Google Merchant Center image requirements (2026)

Minimum size500×500 px (enforced Jan 31, 2027)

Recommended size1500×1500 px or larger

Max file size16 MB · 64 megapixels

FormatsJPEG · WebP · PNG · GIF (non-animated) · BMP · TIFF

Aspect ratio1:1 (square) preferred for Shopping ads

• idrequiredSKU-12345

  Unique stable identifier per product. Don't reuse, don't change.

• titlerequiredNike Air Max 90 — White/Red, Size 42

  Product name. ≤150 chars, descriptive. (Or use structured_title for AI-readable structured data.)

• descriptionrequired

  Full product description. Up to 5,000 chars. (Or use structured_description.)

• linkrequired

  Product page URL. Must return 200 when GMC fetches.

• image_linkrequired

  Primary product image URL. 500×500 px min from Jan 2027.

• availabilityrequired

  in_stock, out_of_stock, preorder, or backorder. Vehicle ads also accept build_to_order.

• pricerequired299.00 CZK

  Number + ISO 4217 currency code.

• conditionoptional

  Required only for used or refurbished. Values: new, refurbished, used.

• brandoptional

  Required for new branded products except movies, books, and musical recordings.

• gtinoptional

  GTIN/UPC/EAN/JAN. Required when manufacturer-assigned GTIN exists for the product.

• mpnoptional

  Manufacturer Part Number. Required only when product has no manufacturer GTIN.

• identifier_existsoptional

  Set to false when no GTIN or MPN exists. Violations now warning-only (since late 2023), not disapproval.

• availability_dateoptional

  Required when availability = preorder.

• google_product_categoryoptional

  Optional — Google auto-classifies if omitted. Manually setting helps Performance Max optimisation.

• lifestyle_image_linkoptional

  Up to 10 lifestyle/contextual images. Same image rules apply, including IPTC metadata for AI images.

• White or transparent background
  Solid white preferred. Avoid transparent for light-coloured items per Google guidance. Product fills 75–90% of the frame.
• No promotional overlay (canonical diagnostic)
  No "SALE", "20% OFF", "FREE SHIPPING", price stickers, urgency banners, or any promotional text/graphics. Hard reject under the "Promotional overlay on image" diagnostic.
• No generic image (canonical diagnostic)
  Logos as the product image, "image coming soon" placeholders, single-colour squares, stock photos that don't match the product — rejected under the "Generic image" diagnostic.
• No watermarks or borders
  No frame, no diagonal watermarks, no logos as decoration. Logos for the actual brand on the product are OK.
• AI-generated images REQUIRE IPTC metadata
  Mandatory since February 2024. Set IPTC DigitalSourceType to TrainedAlgorithmicMedia, CompositeSynthetic, or AlgorithmicMedia. Applies to image_link, additional_image_link, and lifestyle_image_link.

• Setting image_link to a watermarked CDN URL even though the original asset has no watermark — Google fetches the watermarked version.
• Submitting product photos that include floor reflections or studio props that read as "decoration" to Google's automated review.
• Using brand-frame templates designed for Meta on the GMC profile — Meta accepts them, Google rejects them. Use separate profiles.
• Relying on image_link redirects through a marketing tracker — Google fetches the redirect target, which may differ from the canonical asset.

Emberfeed validates your feed against this exact spec in real time. Each violation surfaces as a one-click fix — apply a default field rule, override a single product, or clone the profile with a stricter template. Free for 6 months on one feed up to 1,000 products.