If an image, audio or video clip:

  1. is currently available online,
  2. cannot be uploaded to Wikipedia, even under fair-use rules, and
  3. readers will expect this type of media in the article,

then it may be appropriate to use {{external media}} to provide a direct link to the media file along with a description of the media.

The {{external media}} template should be removed as soon as a replacement of adequate quality and accuracy is available in WP:COMMONS. At that time, the link included in this template may be considered for inclusion as a regular WP:External link in the ==External links== section.

According to WP:ELNEVER and WP:COPYLINK, editors must never link to content that violates copyright or is otherwise illegal. If you are uncertain of the copyright status (for example, with links to YouTube), ask for help at Wikipedia:Media copyright questions. If you're certain that the copyright status is acceptable, but others might wonder later, make it clear in the template or in the reference that you link to material from a rightful distributor (examples can be found at grindcore).

This template is normally placed in the main body of the article, in the same place that you would normally have placed the image, audio, or video clip if it had been available on Wikimedia Commons.

When placing links in the ==External links== section, please use the normal formatting for external links, as explained at WP:External links#Rich media and WP:External links#How to link, rather than this template.

Paste this into your article:

{{ external media
| float  =
| width  =
| image1 =
| image2 =
| image3 =
| audio1 =
| audio2 =
| audio3 =
| video1 =
| video2 =
| video3 =
}}

The {{external media}} template can be used multiple times in an article, and each instance can be used to link to more than one file.

float
Valid options are "left", "right" and "center". The template defaults to displaying on the right-hand-side.
width
This should be a complete width measurement including units. Examples: 300px, 22em, 30%. The template defaults to 258px wide.
media links
Each file to be linked should specify its type and have a different number, starting from 1. For example, a template containing four images and one video would label them as image1, image2, image3, image4 and video1. The attribute has a free format, so any amount of detail may be added. The first part of the entry should be formatted as a normal external link, i.e. [http://example.com/image.jpg Image description] for Image description. After that, any additional detail can be given on the same line. See the examples for details.
Note: when adding a link to an external media source like this, it is essential that the source page be linked too with the date of retrieval, both to satisfy Wikipedia's sourcing criteria for the statement about the presented media and to ensure that the link can quickly be corrected should the source URL be changed. Reference tags can be used for this purpose.
It's polite if you inform the administrator of the page you link to that you are deep linking to the content of his page, marking it as an external source, also providing a link to his complete page and that if he doesn't like it he can use a script to disable deep linking.
External images
Fighting style of Greek phalangites with long lances during the Roman-Spartan War (Note the late Greek hoplite helmets with open visors made of several parts and not from one like in earlier times. The leg protection was often leather to allow for faster movement. This fighting style was not in use during the Battle of Marathon; at that time the lances were shorter and held with one hand. Longer lances, held with both hands, were adopted with the introduction of lighter hoplites and later phalangites. As a result of their long and heavy lance which was handled with both arms they needed a lighter shield than the old hoplites.[1][2]

Just an image, taken from the War against Nabis Featured Article. This example gives full contextual information along with references.

{{ external media
| float = right
| width = 258px
| image1 = [http://www.ancientmesopotamia.net/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/macedonianphalanx.jpg Fighting style of Greek phalangites with long lances during the Roman-Spartan War] (Note the late Greek hoplite helmets with open visors made of several parts and not from one like in earlier times. The leg protection was often leather to allow for faster movement. This fighting style was not in use during the [[Battle of Marathon]]; at that time the lances were shorter and held with one hand. Longer lances, held with both hands, were adopted with the introduction of lighter hoplites and later [[phalangite]]s. As a result of their long and heavy lance which was handled with both arms they needed a lighter shield than the old hoplites.<ref>''Warfare in the Classical World'',p. 34f (Greek Hoplite (c.480BC)) p. 67 (Iphicrates reforms)</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ancientmesopotamia.net/id27.html |title=Battle of Marathon |accessdate=2006-12-26 |format= |work=Ancient Mesopotamia}}</ref>
}}
External images
Metal vambrace with integrated elbow and upper arm protection (reenactment)[3]

Image, using descriptive text with accompanying reference:

{{ external media
| float  = right
| width  = 300px
| image1 = [http://fcit.usf.edu/florida/photos/historic/dsmem/dsarmor/dsarmo2/photos/dsarmo232.jpg Metal vambrace with integrated elbow and upper arm protection] (reenactment)<ref>http://fcit.usf.edu/florida/photos/historic/dsmem/dsarmor/dsarmo2/dsarmo232.htm</ref>
}}
External images
The Siege of Leningrad
Russian map of the operations around Leningrad in 1943. Blue are the German and allied Finnish troops. The Soviets are red.[4]
map of the advance on Leningrad and relief. Blue are the German and allied Finnish troops. The Soviets are red.[5]

Two images with rich accompanying text, floated left:

{{ external media
| float  = left
| topic  = The Siege of Leningrad
| image1 = [http://www.ido.edu.ru/ffec/hist/images/H_4.jpg Russian map of the operations around Leningrad in 1943]. Blue are the German and allied Finnish troops. The Soviets are red.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ido.edu.ru/ffec/hist/h8.html |title=ОТЕЧЕСТВЕННАЯ ИСТОРИЯ. Тема 8 |publisher=Ido.edu.ru |date= |accessdate=2008-10-26}}</ref>
| image2 = [http://victory.tass-online.ru/data/Photos/Photo/175.JPEG map of the advance on Leningrad and relief]. Blue are the German and allied Finnish troops. The Soviets are red.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://victory.tass-online.ru/?page=gallery&gcid=9 |script-title=ru:ИТАР-ТАСС :: 60 ЛЕТ ВЕЛИКОЙ ПОБЕДЕ :: |publisher=Victory.tass-online.ru |date= |accessdate=2008-10-26|language=ru}}</ref>
}}
External audio
Dog Bark
the sound of a dog barking, from Wav-Sounds.com, retrieved 13.09.2009

audio with topic text and accompanying link to the home page:

{{ external media
| topic  = Dog Bark
| audio1 = [http://www.wav-sounds.com/various/bark.wav the sound of a dog barking], from [http://www.wav-sounds.com/various_wav_sounds.htm Wav-Sounds.com], ''retrieved 13.09.2009''
}}
External video
Movie clip of siphon feeding, QuickTime format[6]

Single video, floated left:

{{ external media
| width  = 210px
| float  = left
| video1 = [http://www.arkive.org/scripts/php/force-download.php?file=BEE7098E-088F-4BB4-B6F0-D2E190E5623C/Presentation.Streams/Presentation_QT_DOWNLOAD.mov&saveas=/data/root/Live/www.arkive.org/htdocs/species/peppery-furrow-shell/scrobicularia-plana/video-00.xml&type=mov Movie clip of siphon feeding], QuickTime format<ref>[http://www.arkive.org/species/ARK/invertebrates_marine/Scrobicularia_plana/Scrobicularia_plana_00.html?movietype=qtSmall Peppery furrow shell]</ref>
}}
External media
Images
Russian map of the operations around Leningrad in 1943. Blue are the German and allied Finnish troops. The Soviets are red.[7]
Audio
the sound of a dog barking, from here, retrieved 13.09.2009
Video
Movie clip of siphon feeding, QuickTime format[8]

Mixed content:

{{ external media
| float  = right
| width  = 300px
| image1 = [http://www.ido.edu.ru/ffec/hist/images/H_4.jpg Russian map of the operations around Leningrad in 1943]. Blue are the German and allied Finnish troops. The Soviets are red.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ido.edu.ru/ffec/hist/h8.html |title=ОТЕЧЕСТВЕННАЯ ИСТОРИЯ. Тема 8 |publisher=Ido.edu.ru |date= |accessdate=2008-10-26}}</ref>
| audio1 = [http://www.wav-sounds.com/various/bark.wav the sound of a dog barking], from [http://www.wav-sounds.com/various_wav_sounds.htm here], ''retrieved 13.09.2009''
| video1 = [http://www.arkive.org/scripts/php/force-download.php?file=BEE7098E-088F-4BB4-B6F0-D2E190E5623C/Presentation.Streams/Presentation_QT_DOWNLOAD.mov&saveas=/data/root/Live/www.arkive.org/htdocs/species/peppery-furrow-shell/scrobicularia-plana/video-00.xml&type=mov Movie clip of siphon feeding], QuickTime format<ref>[http://www.arkive.org/species/ARK/invertebrates_marine/Scrobicularia_plana/Scrobicularia_plana_00.html?movietype=qtSmall Peppery furrow shell]</ref>
}}
  1. Warfare in the Classical World,p. 34f (Greek Hoplite (c.480BC)) p. 67 (Iphicrates reforms)
  2. "Battle of Marathon". Ancient Mesopotamia. Retrieved 2006-12-26.
  3. http://fcit.usf.edu/florida/photos/historic/dsmem/dsarmor/dsarmo2/dsarmo232.htm
  4. "ОТЕЧЕСТВЕННАЯ ИСТОРИЯ. Тема 8". Ido.edu.ru. Retrieved 2008-10-26.
  5. ИТАР-ТАСС :: 60 ЛЕТ ВЕЛИКОЙ ПОБЕДЕ :: (in రష్యన్). Victory.tass-online.ru. Retrieved 2008-10-26.
  6. Peppery furrow shell
  7. "ОТЕЧЕСТВЕННАЯ ИСТОРИЯ. Тема 8". Ido.edu.ru. Retrieved 2008-10-26.
  8. Peppery furrow shell