# Cloudinary Setup: Transfer Media Assets > How to connect Blober to Cloudinary. Browse, upload, download, and transfer images, videos, and raw files from Cloudinary's media platform. Cloudinary is a cloud-based media management platform for images, videos, and raw files. Blober connects using your Cloud Name, API Key, and API Secret. Path format: ```plaintext folder/subfolder/filename.ext ``` ## Capabilities * ✅ Browse folders and assets * ✅ Upload files (streaming, any size) * ✅ Download files * ✅ Delete assets * ✅ View file metadata (size, dates, format) * ✅ Automatic detection of images, videos, and raw files on upload * ✅ Mixed-type listing of images, videos, and raw files * ✅ Pre-generate derived versions at upload time (Eager Transformation) * ✅ Apply Eager Transformations to existing assets without re-uploading * ✅ Server-side pagination ## Prerequisites * A [Cloudinary account](https://cloudinary.com/users/register_free) (free tier available) * An API Key and API Secret from your Console ## Required Credentials []() ### Cloud Name * **Format:** alphanumeric characters, hyphens, underscores * **Example:** `my-cloud` Found on your [Cloudinary Console](https://console.cloudinary.com/app) under "Product Environment" on the [Dashboard](https://console.cloudinary.com/app/home/dashboard). It is also the value that appears after the `@` symbol in your `CLOUDINARY_URL` environment variable. []() ### API Key * **Format:** numeric string * **Example:** `123456789012345` []() ### API Secret * **Format:** alphanumeric characters, hyphens, underscores * **Example:** `abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz12` ## Optional Settings []() ### Eager Transformation (destination only) * **Default:** empty (none) * **Example:** `w_300,c_fill,f_auto,q_auto` A [Cloudinary transformation](https://cloudinary.com/documentation/image_transformations) string applied at upload time to pre-generate a derived asset. Only used when Cloudinary is the destination of your workflow. []() ### Unique Filename (destination only) * **Default:** off (keep original filename) When off, files keep their original name. When on, Cloudinary appends random characters to the filename (e.g. `photo_a1b2c3.jpg`) to avoid collisions with existing assets. []() ### Apply Eager Transformation (mutate action) * **Required** when running the mutate action * **Example:** `w_300,c_fill,f_auto,q_auto` A transformation string applied to existing assets. Select files in Blober and run this mutation to pre-generate derived versions of the originals without re-uploading them. ## Setup Guide ### 1. Create a Cloudinary Account 1. Go to [cloudinary.com](https://cloudinary.com/users/register_free) 2. Sign up for a free account (25 credits/month included) 3. After signing up, you'll land on the Dashboard ### 2. Get Your Credentials 1. Open the [Cloudinary Console](https://console.cloudinary.com/app). Your **Cloud Name** is shown under "Product Environment" on the Dashboard. 2. Open **Settings**, then **API Keys**. You can also jump straight to the [API Keys page](https://console.cloudinary.com/app/settings/api-keys). 3. Copy your **API Key** and **API Secret**. > **Tip** > > Your `CLOUDINARY_URL` environment variable contains all three values in one string: > > ```plaintext > cloudinary://API_KEY:API_SECRET@CLOUD_NAME > ``` ### 3. Configure in Blober 1. In Blober, open **Workflows**, then click **New Workflow**. 2. Select **Cloudinary** as source or destination. 3. Enter your Cloud Name, API Key, and API Secret. 4. Credentials are verified on save. Blober makes a test API call to confirm access. ## File Organization Cloudinary organizes assets using: * **Asset folders** are the visual hierarchy shown in the Media Library. * **Public IDs** are the path Cloudinary uses internally to reference each asset. Blober maps both: uploads land in the correct Media Library folder, and the original filename is preserved. Assets at the root level have no folder prefix. Subfolders are supported to any depth: ```plaintext samples/cloudinary-icon.png products/shoes/sneaker.jpg ``` Cloudinary limits the internal asset path to 255 characters. Files with paths exceeding this limit fail with a validation error before any upload starts. ## How Uploads Work * Files are sent directly to Cloudinary, so file size is not a bottleneck. * Cloudinary automatically detects whether each file is an image, video, or raw file. * The original filename (with extension) is preserved. * Existing assets are never silently replaced. Uploading a duplicate returns the existing asset. * Files land in the right folder whether your account is on the newer dynamic folder mode or the legacy fixed folder mode. * If you set an Eager Transformation, the derived version is generated at upload time. ## How Deletion Works * Deletions go through Cloudinary's Upload API, which is not rate-limited. * Deletes never count against your hourly Admin API quota. ## How Listing Works * Listing returns all asset types (images, videos, raw files) in a single paginated call. * Sub-folders are loaded as you browse into them. * Pagination uses Cloudinary's native server-side cursors, so even very large folders load smoothly. ## Rate Limiting * The **Upload API** is not rate-limited. Uploads, deletions, and mutations are unaffected. * The **Admin API** (used for listing, browsing, and metadata) is rate-limited: * Free plan: 500 requests/hour * Paid plans: 2,000+ requests/hour ## Troubleshooting ### "cloud\_name mismatch" error * Verify your Cloud Name matches exactly what's shown on the Dashboard * Cloud names are case-sensitive ### "Authorization required" (401) error * Double-check your API Key and API Secret. * Make sure the key hasn't been revoked. Open **Settings**, then **API Keys** in the [Cloudinary Console](https://console.cloudinary.com/app/settings/api-keys) to confirm. * If you recently regenerated the secret, update it in Blober. ### Assets not appearing in listing * Blober lists assets by their Media Library folder. * Assets that were uploaded outside the Media Library (for example, directly via the Cloudinary API without an asset folder) may not appear in the browse view. Move them into a Media Library folder so they show up. ### Path validation error * Cloudinary limits the internal asset path to 255 characters. * Deeply nested folder structures can exceed this limit. * Blober checks the path length before uploading and fails immediately without making a network call. ### Rate limit (420) errors * You've hit the Admin API hourly limit * Wait for the rate limit to reset (shown in the error) or upgrade your plan * Uploads, deletions, and mutations use the Upload API and are not affected ## Best Practices * Cloudinary's free plan includes 25 credits/month covering storage, transformations, and bandwidth > **Terms Compliance** > > Your use of Cloudinary through Blober is subject to [Cloudinary's Terms of Service](https://cloudinary.com/tos). See our [Terms of Service](/kb/docs/terms-and-privacy/terms-of-service/) for details. ## External References * [Cloudinary Console](https://console.cloudinary.com/app) * [API Keys page](https://console.cloudinary.com/app/settings/api-keys) * [Cloudinary Documentation](https://cloudinary.com/documentation) * [Cloudinary Pricing](https://cloudinary.com/pricing) * [Migration guide](https://cloudinary.com/documentation/migration)