diff --git a/Gemfile b/Gemfile
index 63197b66b..318bdb9bb 100644
--- a/Gemfile
+++ b/Gemfile
@@ -55,6 +55,7 @@ gem 'deface', '~> 1.0'
 gem 'nokogiri' # HTML/XML parser
 gem 'sneaky-save', git: 'git://github.com/einzige/sneaky-save.git'
 gem 'rails_autolink', '~> 1.1', '>= 1.1.6'
+gem 'delayed_paperclip'
 
 gem 'paperclip', '~> 4.3' # File attachment, image attachment library
 gem 'aws-sdk', '~> 2.2.8'
diff --git a/Gemfile.lock b/Gemfile.lock
index 7704ec058..041f92eb0 100644
--- a/Gemfile.lock
+++ b/Gemfile.lock
@@ -120,6 +120,9 @@ GEM
     delayed_job_active_record (4.1.0)
       activerecord (>= 3.0, < 5)
       delayed_job (>= 3.0, < 5)
+    delayed_paperclip (3.0.1)
+      activejob (>= 4.2)
+      paperclip (>= 3.3)
     devise (3.5.6)
       bcrypt (~> 3.0)
       orm_adapter (~> 0.1)
@@ -246,6 +249,8 @@ GEM
     rainbow (2.1.0)
     rake (11.2.2)
     rdoc (4.2.0)
+    recaptcha (4.0.0)
+      json
     remotipart (1.2.1)
     responders (2.2.0)
       railties (>= 4.2.0, < 5.1)
@@ -352,6 +357,7 @@ DEPENDENCIES
   commit_param_routing
   deface (~> 1.0)
   delayed_job_active_record
+  delayed_paperclip
   devise (= 3.5.6)
   devise-async
   devise_invitable
@@ -379,6 +385,7 @@ DEPENDENCIES
   rails (= 4.2.5)
   rails_12factor
   rails_autolink (~> 1.1, >= 1.1.6)
+  recaptcha
   remotipart (~> 1.2)
   rgl
   roo (~> 2.1.0)
diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/my_modules/results.js.erb b/app/assets/javascripts/my_modules/results.js.erb
index f5d0e824f..114244e38 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/my_modules/results.js.erb
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/my_modules/results.js.erb
@@ -149,8 +149,8 @@ var ResultTypeEnum = Object.freeze({
   COMMENT: 3
 });
 
-function processResult(ev, resultTypeEnum, editMode, forS3) {
-  forS3 = (typeof forS3 !== 'undefined') ? forS3 : false;
+function processResult(ev, resultTypeEnum, editMode) {
+
   var $form = $(ev.target.form);
   $form.clearFormErrors();
 
@@ -164,14 +164,9 @@ function processResult(ev, resultTypeEnum, editMode, forS3) {
         editMode);
 
       if(nameValid && filesValid) {
-        if(forS3) {
-          // Redirects file uploading to S3
-          var url = '/asset_signature.json';
-          directUpload(ev, url);
-        } else {
-          // Local file uploading
-          animateSpinner();
-        }
+        // Local file uploading
+        animateSpinner();
+
       }
       break;
     case ResultTypeEnum.TABLE:
diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/protocols/steps.js.erb b/app/assets/javascripts/protocols/steps.js.erb
index 9dbb8b598..96352b6d7 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/protocols/steps.js.erb
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/protocols/steps.js.erb
@@ -495,7 +495,7 @@ $("[data-action='new-step']").on("ajax:success", function(e, data) {
 // Needed because server-side validation failure clears locations of
 // files to be uploaded and checklist's items etc. Also user
 // experience is improved
-function processStep(ev, editMode, forS3) {
+function processStep(ev, editMode) {
   var $form = $(ev.target.form);
   $form.clearFormErrors();
   $form.removeBlankExcelTables(editMode);
@@ -513,14 +513,8 @@ function processStep(ev, editMode, forS3) {
     <%= Constants::TEXT_MAX_LENGTH %>);
 
   if (filesValid && checklistsValid && nameValid && descriptionValid) {
-    if (forS3) {
-      // Redirects file uploading to S3
-      var url = '/asset_signature.json';
-      directUpload(ev, url);
-    } else {
-      // Local file uploading
-      animateSpinner();
-    }
+    // Local file uploading
+    animateSpinner();
   }
 }
 
diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/users/registrations/edit.js b/app/assets/javascripts/users/registrations/edit.js
index 69db00151..28adf7ca9 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/users/registrations/edit.js
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/users/registrations/edit.js
@@ -63,19 +63,13 @@ forms
   $(this).renderFormErrors("user", data.responseJSON);
 });
 
-function processFile(ev, forS3) {
+function processFile(ev) {
   var $form = $(ev.target.form);
   $form.clearFormErrors();
 
   var $fileInput = $form.find("input[type=file]");
   if(filesValidator(ev, $fileInput, FileTypeEnum.AVATAR)) {
-    if(forS3) {
-      // Redirects file uploading to S3
-      var url = "/avatar_signature.json";
-      directUpload(ev, url, true);
-    } else {
-      // Local file uploading
-      animateSpinner();
-    }
+    // Local file uploading
+    animateSpinner();
   }
 }
diff --git a/app/controllers/assets_controller.rb b/app/controllers/assets_controller.rb
index a81b6b03b..51efe466c 100644
--- a/app/controllers/assets_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/assets_controller.rb
@@ -48,7 +48,11 @@ class AssetsController < ApplicationController
 
   def preview
     if @asset.is_image?
-      redirect_to @asset.url(:medium), status: 307
+      if @asset.file_content_type.include? %w(images/bmp images/tiff)
+        redirect_to @asset.url(:web_friendly), status: 307
+      else
+        redirect_to @asset.url(:medium), status: 307
+      end
     else
       render_400
     end
@@ -129,7 +133,7 @@ class AssetsController < ApplicationController
         posts.push({
           url: s3_post.url,
           fields: s3_post.fields,
-          style_option: option,
+          style_option: option.is_a?(Array) ? option[0] : option,
           mime_type: asset.file_content_type
         })
       end
diff --git a/app/controllers/my_modules_controller.rb b/app/controllers/my_modules_controller.rb
index a222066b4..1a57f06a6 100644
--- a/app/controllers/my_modules_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/my_modules_controller.rb
@@ -334,7 +334,6 @@ class MyModulesController < ApplicationController
   private
 
   def load_vars
-    @direct_upload = ENV['PAPERCLIP_DIRECT_UPLOAD'] == "true"
     @my_module = MyModule.find_by_id(params[:id])
     if @my_module
       @experiment = @my_module.experiment
diff --git a/app/controllers/result_assets_controller.rb b/app/controllers/result_assets_controller.rb
index 80adafce1..29b90d316 100644
--- a/app/controllers/result_assets_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/result_assets_controller.rb
@@ -3,7 +3,6 @@ class ResultAssetsController < ApplicationController
 
   before_action :load_vars, only: [:edit, :update, :download]
   before_action :load_vars_nested, only: [:new, :create]
-  before_action :load_paperclip_vars
 
   before_action :check_create_permissions, only: [:new, :create]
   before_action :check_edit_permissions, only: [:edit, :update]
@@ -18,16 +17,11 @@ class ResultAssetsController < ApplicationController
     )
 
     respond_to do |format|
-      format.json {
+      format.json do
         render json: {
-          html: render_to_string({
-            partial: "new.html.erb",
-            locals: {
-              direct_upload: @direct_upload
-            }
-          })
+          html: render_to_string(partial: 'new.html.erb')
         }, status: :ok
-      }
+      end
     end
   end
 
@@ -87,16 +81,11 @@ class ResultAssetsController < ApplicationController
 
   def edit
     respond_to do |format|
-      format.json {
+      format.json do
         render json: {
-          html: render_to_string({
-            partial: "edit.html.erb",
-            locals: {
-              direct_upload: @direct_upload
-            }
-          })
+          html: render_to_string(partial: 'edit.html.erb')
         }, status: :ok
-      }
+      end
     end
   end
 
@@ -188,10 +177,6 @@ class ResultAssetsController < ApplicationController
 
   private
 
-  def load_paperclip_vars
-    @direct_upload = ENV['PAPERCLIP_DIRECT_UPLOAD'] == "true"
-  end
-
   def load_vars
     @result_asset = ResultAsset.find_by_id(params[:id])
 
diff --git a/app/controllers/steps_controller.rb b/app/controllers/steps_controller.rb
index b0d46a564..21a4b6f38 100644
--- a/app/controllers/steps_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/steps_controller.rb
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 class StepsController < ApplicationController
   before_action :load_vars, only: [:edit, :update, :destroy, :show]
   before_action :load_vars_nested, only: [:new, :create]
-  before_action :load_paperclip_vars
   before_action :convert_table_contents_to_utf8, only: [:create, :update]
 
   before_action :check_view_permissions, only: [:show]
@@ -15,41 +14,16 @@ class StepsController < ApplicationController
     @step = Step.new
 
     respond_to do |format|
-      format.json {
+      format.json do
         render json: {
-          html: render_to_string({
-            partial: "new.html.erb",
-            locals: {
-              direct_upload: @direct_upload
-            }
-          })
+          html: render_to_string(partial: 'new.html.erb')
         }
-      }
+      end
     end
   end
 
   def create
-    if @direct_upload
-      new_assets = []
-      step_data = step_params.except(:assets_attributes)
-      step_assets = step_params.slice(:assets_attributes)
-      @step = Step.new(step_data)
-
-      unless step_assets[:assets_attributes].nil?
-        step_assets[:assets_attributes].each do |_i, data|
-          # Ignore destroy requests on create
-          next if data[:_destroy].present?
-
-          asset = Asset.new(data)
-          asset.created_by = current_user
-          asset.last_modified_by = current_user
-          new_assets << asset
-        end
-      end
-      @step.assets << new_assets
-    else
-      @step = Step.new(step_params)
-    end
+    @step = Step.new(step_params)
 
     @step.completed = false
     @step.position = @protocol.number_of_steps
@@ -107,12 +81,7 @@ class StepsController < ApplicationController
 
         format.json {
           render json: {
-            html: render_to_string({
-              partial: "new.html.erb",
-              locals: {
-                direct_upload: @direct_upload
-              }
-            })
+            html: render_to_string(partial: 'new.html.erb')
           }, status: :bad_request
         }
       end
@@ -121,26 +90,26 @@ class StepsController < ApplicationController
 
   def show
     respond_to do |format|
-      format.json {
+      format.json do
         render json: {
-          html: render_to_string({
-            partial: "steps/step.html.erb", locals: {step: @step}
-          })}, status: :ok
-      }
+          html: render_to_string(
+            partial: 'steps/step.html.erb',
+                     locals: { step: @step }
+          )
+        },
+        status: :ok
+      end
     end
   end
 
   def edit
     respond_to do |format|
-      format.json {
+      format.json do
         render json: {
-          html: render_to_string({
-            partial: "edit.html.erb",
-            locals: {
-              direct_upload: @direct_upload
-            }
-          })}, status: :ok
-      }
+          html: render_to_string(partial: 'edit.html.erb')
+        },
+        status: :ok
+      end
     end
   end
 
@@ -155,23 +124,6 @@ class StepsController < ApplicationController
       # NOTE - step_params_all variable is updated
       destroy_attributes(step_params_all)
 
-      if @direct_upload
-        step_data = step_params_all.except(:assets_attributes)
-        step_assets = step_params_all.slice(:assets_attributes)
-        step_params_all = step_data
-
-        if step_assets.include? :assets_attributes
-          step_assets[:assets_attributes].each do |i, data|
-            asset = Asset.new(data)
-            unless @step.assets.include? asset or not asset
-              asset.created_by = current_user
-              asset.last_modified_by = current_user
-              @step.assets << asset
-            end
-          end
-        end
-      end
-
       @step.assign_attributes(step_params_all)
       @step.last_modified_by = current_user
 
@@ -566,10 +518,6 @@ class StepsController < ApplicationController
     end
   end
 
-  def load_paperclip_vars
-    @direct_upload = ENV['PAPERCLIP_DIRECT_UPLOAD'] == "true"
-  end
-
   def load_vars
     @step = Step.find_by_id(params[:id])
     @protocol = @step.protocol
diff --git a/app/controllers/users/registrations_controller.rb b/app/controllers/users/registrations_controller.rb
index 11d35d4ea..388267a4b 100644
--- a/app/controllers/users/registrations_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/users/registrations_controller.rb
@@ -1,5 +1,4 @@
 class Users::RegistrationsController < Devise::RegistrationsController
-  before_action :load_paperclip_vars
   prepend_before_action :check_captcha, only: [:create]
 
   def avatar
@@ -43,15 +42,6 @@ class Users::RegistrationsController < Devise::RegistrationsController
   def update_resource(resource, params)
     @user_avatar_url = avatar_path(current_user, :thumb)
 
-    if @direct_upload
-      if params.include? :avatar_file_name
-        file_name = params[:avatar_file_name]
-        file_ext = file_name.split(".").last
-        params[:avatar_content_type] = Rack::Mime.mime_type(".#{file_ext}")
-        resource.avatar.destroy
-      end
-    end
-
     if params.include? :change_password
       # Special handling if changing password
       params.delete(:change_password)
@@ -169,10 +159,6 @@ class Users::RegistrationsController < Devise::RegistrationsController
 
   protected
 
-  def load_paperclip_vars
-    @direct_upload = ENV['PAPERCLIP_DIRECT_UPLOAD'] == "true"
-  end
-
   # Called upon creating User (before .save). Permits parameters and extracts
   # initials from :full_name (takes at most 4 chars). If :full_name is empty, it
   # uses "PLCH" as a placeholder (user won't get error complaining about
diff --git a/app/models/asset.rb b/app/models/asset.rb
index ad2832c56..80cee0ec4 100644
--- a/app/models/asset.rb
+++ b/app/models/asset.rb
@@ -6,7 +6,8 @@ class Asset < ActiveRecord::Base
   require 'tempfile'
 
   # Paperclip validation
-  has_attached_file :file, styles: { medium: Constants::MEDIUM_PIC_FORMAT }
+  has_attached_file :file,
+                    styles: { medium: [Constants::MEDIUM_PIC_FORMAT, :jpg] }
 
   validates_attachment :file,
                        presence: true,
@@ -20,6 +21,7 @@ class Asset < ActiveRecord::Base
   do_not_validate_attachment_file_type :file
 
   before_file_post_process :is_image?
+  process_in_background :file
 
   # Asset validation
   # This could cause some problems if you create empty asset and want to
diff --git a/app/views/my_modules/results.html.erb b/app/views/my_modules/results.html.erb
index 6afe560a2..13439cbfc 100644
--- a/app/views/my_modules/results.html.erb
+++ b/app/views/my_modules/results.html.erb
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@
   data-module-protocols-step-text="<%=t 'tutorial.module_results_html' %>"
   data-module-protocols-click-samples-step-text="<%=t 'tutorial.module_results_click_samples_html' %>">
 <% ordered_result_of(@my_module).each do |result| %>
-  <%= render partial: "result", locals: {result: result, direct_upload: @direct_upload} %>
+  <%= render partial: "result", locals: { result: result } %>
 <% end %>
 </div>
 
diff --git a/app/views/result_assets/_edit.html.erb b/app/views/result_assets/_edit.html.erb
index b1bf833fd..4735a89e4 100644
--- a/app/views/result_assets/_edit.html.erb
+++ b/app/views/result_assets/_edit.html.erb
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
       <%= ff.file_field :file %>
     <% end %>
     <hr>
-    <%= f.submit t("result_assets.edit.update"), class: 'btn btn-primary save-result', onclick: "processResult(event, ResultTypeEnum.FILE, true, #{direct_upload});" %>
+    <%= f.submit t("result_assets.edit.update"), class: 'btn btn-primary save-result', onclick: "processResult(event, ResultTypeEnum.FILE, true);" %>
     <button type="button" class="btn btn-default cancel-edit">
       <%= t("general.cancel")%>
     </button>
diff --git a/app/views/result_assets/_new.html.erb b/app/views/result_assets/_new.html.erb
index e96a8190f..d938ac740 100644
--- a/app/views/result_assets/_new.html.erb
+++ b/app/views/result_assets/_new.html.erb
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
     <%= f.fields_for :asset do |ff| %>
       <%= ff.file_field :file %>
     <% end %>
-    <%= f.submit t("result_assets.new.create"), class: 'btn btn-primary save-result', onclick: "processResult(event, ResultTypeEnum.FILE, false, #{direct_upload});" %>
+    <%= f.submit t("result_assets.new.create"), class: 'btn btn-primary save-result', onclick: "processResult(event, ResultTypeEnum.FILE, false);" %>
     <button type="button" class="btn btn-default cancel-new">
       <%= t("general.cancel")%>
     </button>
diff --git a/app/views/steps/_edit.html.erb b/app/views/steps/_edit.html.erb
index e84b24b04..b22b003a7 100644
--- a/app/views/steps/_edit.html.erb
+++ b/app/views/steps/_edit.html.erb
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
     <hr>
     <%= render partial: "empty_step.html.erb", locals: {step: @step, f: f} %>
     <hr>
-    <%= f.submit t("protocols.steps.edit.edit_step"), class: 'btn btn-primary step-save', onclick: "processStep(event, true, #{direct_upload});" %>
+    <%= f.submit t("protocols.steps.edit.edit_step"), class: 'btn btn-primary step-save', onclick: "processStep(event, true);" %>
     <a type="button" data-action="cancel-edit" class="btn btn-default" href="<%= step_path(id: @step, format: :json) %>"  data-remote="true">
       <%= t("general.cancel")%>
     </a>
diff --git a/app/views/steps/_new.html.erb b/app/views/steps/_new.html.erb
index 5b88dc305..c6803582e 100644
--- a/app/views/steps/_new.html.erb
+++ b/app/views/steps/_new.html.erb
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
     <hr>
     <%= render partial: "empty_step.html.erb", locals: {step: @step, f: f} %>
     <hr>
-    <%= f.submit t("protocols.steps.new.add_step"), class: 'btn btn-primary step-save', onclick: "processStep(event, false, #{direct_upload});" %>
+    <%= f.submit t("protocols.steps.new.add_step"), class: 'btn btn-primary step-save', onclick: "processStep(event, false);" %>
     <button type="button" data-action="cancel-new" class="btn btn-default">
       <%= t("general.cancel")%>
     </button>
diff --git a/app/views/users/registrations/edit.html.erb b/app/views/users/registrations/edit.html.erb
index 975586017..af6020987 100644
--- a/app/views/users/registrations/edit.html.erb
+++ b/app/views/users/registrations/edit.html.erb
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@
           </div>
           <div>
             <a href="#" class="btn btn-default" data-action="cancel"><%=t "general.cancel" %></a>
-            <%= f.submit t("users.registrations.edit.avatar_submit"), class: 'btn btn-primary', onclick: "processFile(event, #{@direct_upload});" %>
+            <%= f.submit t("users.registrations.edit.avatar_submit"), class: 'btn btn-primary', onclick: "processFile(event);" %>
           </div>
         </div>
       </div>
diff --git a/config/initializers/constants.rb b/config/initializers/constants.rb
index f0857307b..c967bdb3e 100644
--- a/config/initializers/constants.rb
+++ b/config/initializers/constants.rb
@@ -202,7 +202,7 @@ class Constants
   ].freeze
 
   WHITELISTED_IMAGE_TYPES = [
-    'gif', 'jpeg', 'pjpeg', 'png', 'x-png', 'svg+xml', 'bmp'
+    'gif', 'jpeg', 'pjpeg', 'png', 'x-png', 'svg+xml', 'bmp', 'tiff'
   ].freeze
 
   # Very basic regex to check for validity of emails