What is the best size for Shopify product images?

Shopify says 2048 x 2048 pixels usually displays best for square images. The largest it accepts is 5000 x 5000 pixels, or 25 megapixels, under 20 MB.

Do Shopify product images need to be square?

No. Shopify asks for one consistent aspect ratio across featured images, so collection pages line up. Square is the easiest to keep consistent; portrait works for tall products.

What file size should Shopify images be?

Shopify suggests no larger than 200 KB, with lower being better, but warns that compressing too much makes images blotchy. The hard upload limit is 20 MB.

Should I upload PNG or JPEG to Shopify?

Shopify lists PNG first, but for photos a JPEG is far smaller at the same size. Use JPEG for photos and PNG for logos and graphics. Shopify serves the best format to each browser on its own.

How many images can a Shopify product have?

Up to 250 images, 3D models or videos per product. The first one is the featured image shown on collection pages, so put your best photo there.

How do I crop an image that is already in Shopify?

Open it in the media editor, choose Crop and transform, then Square, Original or Freeform, and Apply. For many products, crop before uploading instead. See how to crop multiple photos at once.

How to crop product photos for Shopify: size, ratio and file size

Updated October 24, 2026 · 6 min read

Short answer

Pick one aspect ratio for every product's main image, a square is the easiest, crop each photo to it and scale to 2048 x 2048 pixels. Keep the file near 200 KB or less. Shopify accepts up to 5000 x 5000 pixels and 20 MB, but those are limits, not targets.

What Shopify asks for, in one table

Best size for square images
Shopify's figure
2048 x 2048 px
Largest size
Shopify's figure
5000 x 5000 px, or 25 megapixels
Upload limit
Shopify's figure
Smaller than 20 MB per image
File size to aim for
Shopify's figure
No larger than 200 KB, lower is better
Shape
Shopify's figure
One aspect ratio for all featured (main) images
File types
Shopify's figure
PNG, JPEG, TIFF, BMP, GIF, SVG, HEIC or WebP
Media per product
Shopify's figure
Up to 250 images, 3D models or videos
Alt text
Shopify's figure
About 125 characters or less

From the Shopify Help Center, checked 24 October 2026.
Rule	Shopify's figure
Best size for square images	2048 x 2048 px
Largest size	5000 x 5000 px, or 25 megapixels
Upload limit	Smaller than 20 MB per image
File size to aim for	No larger than 200 KB, lower is better
Shape	One aspect ratio for all featured (main) images
File types	PNG, JPEG, TIFF, BMP, GIF, SVG, HEIC or WebP
Media per product	Up to 250 images, 3D models or videos
Alt text	About 125 characters or less

Why one aspect ratio matters more than the size

Collection pages show the first image of each product side by side. Shopify says images with different shapes display at different sizes there, so the grid looks uneven. The fix is not a bigger file, it is the same shape for every main image. Many themes also crop images to a shape of their own, so a consistent ratio keeps you in control of what is cut.

Which ratio to choose

Square (1:1) is the safe default. It suits most products and matches Shopify's 2048 x 2048 advice.
Portrait (4:5 or 3:4) suits tall products such as clothing on a model, bottles or lamps.
Whatever you pick, use it for every main image. Mixing shapes is what breaks the grid.

A phone photo is usually 4:3, for example 4032 x 3024. A square crop keeps 3024 x 3024 and removes 25% of the width, a strip from each side. Frame the product in the middle with space around it so nothing important sits in those strips.

How to crop a photo for Shopify, step by step

01Decide your store's ratio once. Square unless your products are tall.
02Start from the original file, not a copy that was already shrunk.
03Crop to that ratio with the product centred. See how to crop a photo to a square.
04Scale to 2048 x 2048 px for a square. For portrait, keep the long side around 2048 px.
05Export a JPEG and check the size. At 2048 px a detailed photo can land over 200 KB; lower the quality a little before you shrink the picture.
06Upload, drag the best image to the first place, and add alt text.

PNG or JPEG for Shopify photos?

Shopify names PNG as the best file type for most product images, followed by JPEG. For photos, there is a catch: a 2048 x 2048 photo saved as PNG is usually several megabytes, far over Shopify's own 200 KB advice, while a JPEG of the same photo can come close to it. Use JPEG for photographs and PNG for logos, graphics and anything with flat colour or sharp text. You do not need to upload WebP: Shopify's image service picks the best format each browser supports and serves it automatically.

Crop inside Shopify with the media editor

If a photo is already uploaded, open it in the media editor and choose Crop and transform. Square locks a 1:1 crop, Original keeps the photo's own shape, and Freeform lets you set any shape. On a phone, saving a crop creates a new copy. This works for a single photo. For a whole catalogue it is quicker to crop before you upload, so every image gets the same pixel size in one go.

The first image, alt text and the rest of the gallery

The first image is the featured image. Shopify shows it on collection pages, the home page, the cart and the checkout. Drag your best photo there.
Add alt text to every image. Shopify recommends around 125 characters or less. Say what the product is and what this particular photo shows, so a screen reader user gets the same information.
Use the other slots for angles, close-ups, the product in use and each variant. Shopify allows up to 250 media per product, but a handful of good photos beats dozens of similar ones.
Theme sections like slideshows and image banners crop to their own shape. Those are separate from product images, so size them for the section.

Why Shopify photos look blurry or load slowly

Blurry: the original was small. Enlarging a 600 px photo to 2048 px cannot add detail. Start from the camera file.
Blurry: compressed too hard. Shopify warns that over-compressing makes images blotchy. If 200 KB costs too much quality, accept a little more.
Slow: files are too big. Shopify links larger images to slower pages. A 5 MB camera file uploads fine but weighs down the store. Resize and compress before you upload.
Uneven grid: mixed shapes. Crop every main image to the same ratio.

Crop a whole catalogue at once

SizeSpec has a Shopify preset: 2048 x 2048 JPEGs, cropped to fill, aimed at under 200 KB, made in your browser and downloaded in one ZIP. If a detailed photo will not reach 200 KB, it shrinks gently but never below 1200 px, and tells you which file is still over. Figures and sources are in the Shopify product image guide, and the method for any tool is in how to crop multiple photos at once.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best size for Shopify product images?: Shopify says 2048 x 2048 pixels usually displays best for square images. The largest it accepts is 5000 x 5000 pixels, or 25 megapixels, under 20 MB.
Do Shopify product images need to be square?: No. Shopify asks for one consistent aspect ratio across featured images, so collection pages line up. Square is the easiest to keep consistent; portrait works for tall products.
What file size should Shopify images be?: Shopify suggests no larger than 200 KB, with lower being better, but warns that compressing too much makes images blotchy. The hard upload limit is 20 MB.
Should I upload PNG or JPEG to Shopify?: Shopify lists PNG first, but for photos a JPEG is far smaller at the same size. Use JPEG for photos and PNG for logos and graphics. Shopify serves the best format to each browser on its own.
How many images can a Shopify product have?: Up to 250 images, 3D models or videos per product. The first one is the featured image shown on collection pages, so put your best photo there.
How do I crop an image that is already in Shopify?: Open it in the media editor, choose Crop and transform, then Square, Original or Freeform, and Apply. For many products, crop before uploading instead. See how to crop multiple photos at once.

Sources

Shopify Help Center: Product media types, checked October 24, 2026.
Shopify Help Center: Taking product photographs, checked October 24, 2026.
Shopify Help Center: Adding product media, checked October 24, 2026.
Shopify Help Center: Using the media editor, checked October 24, 2026.

Rules change. Check the source before relying on a figure.

Selling online? Do a whole batch at once

SizeSpec crops and resizes a batch of product photos to the size Shopify asks for and gives you one ZIP. It crops from the centre or pads the image on white, and it works in your browser, so your files are never uploaded. It does not offer free-hand cropping of a single picture.

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