Shopify product photo sizes, ratios and consistency

Shopify recommends square product images at 2048 x 2048 pixels, and accepts images up to 5000 x 5000 pixels or 25 megapixels, with files under 20 MB. Use one aspect ratio across every product so collection grids line up, upload high-quality JPEG or PNG, and add alt text of 125 characters or fewer.

What size should Shopify product images be?

Shopify's help centre recommends 2048 x 2048 pixels for square product images. That is large enough for zoom and high-density screens, and Shopify automatically generates smaller versions for different parts of your theme.

Spec	Shopify guidance	What we deliver
Recommended size	2048 x 2048 px for square images	2048 x 2048 px, or matching portrait size
Maximum dimensions	Up to 5000 x 5000 px, or 25 megapixels	Within limits
Maximum file size	Under 20 MB	Typically well under
Best formats	PNG, followed by JPEG	High-quality JPEG, PNG where transparency is needed
Other accepted formats	TIFF, BMP, GIF, SVG, HEIC, WebP (animated GIF and WebP supported)	On request
Media per product	Up to 250 items	5 to 8 images plus video where useful
Video	.mp4, .mov or .webm, up to 10 minutes, 1 GB, 4K	1:1 or 4:5 loops

Very small images, for example 800 pixels wide, may look soft when shoppers zoom or view on high-resolution phones. Uploading larger files and letting Shopify resize them is the better approach.

Square or portrait: which ratio is best for Shopify?

Square (1:1) is the safest choice for most stores, and it matches Shopify's recommended size. Portrait ratios such as 4:5 or 3:4 suit fashion, abayas and tall products, because they use more of a phone screen and show garments at full length.

Ratio	Best for	Watch out for
1:1 square	Most products, mixed catalogues, marketplace reuse	Tall items look small
4:5 portrait	Fashion, beauty, Instagram-style stores	Needs the same crop on every product
3:4 portrait	Abayas, dresses, tall bottles	Less common across marketplaces
16:9 landscape	Banners and lifestyle sections, not product grids	Product appears small on mobile

If you also sell on Amazon.ae or Noon, square masters are easiest to reuse; see our guides to Amazon.ae image requirements and Noon image guidelines. For fashion, many brands shoot portrait for their own store and export square crops for marketplaces.

How do Shopify themes crop product images?

It depends on the theme and its settings. Collection pages show product images side by side, and Shopify's help centre advises using one consistent height-to-width ratio for all featured images so they appear the same size. Its theme images guidance also notes that inconsistent aspect ratios can cause misaligned collection pages on mobile.

Many themes include product card or media settings that either keep the original shape of your images or crop them to a fixed shape. Option names differ between themes, so check Theme settings in your theme editor or the theme's own documentation. Two practical rules:

• Leave space around the product. If the theme crops to square or portrait, a product shot tight to the edges can be cut off.
• Check the mobile view. Many shoppers browse on phones, so preview the collection grid on a phone before uploading a full range.

Which file format should you upload: JPEG, PNG or WebP?

Upload high-quality JPEG or PNG. Shopify's help centre lists PNG first and JPEG second as the best formats, and says Shopify automatically serves the best format each shopper's browser supports. That means you do not need to convert files to WebP yourself; WebP uploads are accepted, but they are not required for speed.

• JPEG for photographs on white or lifestyle backgrounds; small files, good quality.
• PNG where you need transparency, such as a product cut-out on a coloured theme background.
• sRGB colour. Export in sRGB so colours look the same across browsers.
• Sensible file sizes. Stay well under the 20 MB limit; very large files slow down your admin, even if Shopify optimises delivery.

How should you write alt text for Shopify product images?

Describe what each image shows, in plain language. Shopify's help centre says alt text can be up to 512 characters but recommends 125 or fewer. Alt text is read by screen readers and shown when an image fails to load, and Shopify suggests using keywords from the page where the image appears.

Image	Weak alt text	Better alt text
Main image	image1	Black crepe abaya with pearl cuffs, front view
Detail	close up	Pearl beading on the cuff of a black crepe abaya
Lifestyle	model	Model wearing a black crepe abaya with a grey shayla
Variant	blue	Navy leather tote bag, side view

Avoid stuffing keywords or repeating the same text on every image. Shopify lets you add alt text from each media item's preview in the admin, or in bulk with a CSV file.

How do you keep a Shopify catalogue consistent?

Fix the rules before the shoot, then apply them to every product. Consistency is what makes a Shopify store look professional, and it is much easier to achieve in one batch than across several shoots.

1. Pick one ratio for all product images, and one for lifestyle sections.
2. Fix the framing. The same margins and product size in frame for every SKU.
3. Fix the background. Pure white, light grey or one brand colour, never a mix.
4. Keep lighting identical across colour variants, so swatches match.
5. Use the same image order: main, angles, detail, lifestyle, scale.
6. Name files clearly, such as brand-product-colour-view.jpg, before upload.

Our ecommerce photography starts at AED 1,800 for up to 20 products on white, and Signature is AED 3,200 for up to 40 products on white and styled backgrounds with detail close-ups, both excl. 5% VAT and exported to Shopify spec. For image counts, see how many images a product listing needs. Compare tiers on our packages page, try a free edit, or request a quote.