Skip to content
ActionUnsplashUpdated May 2026

How do I search Unsplash for photos by keyword?

Short answer: Drop the "UnsplashSearch Photos" action anywhere in your workflow, map the inputs from upstream nodes, and publish.

Inputs

The fields this action accepts.

Every field can be mapped from an upstream trigger, AI step, table row, or hard-coded literal.

FieldTypeRequiredDescription
Search Query
query
stringRequiredSearch Query. e.g. "mountain sunset"
Results per Page
per_page
numberOptionalResults per Page
Orientation
orientation
optionsOptionalOrientation. Options: Any, Landscape, Portrait, Square
Sample request
{
"query": "mountain sunset",
"per_page": "{{trigger.per_page}}",
"orientation": "{{trigger.orientation}}"
}
Returns
{
"total": 5000,
"results": [
{
"id": "abc123",
"urls": {
"small": "https://images.unsplash.com/...",
"regular": "https://images.unsplash.com/..."
},
"user": {
"name": "Photographer"
},
"likes": 150,
"description": "Mountain at sunset"
}
]
}

Use these fields in downstream nodes for routing, logging, or error handling.

Triggered by

Apps that pair well as the trigger for Search Photos.

Any of these apps can fire this action as part of a workflow.

FAQ

Questions about Search Photos.

What does the Search Photos action do in Unsplash?
Searches Unsplash for free high-resolution photos matching a keyword and returns metadata plus download URLs. Remember to attribute the photographer per Unsplash's guidelines.
What inputs does Search Photos require?
Required: Search Query. Every input accepts a static value or a variable from any upstream node in your workflow.
Can I use dynamic inputs from earlier workflow nodes?
Yes. Any field on this action can pull values from upstream nodes, whether that's a form response, a trigger payload, an AI output, or a lookup result.
What happens if Unsplash returns an error?
The workflow pauses on the failed node, the error message is captured in the run log, and you can retry the run with one click. Auto-retry policies are configurable per workflow with exponential backoff up to 5 attempts.
Does Search Photos support batch operations?
Yes. Run Search Photos inside a Loop node to process arrays. Tiny Command handles Unsplash's rate limits automatically so you don't have to throttle manually.
More actions

Other Unsplash actions.

Send search photos from your workflows.

Triggered by anything in the catalog. Free tier available. No credit card.