If a listing photo shows furniture, finishes or views that are not really there, say so on the photo. That is the simplest safe rule for virtual staging in 2026. A clear “Virtually staged” label, a matching note in the listing description and the original photo kept on file will satisfy most MLS boards and portals, and it is what buyers expect.
This guide covers why disclosure matters, what the main rules ask for, and how to add a label to a whole set of photos with the free listing photo resizer. It is general information, not legal advice; check the rules that apply to you.
Why does labelling virtually staged photos matter?
Because buyers make decisions from photos. A staged image that helps someone picture a room is fair marketing. A photo that makes a room look bigger, hides damp or adds a view that is not there is misleading. The label is what separates the two: it tells the viewer the furniture is a suggestion and the room is real.
There is a practical reason too. A buyer who feels misled at the viewing is a lost buyer, and a complaint to a portal, MLS or regulator costs far more time than adding a label.
What does California’s AB 723 require?
California’s AB 723 took effect on 1 January 2026. It applies to licensed agents and brokers, and anyone acting for them, who use digitally altered images to advertise property for sale. In summary:
- An altered image must carry a reasonably conspicuous statement that it has been altered, on or next to the image.
- The advertisement must give access to the unaltered original, through a link, URL or QR code to a publicly accessible page that shows and identifies it.
- Minor edits such as lighting, exposure and colour correction are not treated as alterations. Adding furniture, changing finishes, removing fixtures or replacing a sky are.
Read the statute itself, Business and Professions Code section 10140.8, or ask your brokerage’s compliance team before relying on a summary.
What do MLS boards and the NAR Code of Ethics say?
In the US there is no single national rule, but two layers apply to most agents. The NAR Code of Ethics, Article 12, requires REALTORS® to present a true picture in their advertising. And MLS boards set their own media rules. Common requirements include:
- A label such as “Virtually staged” on the image itself, sometimes also in the caption.
- A disclosure in the public remarks.
- Keeping the original photos, and in some boards uploading them alongside the staged version.
- A ban on staging that hides defects or adds permanent features that do not exist, such as a fireplace, windows or a pool.
Check your own board’s rules page; formats and wording differ.
What is the position in the UK?
UK law does not have a staging-specific rule, but misleading property advertising is prohibited under consumer protection law, now the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024. National Trading Standards’ guidance on material information in property listings, and the codes of the property redress schemes, point the same way: images must not give a false impression of the property.
In practice, UK agents label staged photos on the image and mention virtual staging in the description. Furniture and styling are generally fine to add. Changing the structure, condition, size or outlook of a room is not.
What counts as an alteration?
| Edit | Usually needs a label? |
|---|---|
| Brightness, contrast, white balance, straightening | No |
| Removing your own reflection or a tripod | Usually no |
| Adding furniture and decor to an empty room | Yes |
| Removing clutter or the owner’s furniture | Yes, in many MLS rules |
| Changing wall colour, flooring or worktops | Yes |
| Replacing a grey sky, day to dusk, greener lawn | Yes |
| Removing power lines, damp, cracks or a neighbouring building | Do not do it: this misrepresents the property |
When in doubt, label it. It costs nothing and protects you.
How do you add a “Virtually staged” label to listing photos?
- Open the free listing photo resizer.
- Under Label on photo, choose “Virtually staged”, “Digitally enhanced” or write custom text such as “Image digitally altered”.
- Pick a corner. Bottom left is common and rarely covers anything important.
- Add the staged photos, choose your portal size and press Resize.
The label scales with the photo, so it stays readable on a phone and a desktop gallery. Only label the photos that have been altered; leave the unedited ones as they are.
How can you show the original photo?
The easiest way is to put the two side by side. A before and after slider lets a buyer drag between the empty room and the staged one, and you can embed it on your website or property page. That doubles as a clear disclosure and good marketing. For California, the original also needs to be reachable from the ad by a link or QR code, so host it on a page you control.
Best practice for staging that stays honest
- Stage the room’s real use: a bedroom as a bedroom, not a box room as a double.
- Keep furniture to scale. Oversized or undersized pieces change how big a room looks.
- Never hide defects, and never add permanent features.
- Use the same label on every altered photo, in the same corner.
- Mention virtual staging in the description and keep the originals.
Splatr’s AI staging keeps the room’s walls, windows and layout while adding furniture, and Virtual Studio can apply an AI staging watermark to results. For a full listing workflow, see the estate agent staging workflow.
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