Why was my Google Shopping product image disapproved?
Direct answerGoogle disapproves a Shopping product image when the photo does not show the exact item, or when text, a logo, a barcode, or a border was added on top of it. The image link requirements, reviewed October 22, 2026, also require a supported file of at least 500 by 500 pixels. A blurry ad creative is a different label.
Text on the photo
The main image has to be an unobstructed view of the item. Google says these additions cause a disapproval:
| Added to the photo | Google’s examples |
|---|---|
| A call to action | “Buy,” “Shop now,” “Order today.” |
| Price or shipping | A price, a discount, or “Free shipping.” |
| A service claim | “Includes 2-year warranty.” |
| A promotional adjective | “Best,” “Cheap,” “Top quality.” |
| Condition or compatibility | “New,” “2-piece set,” “Adaptable.” |
| Codes and stamps | A UPC barcode, a QR code, a serial tag, a stock watermark, a copyright symbol, or a graphic stamp. |
| A name added later | A brand, manufacturer, or retailer logo superimposed in post-production. Allowed when that mark is a physical part of the product. |
The product’s condition belongs in the condition attribute, not in text on the photo. Turning on automatic image improvements can let Google fix minor issues such as promotional overlays. That setting is optional. It is not a substitute for a clean file. A Search image asset has a separate overlay rule on image assets. Blur and flashing on an ad creative stay on image quality.
Placeholders, borders, and the exceptions
The primary image has to show the exact item. Google says not to submit:
- Graphics that say “Coming soon,” “No image available,” or “Photo pending.”
- A company logo, brand watermark, or stock icon in place of a product photo.
- One stand-in photo reused across distinct products that each need their own image.
- Line art, a mockup, or an illustration that does not depict the physical product.
- A single-color square, or an image with a border.
- A second product that is not sold together with the main product.
Google names exceptions:
- A generic image, graphic, or illustration is allowed for Hardware (632), Vehicles & Parts (888), and Software > Computer Software (313).
- A software logo or icon can represent the product in Software > Computer Software (313).
- A single-color image is allowed for Vehicle Paint (3812), Craft Paint, Ink & Glaze (505378), and Painting Consumables (503740).
File, crawl, and AI tags
Supported files are JPEG, WebP, PNG, GIF, BMP, and TIFF. The extension has to match the format. Google’s example of a failure is a .jpg extension on a PNG, which can return “Unsupported image type.” The URL is http or https, ASCII, 1 to 2,000 characters. Encode an ampersand as %26 and a comma as %2C. The size section says at least 500 by 500 pixels, recommends about 1500 by 1500, and also announces at least 500 by 500 for all products beginning January 31, 2027. No image larger than 64 megapixels. No file larger than 16 MB.
robots.txt has to allow Googlebot and Googlebot-image. Google’s example is a User-agent block for each, followed by Allow: /. Changes can take 24 to 48 hours. A page the ads crawler cannot read is destination not crawlable.
An image created with generative AI must keep metadata that says so. Google’s example is the IPTC DigitalSourceType tag TrainedAlgorithmicMedia. Do not remove that tag, including from images made in Product Studio. The codes Google says to preserve are TrainedAlgorithmicMedia (a model trained on sampled content), CompositeSynthetic (a composite that includes synthetic elements), and AlgorithmicMedia (created by an algorithm that was not trained on sampled content).
This attribute page does not print a 7-day suspension warning.
Sources
Reviewed October 22, 2026. Policies change. This is not legal advice.
Frequently asked questions
Can the photo say “Free shipping” or “New”?
No. Google’s examples of text that disapprove the image include “Buy,” “Shop now,” “Order today,” “Free shipping,” “Includes 2-year warranty,” “Best,” “Cheap,” “Top quality,” “New,” “2-piece set,” and “Adaptable.” A barcode, QR code, watermark, or logo added in post-production is also named. A logo that is physically part of the product can stay.
What size does the image have to be?
The size section says at least 500 by 500 pixels. The same page announces at least 500 by 500 pixels for all products beginning January 31, 2027. Google recommends about 1500 by 1500 pixels. An image larger than 64 megapixels, or a file larger than 16 MB, is not allowed.
Can one photo cover several products?
No, when each product needs its own image. Google says not to reuse one general photo across multiple distinct products where unique images are required, and not to include a product that is not sold together with the main product.
Check the photo before it enters the feed
LaunchGuarding can scan the creative and the landing page for overlay text and other policy risks before the product image is submitted.