Media generation powered by Shopify Magic

You can modify images using the power of artificial intelligence (AI) with Shopify Magic’s integration into the media editor.

You can do the following actions with Shopify Magic in the media editor:

• Automatically separate the subject from the background, with manual adjustment available
• Remove an image’s background
• Replace an image’s background with an AI-generated scene or a solid color

Requirements for editing images with Shopify Magic

To use Shopify Magic in the media editor, you must meet the following requirements:

• Your account language must be set to English.
• If you use a mobile device, then your device language must be set to English.
• You must own the rights to any image that you make any edits or modifications to. Learn more about Privacy.
• AI-generated image editing is available only on Android OS version 13 or later and iOS version 17 or later.

Note

Shopify prioritizes originality and respects creators' rights, and doesn't support or endorse uploading images from the web or copyright infringement.

To report potential infringement, rights holders can use Shopify's existing copyright and trademark reporting forms. Learn more about Legal removals and intellectual property.

Pricing

For a limited time, Shopify Magic in the media editor is available on all Shopify plans (excluding those on a free trial) at no additional cost.

Considerations and tips for editing images with Shopify Magic

Before you start using Shopify Magic in the media editor, review the following considerations:

• Shopify Magic generates and replaces only the background of images. It doesn’t generate new foreground subjects.
• Image resolution and format:
  • The default resolution for generated images is 1 megapixel (MP) resolution based on your image’s aspect ratio. Aim to use images that are close to 1 megapixel in dimension.
  • Images larger than 1 MP are scaled down, whereas images under 1 MP are scaled up.
  • Modified images are saved in the original format. All images with transparent backgrounds should be saved as a new file in PNG format to maintain the transparent background. Other image formats can't save a transparent background.
• Image quality:
  • For items such as mosquito nets, tennis rackets, or glassware with partial transparency ensure no objects are visible behind to avoid lower-quality results.
  • Use images with clearly visible edges and simple, contrasting backgrounds to enhance the definitions of your product.
  • Avoid images with multiple subjects, overlapping objects, or blurred edges as they can degrade the quality of the AI-generated images.

• Editing and saving:

  • Shopify Magic creates 4 AI-generated scenes at a time. Additional sets can be generated, but any unused scenes are deleted when you close the editor unless you save the images to your device.
  • Text-based image prompts are used solely to enhance backgrounds and can't remove existing objects.
  • Avoid prompts that alter the lighting or add complex elements such as people or animals to prevent mismatches and lower-quality results.

• Copyright and Usage:

  • An invisible watermark is applied to all generated images, which doesn't restrict commercial use but can't be removed.

Grow your business

Not sure how to create great product images? The Shopify Blog has lots of articles to help you get started with product photography.

Learn more about taking product photographs.

Customizing your media generation with text prompts

Currently, Shopify Magic is limited to editing the background of the product image only. You won’t be able to edit, alter, or generate parts of the selected subject.

When generating background scenes with Shopify Magic, start by selecting a template that’s closest to your desired result, such as Studio or Kitchen, and then edit the preset text to customize your prompt.

Aesthetic and style keywords and phrases can help improve final touches to the rendering. Some examples to consider include the following types of descriptors:

• Location: indoors, outdoors, underwater, in the city
• Lighting: warm even light, ambient, overcast, neon, studio lights, flash photography
• Color: vibrant, muted, bright, monochromatic, black and white, pastel
• Material or texture: brass, bronze, gold, concrete, fabric, vinyl, canvas, wood, muslin
• Size (relative to the subject): extreme closeup, wide shot, 6” x 4” x 2”
• Camera angle: front shot, closeup, from above

Tip

If your generated background scene looks similar to an illustration, then add photographic keywords such as commercial product photography in your text prompt.

When crafting your text prompt, consider the following best practices:

• Text prompts should be at least 3-7 words long. Ideally, format the prompt with short keywords or phrases separated by commas.
• Avoid long lists of requests and instructions. Unlike a large language model (LLM) or chatbot, the text prompter for media generation isn’t conversational.
• If your product seems too large or too small compared to the context of the background scene, then include sizing information to help the generator scale the background to your product correctly. For example, 8oz jar candle or 26” x 18” suitcase.
• To avoid objects ‘floating’ in the background scene, specify how the object should be grounded in relation to the background. For example, drink bottle sitting on table or boots resting on floor against wall.
• You can’t remove or exclude specific background objects using a text-based scene prompt. For example, prompts such as remove pine trees or city streets, but not New York City won’t work.

Select an image’s subject

When you choose to Enhance background in the media editor, Shopify Magic automatically analyzes the image to identify and separate the subject from the background. However, you can manually adjust what Shopify Magic considers to be part of the subject when the automatic selection doesn’t fully capture your desired subject.

Note

Manually selecting an image's subject is available only on desktop devices. You can't manually adjust what Shopify Magic considers to be part of the subject when accessing the media editor from a mobile device.

Steps:

1. In your Shopify admin, go to the media file that you want to edit.

2. Click the pencil icon, or click the thumbnail to open the media editor.

3. In the media editor, click the Enhance background icon.

4. An Analyzing image message displays and the subject flashes, surrounding it with an outline. If the automatic selection of the subject isn’t fully captured, then click Choose subject.

5. Depending on how you want to adjust the subject selection, do any of the following steps:

   1. Click any area in the image to add that selection to the subject. The selected area displays with a purple overlay. You might need to click multiple areas on an object to select the entire subject. Click any circular selection point again to undo that area selection.
   2. Hold Shift and then click to remove an area from the subject selection. You might need to click multiple areas in a selection to deselect an entire subject. Click any red selection point again to undo the area removal.

6. When you’re satisfied with the subject selection, click Apply.

Remove an image’s background

You can remove an image’s background to make the background entirely transparent.

Note

Images with transparent backgrounds are always saved as PNG files, even when the original image is a JPEG.

Steps:

Desktop

1. In your Shopify admin, go to the media file that you want to edit.

2. Click the pencil icon, or click the thumbnail to open the media editor.

3. In the media editor, click the Enhance background icon.

4. Confirm that the subject is selected correctly. You can manually adjust the subject selection if necessary.

5. In the Remove background section, click Remove.

6. Click Done.

7. Click Save or Save as new to save your image.

If you want to discard all changes to the image, then click Revert to original.

Replacing an image’s background

You can replace an image’s background with an AI-generated scene or a solid color.

Replace an image’s background with a AI-generated scene

You can replace an image’s background with a different background scene generated with AI. These backgrounds are more complex than a solid color and can help situate your product in the context it would likely be used in. For example, an image of a bench in your workshop could be modified to display the same bench in a home’s entryway.

Scenes are generated by using a text prompt to describe the existing subject and the background you want. You can also select from a list of suggested scene prompts based on a scene style, such as Studio or City, which you can customize further as well.

Note

Shopify Magic creates 4 AI-generated scenes at a time. Additional sets can be generated, but any unused scenes are deleted when you close the editor unless you save the images to your device.

You can also report any generated images that contain inappropriate or harmful content.

Steps:

Desktop

1. In your Shopify admin, go to the media file that you want to edit.

2. Click the pencil icon, or click the thumbnail to open the media editor.

3. In the media editor, click the Enhance background icon.

4. Confirm that the subject is selected correctly. You can manually adjust the subject selection if necessary.

5. In the Replace background section, click the Scene tab.

6. In the Describe the subject section, briefly describe the subject using keywords or short phrases separated by commas.

7. In the Describe the background you want section, add a text-based prompt to describe your desired background scene by doing either of the following steps:

   1. Optional: In the Suggestions section, click View more and then click one of the scene presets, such as Studio or City, to add that prompt to the Describe the background you want section. You can then modify the preset text prompt as desired.
   2. Optional: In your own words, briefly describe your desired background scene using keywords or short phrases separated by commas.

8. Click Generate.

9. Along with the original image, 4 thumbnails with the new versions of the image display at the bottom of the editor for you to preview. Click the thumbnail to select the image you want to use in your final version.

10. Optional: If you want another set of images, then click Generate again. You might also want to adjust your text prompt.

11. When you’re satisfied with the results, click Done.

12. Click Save or Save as new to save your image.

If you want to discard all changes to the image, then click Revert to original.

Replace an image’s background with a solid color

You can replace an image’s background with a solid color. Preset color swatches are picked directly from the generated image.

Steps:

Desktop

1. In your Shopify admin, go to the media file that you want to edit.

2. Click the pencil icon, or click the thumbnail to open the media editor.

3. In the media editor, click the Enhance background icon.

4. Confirm that the subject is selected correctly. You can manually adjust the subject selection if necessary.

5. In the Replace background section, click the Color tab.

6. Select the background color you want by doing one of the following options:

   • Click one of the preset color swatches. Presets include Monochrome and Dominant colors automatically picked directly from the image, as well as Complementary colors.
   • In the Custom section, click + to type in a color code or use the color picker window to manually select your color.

7. When you’re satisfied with the results, click Done.

8. Click Save or Save as new to save your image.

If you want to discard all changes to the image, then click Revert to original.

Save generated images to your device

You can save any image you generate directly to your device's local storage or share on a mobile device. Generated images that aren’t saved are lost when the editing session is finished.

Steps:

Desktop

1. Follow the steps to generate a selection of AI-modified backgrounds, but don’t click Done to close the editor.
2. Click the thumbnail for the image you want to save.
3. In the image preview, click the ↧ icon to download the image to your device's local storage.

Report the content in generated images

Shopify Magic uses trained models that implement filters and safeguards to recognize and block harmful or offensive content. However, you can manually report any generated images that still contain inappropriate or harmful content. Your feedback helps improve the quality of scenes generated by Shopify Magic.

Note

Shopify prioritizes originality and respects creators' rights, and doesn't support or endorse uploading images from the web or copyright infringement.

To report potential infringement, rights holders can use Shopify's existing copyright and trademark reporting forms. Learn more about Legal removals and intellectual property.

Steps:

After you’ve followed the steps to generate a selection of AI-generated scenes and encountered inappropriate or harmful content:

Desktop

1. Click the thumbnail for the image that you want to report.
2. In the image preview, click the ⚐ flag icon to Report content.
3. In the Report image dialog, select what you want to report about the image.
4. Optional: In the Add more details section, enter specific information about what you want to report.
5. Click Submit.