}} when it is derived from other files.
• Book reference (using {{Scan}} and {{Cite book}} templates) for images scanned from a book. If image was scanned by the uploader that should be mentioned too.

{{F}} enables to show also small icons of these files.