Google Merchant Center's main product image must be a clean, unobstructed view of the item: at least 500 x 500 pixels (from 31 January 2027), no more than 16 MB, with no watermarks, logos added in editing, promotional text or placeholders. Google recommends about 1500 x 1500 pixels. Extra angles go in additional images. Read on 15 October 2026.
This post is about Google Merchant Center fashion images for sellers who list on Google Shopping from India or elsewhere. We read Google's own image requirements page on 15 October 2026. We did not test how Google treats AI-generated fashion photos in review, so we say nothing about that beyond what the page states.
Google Merchant Center image requirements: what the page says
| Rule | What Google's page says | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Formats | JPEG, WebP, PNG, GIF, BMP and TIFF. The file extension must match the real format. | Official |
| Minimum size | At least 500 x 500 pixels for all products, applying from 31 January 2027. | Official |
| Recommended size | About 1500 x 1500 pixels or larger. | Official |
| Maximum size | No more than 64 megapixels and no file larger than 16 MB. | Official |
| Apparel-specific size | The page gives no separate minimum for apparel. | Official (absence) |
| Main image content | An unobstructed, clean view of the item for sale. | Official |
| Not allowed on the image | Calls to action, price or shipping details, promotional adjectives, barcodes, watermarks, and logos added in post-production unless physically part of the product. | Official |
| Placeholders | Not allowed: text such as Coming soon, store logos used instead of the product, shared stand-in images, mockups that do not show the real product. | Official |
| Framing | The product should fill roughly 75 to 90 percent of the image. | Official |
| Other angles | Go in the additional image field. No numeric limit is stated on the page. | Official |
What the page does not say about fashion
- It gives no rule that the main image must be on a white background. It does not set a background rule at all, only that the view is clean and unobstructed.
- It does not say whether a model must or must not be in the picture for apparel.
- It does not give a ratio. It names pixel minimums, not a shape.
Sellers often repeat extra rules, such as white backgrounds for clothing or a required ratio. Those may come from Google's separate apparel or category policies, from a marketplace, or from experience. We did not find them on the image requirements page, so treat them as seller-reported and check Google's current policy for your category.
How to prepare Google Merchant Center fashion images from Vastralook
- Make the main image a clean view
Choose a style with a plain or simple setting and a full view of the garment. Avoid styles with props that cover the garment.
- Pick a size well above the minimum
Order at 2K or 4K and check the pixel size of the downloaded file. Google recommends about 1500 x 1500 pixels or larger, and the minimum is 500 x 500.
- Choose a shape that suits the product
Vastralook offers 3:4, 4:5, 1:1, 9:16 and 16:9. Google's page names no ratio, so pick the one that frames the garment well; 1:1 is the closest to the pixel figures Google quotes.
- Download with Export shot, not Export with logo
Keep the main image free of added logos and text. Use the logo exports for social posts.
- Add the other angles as additional images
Back view, side view and a close-up of the work all belong in the additional image field.
- Check the file
Confirm the extension matches the format, the file is under 16 MB, and the garment fills most of the frame.
Google Merchant Center fashion images checklist
- At least 500 x 500 pixels, and ideally about 1500 x 1500 or larger.
- Under 16 MB and 64 megapixels.
- JPEG, PNG or WebP with the right extension.
- No text, price, watermark, border or logo added after the photo was taken.
- A real picture of the product, not a placeholder.
- Garment fills roughly 75 to 90 percent of the frame.
- Back, side and detail views set as additional images.
What size should Google Merchant Center fashion images be?
Google's page sets a minimum of 500 x 500 pixels for all products from 31 January 2027 and recommends about 1500 x 1500 or larger. The file must be under 16 MB and 64 megapixels.
Does Google Merchant Center need a white background for clothing?
Google's image requirements page does not set a background rule. It asks for a clean, unobstructed view of the item. Check Google's category policies for anything stricter.
Can I put my logo on a Google Shopping image?
Not on the main image. Google's page lists logos added in post-production as not allowed unless they are physically part of the product.
Can I use AI model photos in Google Merchant Center?
Google's image requirements page does not mention AI-generated images. It requires a clean, real depiction of the item, so check that the picture matches your garment and read Google's current policies.
Which file formats does Merchant Center accept?
JPEG, WebP, PNG, GIF, BMP and TIFF. The extension must match the actual format.
Where do back and detail views go?
In the additional image field. The main image should be the clean front view.
Where the rules came from
- Google Merchant Center Help: image link requirements — All Google figures in this post; read 15 October 2026
