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When you pin a product, you can override which image appears on the collection page tile. This lets you feature a specific product photo, variant image, metafield image, or a custom uploaded image instead of the product’s default featured media.

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How it works

Each pinned product has an optional featured media button in the merchandising interface. Clicking it opens a modal that displays all available media for that product, including:
  • The product’s featured image
  • Additional product images
  • Variant-specific media (labeled with the variant name)
  • Images stored in product metafields
Select the image you want to feature and save. The override replaces the product’s default image in storefront search and browse results whenever the pin is active. Customers browsing the collection see the image you chose instead of the product’s default.

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Upload a custom image

You can also upload a custom image from your device instead of selecting from existing product media. This is useful when you want to feature an image that doesn’t exist on the product in Shopify — for example, a campaign-specific banner, a lifestyle photo, or a promotional graphic. To upload a custom image:
  1. Open the featured media modal for a pinned product.
  2. Click Upload image.
  3. Select an image file from your device.
  4. The image is uploaded to your Shopify Files library and the resulting CDN URL is stored as the override.
Supported formats are JPEG, PNG, WebP, and GIF. The maximum file size is 20 MB.
Custom uploaded images are stored in your Shopify Files library. They persist independently of product data and are not removed during product syncs.
  • Campaign imagery — Feature a lifestyle photo or seasonal shot instead of the standard product image.
  • Custom uploads — Use an image that doesn’t exist on the product, such as a promotional graphic or branded campaign asset.
  • Color or variant spotlight — Show a specific variant’s image without changing the default variant selection.
  • Metafield images — Surface images stored in custom metafields that wouldn’t normally appear as the tile image.

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Storefront behavior

The override applies at both the product level and the variant level in the storefront response:
  • The product’s featured_media field is replaced with the override image.
  • When no variant filter is active, the first variant’s featured_media is also updated to match the override.
  • If a customer applies a variant filter (for example, filtering by color), the variant-level override is skipped so the filtered variant’s actual image is shown.

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Automatic cleanup on product sync

When a product is synced from Shopify, the platform checks whether each pin’s featured media override still refers to a valid image. If the image no longer exists on the product (deleted from Shopify, variant removed, or metafield changed), the platform clears the override automatically. The storefront then falls back to the product’s current featured image. Custom uploaded images are excluded from this cleanup. Because they are stored in your Shopify Files library rather than attached to the product, they remain as overrides even when the product’s media changes. This prevents broken or outdated images from appearing on your collection pages.
Featured media overrides are preserved when you move, swap, or reorder pinned products within a rule.

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See also