The Ultimate Guide To Amazon Image Requirements: Everything You Need to Know for Your Product Photos

The requirements for Amazon product photography are actually pretty simple, but not always simple to understand. Amazon has spread information out across multiple pages, sometimes contradicting itself and creating a lot of confusion. Amazon even has unique style guides for each of its 45 different product categories—all of which have subtle inconsistencies. It’s easy to get overwhelmed.

That’s why we simplified the most important Amazon product image requirements for you.

Amazon image requirements: technical requirements for all images

Every image file you upload to Amazon must meet basic requirements or the marketplace won’t accept your file. The product itself must fill 85% or more of the image frame.

• Quantity: at least one main product image
• Minimum image dimension: 500px on the longest side; at least 1000px for zoom
• Maximum image dimension: 10,000px on the longest side
• Recommended image dimension: 1600px or more on the longest side for better zoom images—Amazon says “zoom has been to shown to help enhance sales”
• Image zoom: starts at 1000px on the longest side and 500px on the shortest
• File format: JPEG (.jpg), TIFF (.tif), PNG(.png), or GIF (.gif) file formats—JPEG is preferred and animated GIFs are not accepted
• Color mode: RGB, CMYK, or grayscale for gray or silver metal products—RGB is preferred
• Maximum Amazon image file size: 10 MB
• Ratio crop: 1:1 square image is best but it can be up to 5:1 rectangle
• Resolution: at least 72 dpi
• File name: ASIN + variant code + file extension

Note: Amazon’s documentation says it will accept a TIFF file but in our tests in early 2019 we found their software had stopped accepting them.

Amazon says photos must not contain the following: 

• Blurry, pixelated images
• Jagged edges
• Nudity
• Sexual suggestiveness
• Amazon logos, trademarks, or badges or anything resembling such
• Files formatted as EPS, BMP, PDF, PSD, IA, ART, CDR, CPT, FH, FLA (Flash), .PICT, PSP, DOC

Amazon image requirements: recommended settings

While Amazon outlines specific requirements, there are ways to better optimize your photos for conversions within those parameters. Here are some Amazon product photography tips and recommended settings to help you get the shots you need. 

• Use a total of at least six product images and one video
• Size images as a 2000px by 2000px square—this is the maximum zoom
• Crop tight to the product to use the most space in the frame
• Save as a JPEG with 100% compression—Amazon will compress it again on upload
• Save as Srgb color space if given the option
• Add a drop shadow when photographing white products

The requirements are fairly broad but, in our experience, the above settings are ideal for formatting your product images for Amazon while adhering to the guidelines.

Every seller should also read through the style guide for their product category at some point. Each guide contains about 30–40 pages of highly specific details. When it comes to the image requirements—with the exception of clothing—you should be fine following the summarized information in this article. However, there are lots of great ideas in the Amazon guides on which types of images work best and specific examples of particular image arrangements.

Main listing product image requirements for Amazon

Main listing images are the first image you see in the search and on the listing. They’re the most important images in your listing. A better main listing photo will drive more clicks and sales. 

When it comes to technical requirements, main images have more restrictions than secondary images. But there’s still room to get creative. 
Every main listing image must feature the product photographed by itself on a white background, and the product should fill the frame.

Other main image guidelines include: 

• Pure white background with RGB color values of 255, 255, 255 or hex #FFFFFF
• “Professional photographs of the actual product” in its entirety—no illustrations, mockups, etc.—don’t cut any of the product out of the frame
• Accurately represent the product for sale and display only the item, no accessories or add-ons which aren’t included in the purchase
• A single view of a single item—use secondary images to show other angles
• All people should be standing

Prohibited for main listing images

Amazon has the following limitations in place for main listing photos: 

• No text, logos, borders, color blocks, watermarks, inset images, or other graphics

No people sitting, kneeling, leaning or lying down unless showcasing physical mobilities with assistive technology (wheelchairs, prosthetics, etc.)

No mannequins, with the exception of images of socks or stockings

• No graphics, renderings, drawings, or illustrations of the product
• No excluded accessories or props that may confuse the customer
• Only show a single angle—no multiple views or angles of the product

• No secondhand or used products
• No colored backgrounds or lifestyle photography, except for qualifying prepared food products
• No product packaging, tags, or boxes

Amazon image requirements: secondary/additional images

The requirements for secondary listing images are simple—you can do pretty much whatever you want as long as your ideas abide by the requirements summarized above and pertaining to your particular industry. 

We recommend using secondary images to highlight the most important features and benefits of your product. Many brands just photograph the front, back, and sides of their product on white backgrounds. But this isn’t required of all your Amazon photos. In fact, you should get creative with your secondary images. 

Use these visuals to tell the story of what your product is and why it’s great. For example, use hand shots to show the product’s size, break apart images to show the different pieces, feature lifestyle photos to show who the item is for, and incorporate graphic design to point out the product’s features. 
Women’s care brand Megababe Beauty, for example, sticks to the required plain white background main image shots. But it also gets creative with infographics, backgrounds, and contexts for secondary photos.

Amazon image requirements for apparel and accessories

Clothing is different from other verticals and has its own set of requirements from Amazon. It’s the only category that allows models to be in the main image. It’s always a good idea to review the clothing image guidelines carefully to make sure you meet the latest standards. 

Each apparel item has the following four image types: 

1. Parent SKU main image: for product detail page; only one main image per parent SKU
2. Child SKU main image: shows the product in its specific color or print; only one main image per child SKU
3. Alternate images: showcase different angles and views of the product; these are your secondary images
4. Swatch images: shows different colors and prints in a 30x30px thumbnail

As far as Amazon’s image requirements go, you’ll need to abide by the following: 

• Women’s and men’s clothing main images must be photographed on model
• Childrenswear, accessories, and transparent apparel main images should be photographed flat without a model
• Main images of multi-pack apparel items and accessories must be photographed flat (off-model)
• The main image should show the frontal view
• Main images of shoes need to show a single shoe facing left at a 45-degree angle
• No images may be “selfies,” only in black and white, or depict the model lying down or kneeling
• No mannequins, hangers, holders, brand tags, labels, etc. in the main image
• No folded products in the main image
• No multiple product views or colorways/sizes unless they’re sold in a bundled multi-pack (this must also be mentioned in the product title)
• Genitals, breasts, and buttocks should be covered for transparent apparel items
• Childrenswear requires at least 1,600 pixels in resolution
• No suggestive, offensive, or controversial imagery

Amazon has also created this video with tips for shooting apparel product photography that meet its standards:

Amazon Handmade image requirements

Amazon Handmade products for sale follow the same guidelines as other products. You can see more specifics here: Amazon Handmade: Image requirements best practices. 

How to format Amazon product images

Watch this video to learn how to format product photography for Amazon and scroll below for the step-by-step instructions. 

Step 1: Download and open your image

Start by downloading and opening your product image in Photoshop. You’ll be able to see how many pixels it has. 

Remember: Amazon wants a maximum pixel dimension of 3000 px by 3000 px. You might want to go lower if it creates an awkward or blown-out zoom view. If that’s the case, try 2000 px by 2000 px.

Make sure your original image is the same size as or larger than the image you want to upload to Amazon. If it’s smaller, you’ll have to make it bigger which will damage the quality of the image and make it look blurry or pixelated—both prohibited by Amazon.

Step 2: Open your file in Photoshop and review the sizing

It’s always good practice to know the sizing of an image before you start working on it. You can do this in Photoshop by going to Image > Canvas Size or Image > Image Size.

When you change canvas size, it will add whitespace to the outside of the frame. In this instance, we’re going to turn the image into a square by matching the width and the height so it’s 5472 px by 5472 px.

Step 3: Crop the image

Switch to the crop tool by pressing C or selecting it from the menu. Set the proportions to 1 x 1, unconstrained. This will allow us to keep a square and crop in. 

Go close to the product, but not too close. If you go too close, you may crop out the shadow—but if your crop is too wide, it may make the product look too small on Amazon.

Step 4: Save for web and resize

Image compression isn’t as important for Amazon as it is for your own ecommerce website, as Amazon compresses every file already. But it’s still good practice to prep your product images for digital use. Save for web and pick a compression that works best for the image without degrading it.

Make sure to resize your image in Image Size at the bottom to 3000 px by 3000 px. You can also set it to 2000 px if you need a wider zoom.

Step 5. Save and upload

Don’t forget to use Amazon’s required naming convention when prepping your imagery: ASIN + variant code + file extension.

From there, you’re ready to upload and start selling!gf

A quick list of all Amazon’s articles with image guidelines

To get the latest and greatest information directly from the source, you can check out these links: 

• Technical Image File Requirements (Seller Central)
• Image troubleshooting*
• Product image requirements
• Image Issues
• Missing product images
• Rotate a product image
• Image guidelines for clothing*
• Name Your Image Files
• Images in Lighting
• Product page style guide
• Listing photos
• Amazon Fashion Seller Imaging Guidelines: Clothing & Accessories
• All 42 Category Style Guides*

*You must be logged into your seller central account to access this content.

Moving forward with your Amazon product photos

While you have the option to add nine product images, it’s not always necessary to fill all these slots. Only seven will be visible in the listing, and it’s always better to focus on quality rather than quantity. We recommend using no more than six images per listing and using the seventh spot for a product video or 360-degree product shot. 

In general, you want to focus on creating an amazing main listing image that stands out and entices clicks. Then supplement with three explainer images that highlight features and benefits through creative photography and graphic design. And then splurge on a product video that will help you stand out.

Amazon image requirements FAQs