Product Image Sizes and Ratios for Online Stores

Pixel size, ratio and file size are three different things

Pixel size is how many dots wide and tall the image is, such as 2048 by 2048. Aspect ratio is the shape, written as width to height: 1:1 is square, 4:5 is slightly tall, 4:3 is slightly wide. File size is how heavy the file is in megabytes, which depends on the format and compression as much as on the pixels.

AI image apps mostly let you control the shape. You say 'aspect ratio 1:1' or 'aspect ratio 4:5' in the prompt, and the app picks the pixel size. If a store wants a minimum width the app output does not reach, you may need to upscale or export at a higher size. If the file is too heavy, saving as JPEG at good quality usually brings it down. Our aspect ratio guide explains ratios in more detail for social posts.

Quick reference table

These are the figures we found on each platform's own help page. Read the notes below the table before relying on them.

Shopify and your own online store

Shopify's help page on product media says product images can be up to 5000 by 5000 pixels or 25 megapixels and must be smaller than 20 MB. For square images it says a size of 2048 by 2048 pixels usually displays best. It lists PNG as the best file type for most product images, followed by JPEG, and also accepts formats such as WebP and HEIC.

The same page advises using a consistent aspect ratio for featured images so they display at the same size on collection pages. This is the most useful rule for AI editing. Pick one ratio, usually 1:1, and add it to every prompt so your grid looks tidy. A mix of square, tall and wide images makes a shop look careless even when each photo is good.

If you run a store on another platform or your own website, the theme decides how images are cropped. Open your theme's product page on a phone, take a screenshot, and see what shape the main image box is. Then ask the AI for that shape.

Etsy

Etsy's help article on adding photos recommends listing photos with a width and height of at least 2000 pixels. It says the first listing photo should be at least 635 pixels in width and height to avoid ranking lower in search, and that the first photo should be horizontal (landscape) or square. It also warns that images larger than 1 MB may not finish uploading, especially on slower connections, and lists JPG, GIF, PNG, SVG and HEIC as accepted file types, without animated GIFs or transparent PNGs.

For an AI prompt, this means asking for 4:3 or 1:1 for the first image, and leaving some space around the product so a thumbnail crop does not cut it. For handmade items, our handmade craft prompts are written with these shapes in mind. Save the final file as a JPEG so it stays under the upload weight Etsy mentions.

eBay

eBay's picture policy says photos must be at least 500 pixels on the longest side and that listings need at least one photo of that size. The same policy prohibits added borders, added text, artwork or marketing material, and watermarks of any type, including ones used for ownership. Photos must accurately show the item, and stock photos are not allowed for used, damaged or defective items.

A 1:1 or 4:3 image at 1000 pixels or more clears the minimum with room to spare. Add 'no added text, no watermark, no border' to every prompt for eBay images, because some apps add a frame or caption when you ask for a 'listing photo'.

Google Merchant Center and Shopping ads

Google's image_link help page says product images should be at least 500 by 500 pixels, and recommends around 1500 by 1500 pixels or above for best performance. Files must be no larger than 16 MB and no more than 64 megapixels. Accepted formats include JPEG, WebP, PNG, GIF, BMP and TIFF, and the file extension must match the real format.

The page also lists what to avoid: stock photo watermarks, copyright symbols, graphic stamps, promotional text, calls to action, barcodes, post-production logos and borders. The main image should give an unobstructed, clean view of the item for sale. If you sync your shop to Google, your main image therefore needs to be plain. Keep styled and text-based images for other uses.

Facebook and Instagram

Meta's ads guide for Facebook Feed image ads gives a 4:5 aspect ratio, a recommended resolution of 1440 by 1800 pixels, a minimum width of 600 pixels, JPG or PNG files and a maximum file size of 30 MB. For ads, ask the AI for 4:5 and leave clear space at the top or bottom if you plan to add your own offer text later.

Instagram's help page on image resolution says Instagram keeps photos up to 1080 pixels wide and supports ratios from 1.91:1 to 3:4. Photos outside that range are cropped. A 4:5 product photo fits inside the range and takes more screen height than a square. Our lifestyle product prompts and festive sale prompts default to 4:5 for this reason.

Amazon, Shopee, Lazada, Daraz, Tokopedia and other marketplaces

Many sellers in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines list on Amazon, Flipkart, Meesho, Daraz, Shopee, Lazada or Tokopedia. Each publishes its own image rules inside its seller centre, often behind a login, and the figures differ by country site and category. We could not reach those pages while writing this guide, so we do not quote numbers for them.

General advice that holds across most of them: use a square image, make it large enough for zoom (well above the minimums listed above), put the product on a plain white or light background for the first image, and keep text, logos and watermarks off it. Then open your seller centre's image guidelines page for your category and check it before you upload a full catalogue. Our marketplace photo rules guide covers what main images usually need.

How to add size and ratio to a prompt

1. Pick the platform the image is for. If it is for several, make one version per shape rather than cropping one image.
2. End the prompt with the ratio, for example "Aspect ratio 1:1" for store listings or "Aspect ratio 4:5" for feed ads.
3. Add a framing line: "product centred, filling most of the frame with a small even margin". Margins protect the product from thumbnail crops.
4. Check the pixel size of the result in your phone gallery details. If it is below the store minimum, export at a larger size or regenerate.
5. Save as JPEG for upload unless the store prefers PNG, and check the file weight against the limit.

Results vary between attempts, and some apps ignore the ratio the first time. If the shape is wrong, start the next prompt with the ratio instead of ending with it. For the main image itself, try our white background prompts or the shoe and bag prompts.