To get a white background for Etsy and Shopify product photos, cut the product out of the original photo, place it on a pure white or very light backdrop, and export a large square image. Both platforms crop and resize your photos in different places, so a centred product with some breathing room works best. Here is how to do it, and how the two platforms differ.
Etsy vs Shopify: what changes
| Etsy | Shopify | |
|---|---|---|
| Is white required? | No. Etsy allows any background | No. Your theme decides how images look |
| Where white helps | Clean thumbnails in search, Google Shopping ads | A consistent catalog grid, Google Shopping feeds |
| Shape | Thumbnails are cropped, so keep the product centred | Square images keep grids even |
| Suggested size | Around 2,000 px on the shortest side | Up to 2,048 × 2,048 px for square images |
Platform recommendations change, so check the current guidance in the Etsy Seller Handbook and Shopify’s product media help before a big photo shoot.
Why sellers use white backgrounds even when they are optional
- Consistency. A shop where every first photo sits on the same white looks organised and trustworthy.
- Thumbnails. Small images in search results are easier to read when nothing competes with the product.
- Reuse. The same image works on Etsy, Shopify, Amazon and Google Shopping, which prefers plain backgrounds.
Use white for the first photo, then show the product in a real setting in the photos that follow. Lifestyle shots sell the mood; the white shot sells the details.
Step by step: white background in a few minutes
- Take the photo in soft light. A window with indirect daylight is enough. Fill the frame with the product and keep it sharp; the background will be replaced.
- Remove the background. Open the free Doetra Background Remover and drop in up to 5 photos. The cut-out runs in your browser, so your photos are not uploaded anywhere.
- Clean the edges. Zoom in on handles, straps and gaps. The restore brush brings back anything the AI removed by mistake; the erase brush clears leftover background.
- Choose the backdrop. Pick pure white, or a very light warm or cool grey if your brand prefers a softer look. Keep the same colour across the whole shop.
- Export square and large. Choose a marketplace size preset, then download full resolution as JPG.
Tips that make white-background photos look professional
- Add a soft shadow. A product floating on flat white can look pasted on. A subtle shadow underneath grounds it. Many sellers use a shadow on Etsy and Shopify but skip it for Amazon.
- Keep the same scale. If products are similar in size, give them a similar margin so the grid lines up.
- Watch colour accuracy. Pure white can make colours look cooler. Compare the photo with the real product before uploading.
- Name files well. A file name like handmade-ceramic-mug-blue.jpg helps image search more than IMG_4021.jpg.
Making the files small enough to load fast
A 2,000 px JPG can still be several megabytes. Large files slow down a Shopify store and use up mobile data. Compress them before upload: Squish can shrink a whole folder of product photos at once and keep them sharp.
Selling on Amazon too? Its main image rules are stricter. See Amazon product image requirements.
Frequently asked questions
Does Etsy require a white background?
No. Etsy accepts any background. White is a style choice that helps thumbnails and ads look clean.
What background colour should I use for Shopify?
Whatever matches your theme, used consistently. White or a very light neutral is the safest choice for most stores.
Should I upload a transparent PNG?
Usually not. Marketplaces may show transparency as black or another colour. Export a JPG on your chosen background colour instead.
Can I edit many product photos at once?
Yes. The Background Remover handles up to 5 photos per batch, and Squish compresses up to 200 at once.