Product images & galleries
How to add, replace, and arrange product images and image galleries in WooCommerce, including tips for choosing photos that convert.
- Time
- 5 minutes
- Difficulty
- Beginner
- You’ll need
- A WordPress login with product editing access · Your product photos
Great product photos make a real difference to sales. WooCommerce lets you set one main product image and add a gallery of additional photos. This guide shows you how to manage both.
Quick summary
Every WooCommerce product has one main image and an optional gallery. Set the main image in the "Product image" box in the right sidebar. Add gallery photos in the "Product gallery" box below it. For variable products, you can also assign a unique image to each variation.
What you'll need
- A WordPress login with product editing access
- Your product photos ready to upload (ideally sized and compressed beforehand)
Setting the main product image
The main product image appears in your product listing, in search results, and as the first photo customers see on the product page.
Open the product. Go to Products → All Products and click the product you want to edit.
Find the Product image box. In the right-hand sidebar, scroll down until you see the Product image box.
Click "Set product image." A media library window opens. You can either upload a new file from your computer or select an image you have already uploaded.
Select or upload your image. Click the image you want to use, then click Set product image to confirm.
Save your changes. Click Update (or Publish for a new product).
To change or remove an existing main image, use the links that appear below it in the Product image box: Remove product image to take it off, or the edit link to swap it. It works exactly like the featured image on a WordPress post or page.
Adding a product gallery
A gallery shows additional photos below the main image. Customers can click through them to see the product from different angles, in different contexts, or with detail shots.
Find the Product gallery box. Just below the Product image box in the right sidebar.
Click "Add product gallery images." The media library opens again.
Choose one or more images from your Media Library, or upload new ones. Click Add to gallery when you're done.
Reorder if needed. You can drag the gallery images to reorder them.
Save your changes. Click Update.
Your main product image is always shown first in the gallery on the product page, so there is no need to add it to the gallery as well.
To remove a gallery image, hover over it and select the red X (Delete media). That takes the image out of the gallery but keeps the file in your Media Library.
Adding variation-specific images
If you sell a variable product (one that comes in different colors or styles), you can assign a specific image to each variation. When a shopper selects that variation, WooCommerce swaps the gallery over to that variation's images. Clearing the selection brings the main gallery back.
Go to the Variations tab in the Product data panel.
Expand a variation by clicking its row.
Click the blue image placeholder to set the variation's main image.
Select or upload the image for that variation.
Add more images if you want. From WooCommerce 11.1 each variation can have several images: click Manage next to Variation gallery and pick them. Drag them into order — the first one becomes the variation's main image.
Repeat for each variation, then click Save changes.
Test variation galleries first
If your store already uses a variation gallery extension or custom gallery code, try the built-in variation gallery on a staging site before you use it on the live store.
Tips for product photos
Good product photography increases sales. Here are practical guidelines:
| Tip | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Use a clean, consistent background | Makes your catalog look professional and cohesive |
| Show the product from multiple angles | Customers cannot pick it up — photos do the work |
| Include a lifestyle shot | Shows the product in real-world use, builds desire |
| Keep file sizes reasonable | Large images slow your page down — compress before you upload |
| Use consistent proportions | A catalog where every photo is the same shape looks tidier in the shop grid |
For detailed guidance on image formats and compression, see Image basics for your website and How to compress images.
Image size recommendations
WooCommerce generates the smaller display sizes for you, for catalog grids and thumbnails. WooCommerce's own recommendation is to upload images that are at least 800 × 800 pixels — that size works as the main product image, the catalog image, and the thumbnail. Larger images are better for products with fine detail.
If you need to change the sizes WooCommerce uses, they live in the Customizer, under Appearance → Customize → WooCommerce → Product Images. If that section isn't there, it is one of two things: your theme sets its own image sizes, so the options are hidden, or your site runs a block theme, which hides the Customize menu altogether. On a block theme, open the Customizer directly at yourdomain.com/wp-admin/customize.php.
Alt text matters
Always add descriptive alt text to your product images. Alt text helps visually impaired customers understand what your images show, and it also helps search engines index your products. You can add alt text when uploading through the media library — it is the "Alt Text" field.
Common questions
My product image looks blurry on my store — how do I fix it?
The most common cause is uploading an image that is too small. Upload a higher-resolution version (at least 800 × 800 pixels). If the issue persists, there may be a thumbnail regeneration needed — ask your developer to run a thumbnail regeneration.
Can I use the same image on multiple products?
Yes. When you open the media library, you can select any previously uploaded image for any product. You do not need to re-upload it.
How many gallery images can I add?
WooCommerce doesn't set a number. In practice a handful is plenty — too many photos slow the page down and give customers more to wade through.
My theme does not show a gallery — is something broken?
Some themes or page builders handle product galleries differently. If your gallery images are saved but not displaying, ask your developer to check the theme's product page template.
Related guides
- How to add a simple product
- How to add a variable product
- Writing product descriptions that sell
- Image basics for your website
- How to compress images
- My images aren't loading
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