Amazon product image requirements, explained
By the EditXo team · Updated 7 October 2026 · 7 min read
Amazon rejects or hides listings whose main image breaks its rules, and the rules are specific: size limits, a pure white background, how much of the frame the product fills, and a long list of things you may not add. This guide summarises Amazon’s own Seller Central product image guide, read on the date at the top and linked below, and shows how to produce a compliant main image in EditXo without uploading your photos to a third-party service.
The technical requirements
| Requirement | Amazon’s rule | What it means in practice |
|---|---|---|
| File format | JPEG, TIFF, PNG or non-animated GIF; JPEG recommended | Export JPG at quality 85 to 90 |
| Size | At least 500 px and at most 10,000 px on the longest side | Images under 500 px cannot be uploaded at all |
| Zoom | 1,000 px or more on the longest side enables zoom | Aim for 1,600 to 2,000 px; 2000 x 2000 is a common square choice |
| Enlarging | Do not artificially enlarge small images | Shoot or source large originals instead of upscaling |
| Colour | RGB preferred, at least 72 dpi | Phone and camera photos already are |
| Quality | Clear, non-pixelated, no jagged edges | Check cutout edges at 100% zoom |
Main image rules
The main image is the one shown in search results, and it has the strictest rules. It must show the actual product, the entire product, once, on a pure white background: RGB 255, 255, 255, not off-white or light grey. The product should fill about 85% of the image. Only one unit is shown, with only the accessories that come in the box, and no props that could confuse a buyer.
Some rules are category-specific. Shoes are shown as a single shoe facing left at a 45-degree angle. Adult clothing is shown on a standing model; mannequins of any kind are not allowed. Children’s and baby clothing is shown flat, without a model. Only a limited number of product types may use a lifestyle photo as the main image.
What you must not add
On every product image, not only the main one, Amazon prohibits: text or pricing (except on swatch images), customer review imagery or star ratings, claims like "free shipping", Amazon logos or anything confusingly similar, and Amazon badges such as "Amazon’s Choice" or anything resembling them. That rules out borders, stickers and badges on product photos. If a design tool offers you a badge, it is for profile pictures and social posts, not for Amazon.
Amazon also asks sellers to tag images that contain photorealistic AI-generated people with IPTC metadata. That does not apply to background removal or colour correction of a real photo; it applies to people who were generated entirely by AI.
Make a compliant main image in EditXo
- Open editxo.com and drop in your product photo. Nothing is uploaded; the AI background removal runs on your device.
- Open the Remove BG tab and click Remove Background. Zoom to 100% and use Refine Edges if any of the old background remains around the product.
- Under Change Background choose Color and set pure white, #FFFFFF. This is exactly RGB 255, 255, 255.
- Open the Adjust tab, scroll to Quick Presets and click Amazon square (2000 x 2000). Drag so the product fills most of the frame; Amazon asks for about 85%. If EditXo warns that it enlarged the photo, start from a larger original, because Amazon specifically asks you not to upscale.
- Click Export, choose JPG, set quality to 85 to 90, and download.
Common reasons main images get suppressed
- Background is near-white rather than pure white, often from a lightbox photo that was not cut out. Replace the background rather than brightening it.
- Product is too small in the frame, with lots of empty white around it. Crop tighter.
- A watermark, logo, text overlay or border was added.
- The image shows several units or a lifestyle scene in a category that does not allow it.
- The image is under 500 px, or was enlarged from a small original and looks soft.
Frequently asked questions
Does the Amazon main image have to be square?
Amazon’s guide sets limits on the longest side, not a required ratio. Square images display consistently in search and detail pages, which is why 2000 x 2000 is a common choice. The rule that matters more is that the product fills about 85% of the frame.
Is white #FFFFFF the same as RGB 255, 255, 255?
Yes. Both describe pure white. Off-whites like #FAFAFA or a light grey studio backdrop do not meet the main image rule.
Can I add a badge or border to stand out?
No. Amazon prohibits badges, text, review stars and anything resembling Amazon’s own badges on product images. Stand out with a clean, well-lit photo instead.
Does removing the background count as AI-generated content?
Amazon’s disclosure rule is about photorealistic people generated entirely by AI. Editing a real photo of a real product, including removing its background, is not that.
Is my product photo uploaded when I use EditXo?
No. Background removal, resizing and export all run in your browser. The photo only goes to Amazon when you upload it there yourself.
Tools used in this guide
- Remove the background from any image, without uploading it
- Change a photo background without uploading it
- Resize images without uploading them