Fix Merchant Center image issues.

What is not allowed

Google’s image rules (Google: image link) exclude:

• Promotional text and graphics: calls to action, prices, delivery offers, “best seller” labels, condition or compatibility badges.
• Watermarks, copyright symbols, barcodes, QR codes and superimposed logos, unless physically part of the product.
• Placeholders such as “coming soon”, store logos used as product photos, and illustrations that do not show the actual product.
• Borders, single-colour squares and items that are not sold with the product.

There are narrow exceptions. Generic images are allowed for some hardware, vehicle parts and software, and single-colour images for some paints.

Size, file and format limits

Dealing with feed errors or missing products? Request free Merchant Center triage

Rule	Requirement
Minimum size	500 x 500 pixels from 31 January 2027
Recommended	Around 1500 x 1500 pixels
Maximum	64 megapixels and 16MB per file
Formats	JPEG or WebP recommended. PNG, GIF, BMP and TIFF also accepted

The file extension must match the real format, or you will see “Unsupported image type” errors.

Fix it at the source

Overlays usually come from images edited for social media or the homepage, then reused in the catalogue. Keep a clean master image for each product and use that in the feed. If your theme or app adds badges to images, make sure the feed points to the original file. With the 2027 minimum coming, now is a good time to check that older products meet it.

Related: finding the real cause of disapprovals and products not showing on Google Shopping.

Check the original feed image, not just the website's thumbnail

A store can display a product photograph correctly while the feed points to a promotional composite, expired CDN URL or automatically resized thumbnail. Inspect the submitted image_link value for one affected item and open it in a private browser window. It should resolve directly to the correct product image without a login, blocked request or redirect loop.

Compare the actual file dimensions with the image shown on the storefront. A browser displaying a large thumbnail does not make the underlying image high resolution. If the feed receives a 300-pixel derivative, update the image field's source rather than enlarging the same file.

2027 image-size changes: what retailers should prepare now

Google announced that images supplied in both image_link and additional_image_link must be at least 500 × 500 pixels across product categories from 31 January 2027. Google's 2026 specification update also describes warnings ahead of enforcement. That makes older catalogue assets worth auditing before they become a larger operational problem.

Start with an export of actual image URLs and dimensions. Segment failures by supplier, range or upload date. Replacing one old product photo at a time is less effective if your import tool keeps producing the same undersized images.

See Google's product data specification update and the current image link documentation.

How to fix promotional overlays without damaging your branding

Keep the clean product photograph for Merchant Center, and use promotional layouts elsewhere on the website. A red 'SALE' corner, 'FREE DELIVERY' banner, huge watermark or unrelated object can make an image unsuitable for listings even though it looks good on social media. The key is not to remove the business identity from the website, but to submit a faithful image of the actual item for the product feed.

Where the brand name is printed on the physical product, that is different from adding a logo graphic over the photo. Check the policy examples rather than assuming every visible mark is prohibited.

Variants and additional product images

Choose images that match each variant when appearance changes, such as a different colour or finish. Otherwise, a customer clicking a blue garment can land on a page featuring a red one. Use additional_image_link for extra angles and use the appropriate merchant attributes for product options. Do not substitute an unrelated lifestyle scene for the main product photo.

A practical image QA checklist

• The feed's actual primary image URL loads publicly and stays stable.
• Dimensions meet Google's current minimum and are ready for the January 2027 standard.
• File type and extension match; images are within the documented size limits.
• The main image depicts the item being sold, without promotional overlays.
• Variant images match the specific offer.
• The CDN does not block Google's image crawler or return error codes.
• Bulk imports cannot overwrite the corrected image with an old one.

Common questions

Is WebP allowed for Merchant Center images?

Google supports several image formats, including WebP and JPEG. The file must be valid and accessible, and its extension and content should agree.

Will changing the website thumbnail fix a feed disapproval?

Only if the submitted image_link actually uses that corrected image. Verify the URL Google receives, not just the rendered card on the website.

Should I wait until January 2027?

No. Audit and replace undersized images beforehand, especially for large catalogues with supplier-supplied or legacy assets.

Still stuck?

Send the store address, roughly how many products you have and the exact message Merchant Center shows. The free feed triage tells you where we would look first, before you pay for anything. For deeper problems, see Google Merchant Center consultancy.