Etsy recommends listing photos that are at least 2,000 x 2,000 pixels, saved as JPG or PNG. Your first photo must show the real item, and should be square or landscape so it crops well in search. This guide covers every Etsy photo spec, how many to add, and how to make them with AI.
Say you sell candles on Etsy. You took one clear photo of your new one. To list it well, you need a strong first photo plus a few more that show it in use. Let's go through what Etsy wants, slot by slot.
Etsy Photo Requirements at a Glance
Here are Etsy's photo specs in one place. Use this to plan a listing before you shoot or generate anything.
| Rule | What Etsy wants |
|---|---|
| Recommended size | 2,000 x 2,000 px or more |
| First photo minimum | 635 px on each side |
| First photo shape | Square or landscape |
| File types | JPG or PNG (also GIF, SVG, HEIC) |
| File size | Under 1 MB, so it uploads |
| Photos per listing | Up to 10, plus 1 video |
| First photo content | Your real item, lightly edited at most |
| Color | sRGB |
Etsy Listing Photo Size
Etsy recommends listing photos with a width and height of at least 2,000 pixels. Bigger photos look sharp when a buyer zooms in, and they hold up on large screens.
A square (1:1) shape is the safe choice. Etsy shows your photos in many places, each with its own crop. A square photo fills those crops cleanly, so your product stays centered and nothing important gets cut off.
Keep the file under about 1 MB so it uploads without timing out. A photo around 2,000 pixels, saved as a JPG, usually lands under that. If you also sell on Shopify, the specs differ. Our Shopify product image size guide covers them.
Etsy First Photo Requirements
Your first photo does the most work. It is the thumbnail buyers see in search, so it decides whether they click.
Etsy has two firm rules for it:
- At least 635 pixels on each side. Below this, Etsy may show your listing lower in search.
- Square or landscape shape. A tall photo gets cut off in the square thumbnail, so the focal point can disappear.
Aim higher than the minimum. A 2,000 pixel square first photo meets both rules and looks sharp everywhere.
Accepted File Types for Etsy Photos
Etsy accepts JPG, PNG, GIF, SVG and HEIC. For product photos, use JPG. It keeps files small and looks great.
Two file types cause problems:
- Animated GIFs do not play. Only the first frame shows.
- Transparent PNGs turn the clear areas black on Etsy. Use a white or real background instead.
If your colors look off after uploading, convert the image to sRGB and upload again.
How Many Photos Can You Add to an Etsy Listing?
You can add up to 10 photos and 1 video to an Etsy listing. Etsy has been giving some sellers more slots, so check your own listing editor for the current number.
Use every slot you can. More photos answer more buyer questions, which builds trust and cuts returns. A listing with one photo looks thin next to one with eight.
What Photos to Include in an Etsy Listing
Fill your slots in an order that answers a buyer's questions as they scroll.
- First photo. Your real item, clear and well lit.
- Lifestyle. The product in a styled scene or room.
- In use. Someone using or holding it.
- Scale. The product next to a hand or common object.
- Detail. A close-up of texture, a label or the finish.
- Packaging. How it arrives, which matters for gifts.
Etsy buyers value a handmade, honest feel. Lifestyle scenes are welcome, as long as the item itself stays true to life.
Etsy Photo Rules: Show Your Real Item
Etsy's main rule is honesty. Every photo must show the item's true color, size, condition and materials. Each listing needs at least one unedited photo of the real item against a real background.
You can still edit your photos. Etsy allows changes to lighting, color, cropping and the background, including with AI. What you cannot do is hide a flaw or make the item look different from what ships.
One more rule for AI. Under Etsy's 2026 policy, you must add the AI disclosure tag when AI meaningfully changes a listing image. Our Etsy AI photo rules guide covers this in full. For which photo should be real, see should you use AI for your main listing image.
How to Make Etsy Product Photos With AI
You can make most of your Etsy set from one real photo. Keep the first photo real, and use AI for the scenes around it.
- Take one clear, well-lit photo of your product.
- Use that real photo as your first listing image.
- Make lifestyle and scale scenes with AI for the other slots.
- Check each AI image against your real item, then add the disclosure tag.
AI is great for the styled scenes Etsy buyers love. The one place to keep real is the first photo and any close-up of detail. See why AI product photos look fake for what to check. For the bigger picture, read our AI product photography for ecommerce guide.
Make your Etsy lifestyle photos from one shot
Upload one photo of your product and get styled lifestyle scenes for your Etsy listing. Your item stays the same. Keep the first photo real and tag the AI edits.Frequently Asked Questions
What size should Etsy listing photos be?+
Etsy recommends listing photos that are at least 2,000 pixels on each side. A square (1:1) shape is safest, since Etsy crops your photos in different places across the site. Your first photo must be at least 635 pixels on each side. Below that, Etsy may show your listing lower in search. Keep each file under about 1 MB so it uploads without timing out.
How many photos can I add to an Etsy listing?+
You can add up to 10 photos and 1 video to an Etsy listing. Etsy has started giving some sellers more photo slots, so check your own listing editor for the current limit. Use as many as you can. More photos answer more buyer questions, build trust, and lower returns. A listing with eight photos converts better than one with two.
What is Etsy's first photo rule?+
Your first photo is the thumbnail buyers see in search, so Etsy holds it to two rules. It must be at least 635 pixels on each side. It should also be square or landscape, so the focal point is not cut off in the thumbnail. It should also show your real item. Aim for a 2,000 pixel square photo, which meets both rules and looks sharp everywhere.
Can I use AI photos on Etsy?+
Yes, with limits. Etsy allows AI editing like background changes, lighting and color, and AI lifestyle scenes for your extra photos. Your first photo should show the real item, and each listing needs at least one unedited photo. Under Etsy's 2026 policy, you must add the AI disclosure tag when AI meaningfully changes an image. The photo must always match what the buyer receives.
What file type should Etsy photos be?+
Use JPG for Etsy product photos. It keeps the file small and looks sharp. Etsy also accepts PNG, GIF, SVG and HEIC. Avoid two types: animated GIFs only show their first frame, and transparent PNGs turn the clear areas black on Etsy. If your colors look wrong after uploading, convert the image to sRGB and upload it again.