Product image requirements by marketplace
Last reviewed 2026-09-17. Every competitor figure links to the vendor's own page.
Marketplaces each set their own image rules, and the limits that matter most are maximum dimensions, file size, and whether a plain background is required on the primary image. Shopify accepts up to 5000 x 5000 px under 20 MB and recommends 2048 x 2048 px for square product photos.
Requirements by marketplace
| Marketplace | Recommended | Maximum | Max file size |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shopify | 2048 x 2048 px square [source] | 5000 x 5000 px (25 MP) [source] | Under 20 MB [source] |
| Amazon | Not verified — check docs | Not verified — check docs | Not verified — check docs |
| Etsy | Not verified — check docs | Not verified — check docs | Not verified — check docs |
Formats and background rules
| Marketplace | Accepted formats | Background rule |
|---|---|---|
| Shopify | PNG, JPEG, WebP, GIF, SVG, HEIC, TIFF, BMP, PSD [source] | Not mandated; consistent aspect ratio advised [source] |
| Amazon | Not verified — check docs | Not verified — check docs |
| Etsy | Not verified — check docs | Not verified — check docs |
A workflow that satisfies every marketplace
- Shoot or source at the highest resolution you can. It is always possible to scale down to a marketplace limit, and never possible to genuinely recover detail scaling up.
- Remove the background once and keep the result as a transparent PNG master. This is the version you archive.
- Export a white-background JPEG from that master for marketplaces requiring a plain primary image, and keep the PNG for your own site, ads and lifestyle composites.
- Check the resulting pixel dimensions against the destination's minimum before uploading. Zoom features usually carry the highest requirement on the page.
- If a file falls short of a minimum, upscale the cutout rather than the original, so the transparent edges stay clean.
Why one master file saves rework
Marketplaces change image policies, and catalogues get re-listed on new channels. Keeping a transparent master means a policy change is a re-export rather than a re-shoot. Flattening early is the decision most often regretted, because a cutout composited onto white cannot be cleanly separated again.
Frequently asked questions
What size should product photos be?
Shopify recommends 2048 x 2048 px for square product images and accepts up to 5000 x 5000 px. As a general rule, 2000 px on the longest side satisfies most marketplaces and leaves enough resolution for zoom, which is usually the feature with the highest minimum.
Do product photos need a white background?
It depends on the marketplace and the image slot. Shopify does not mandate a background colour and instead advises a consistent aspect ratio across featured images. Several marketplaces do require a plain white primary image, so check your specific platform's current policy before bulk-editing a catalogue.
Should I use a transparent or white background?
Use transparent PNG as your master, then flatten to white when a marketplace requires it. Working the other way around is lossy: once a cutout is flattened onto white you cannot cleanly recover the transparency, so keep the PNG and export white copies from it.
What file format should product images be?
JPEG for flattened photographs on a solid background, since it is small and universally accepted. PNG when you need transparency. Shopify additionally accepts WebP, GIF, SVG, HEIC, TIFF, BMP and PSD.
Why are some specs on this page marked not verified?
We publish a marketplace figure only when we have read it in that marketplace's own documentation. Amazon's image help requires a Seller Central login and Etsy's help centre blocks automated access, so those rows link to the official docs instead of repeating numbers from third-party blog posts, which is how stale specs spread.