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Google Merchant Center image content and AI metadata rules

Short answer: Google suggests the product fills 75% to 90% of the image. It bans promotional text, watermarks, added logos, borders and placeholders. AI-generated images should carry the IPTC DigitalSourceType tag, and the file must not have it stripped. The checker reads that tag locally when you declare the image as AI-generated.

Drop product images here, or click to choose

No image? Try one of these:

No images yet. Results appear as a platform-by-rule matrix: red for fail, yellow for warning, green for pass, grey for needs a human check.

Beyond size, Google lists framing guidance, a ban on promotional overlays, borders and placeholders, and a requirement to keep AI-source metadata.

Rules

Rules last verified 2026-10-29. Checked against public rules as of 2026-10-29; this is not a guarantee of acceptance.

  • Product should fill 75% to 90% of the image

    All imagesRecommendationMeasured automaticallyVerified 2026-10-29

    Product fills 75% to 90% of the frame

    Why: Google lists 75% to 90% of the image space as a framing best practice. Measured on the longer side of the non-white bounding box, so it needs a white background to measure.

    How to fix: Scale the product so it fills 75-90% of the canvas.

    Sources: Official

  • No promotional text, watermarks, or added logos

    All imagesRequiredHuman checkVerified 2026-10-29

    Human check

    • No price or discount text
    • No QR code or barcode
    • No watermark or copyright symbol
    • No added logo or store name

    Why: Google asks for an unobstructed, clean view of the item; avoid calls to action, prices, shipping or discount mentions, barcodes, QR codes, watermarks, copyright symbols, and added logos or store names.

    How to fix: Upload a clean product photo; physical logos that are part of the product are fine.

    Sources: Official

  • No borders, single-color squares or placeholders

    All imagesRequiredHuman checkVerified 2026-10-29

    Human check

    • No border
    • Not a plain color square
    • Shows the actual product

    Why: Google does not allow images with borders or single-color squares, or placeholders, stock icons and generic illustrations that do not show the product (with category exceptions).

    How to fix: Use a real product photo without a frame.

    Sources: Official

  • Generative AI images must keep IPTC DigitalSourceType metadata

    All imagesRequiredMeasured automaticallyVerified 2026-10-29

    IPTC DigitalSourceType is one of: TrainedAlgorithmicMedia, CompositeSynthetic, AlgorithmicMedia

    Why: Google requires AI-generated images to include metadata indicating AI generation, such as the IPTC DigitalSourceType tag (TrainedAlgorithmicMedia, CompositeSynthetic or AlgorithmicMedia), and asks you not to strip it.

    How to fix: Write IPTC DigitalSourceType into the file and do not let an export step remove embedded metadata.

    Sources: Official

Pricing

Plans

Checking is free. Paid plans repair images in bulk and are billed by successfully delivered SKU.

Yearly billing takes 20% off.

Free

Check images in your browser. No account needed.

$0

  • Unlimited checks against 7 marketplaces
  • 3 free repairs a day: 1000 px, one marketplace, no watermark
  • Sign in with Google: 3 full-quality repairs a month
Open the checker

Starter

For a small catalog.

$228 $182 per year

20 SKUs delivered per month

$0.76 per SKU

  • Cut out the product and place it on a pure white background
  • Output at each marketplace’s size, product share and margin
  • One-click ZIP of every marketplace version per SKU, with XMP and IPTC metadata written
  • A fidelity report attached to every image
Recommended

Pro

For a growing store.

$588 $470 per year

100 SKUs delivered per month

$0.39 per SKU

  • Cut out the product and place it on a pure white background
  • Output at each marketplace’s size, product share and margin
  • One-click ZIP of every marketplace version per SKU, with XMP and IPTC metadata written
  • A fidelity report attached to every image

Agency

For high-volume catalogs.

$1,788 $1,430 per year

500 SKUs delivered per month

$0.24 per SKU

  • Cut out the product and place it on a pure white background
  • Output at each marketplace’s size, product share and margin
  • One-click ZIP of every marketplace version per SKU, with XMP and IPTC metadata written
  • A fidelity report attached to every image

Frequently asked questions

Does Google require AI metadata in product images?
Google requires AI-generated images to include metadata indicating AI generation, such as the IPTC DigitalSourceType tag (TrainedAlgorithmicMedia, CompositeSynthetic or AlgorithmicMedia), and asks you not to strip it.
How much of the image should the product fill for Google Shopping?
Google lists 75% to 90% of the image space as a framing best practice. Measured on the longer side of the non-white bounding box, so it needs a white background to measure.
Is my image uploaded when I use the checker?
No. The checker runs entirely in your browser. Your images are decoded and measured locally and are never sent to a server.

Not covered by our checker yet: anything not listed in the rules above. Always read the platform's own help page for the full policy.

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