Guide
Etsy listing image requirements: what to check before upload
Etsy supports JPG, GIF, PNG, SVG, and HEIC images. Animated GIF and transparent PNG files are not supported. Etsy recommends at least 2000 × 2000 pixels for listing photos, while the first listing photo should be at least 635 × 635 pixels to avoid appearing lower in searches. Treat those size values as distinct guidance, not one upload requirement.
Make the first photo identify the actual offer
As a presentation recommendation, choose a primary image that lets a buyer understand the item before studying the rest of the listing. For a mug, keep the body and handle readable. A wide room scene that makes the mug tiny may work poorly as a primary image even if the file uploads successfully.
File format: check compatibility, then open the export
Etsy supports .jpg, .gif, .png, .svg, and .heic files. Animated .gif files and transparent .png files are not supported; transparent areas appear black on Etsy. Export into a supported format rather than renaming a file extension, then reopen the export to check its appearance. Lystiva does not certify marketplace acceptance.
Resolution: distinguish recommendations from requirements
Etsy recommends that listing photos have a width and height of at least 2000 pixels. That is a recommendation, not an upload requirement. Etsy also says the first listing photo should have a width and height of at least 635 pixels to avoid appearing lower in searches. Start from the best usable original and inspect fine details: enlarging a small preview does not recover missing label text or surface detail.
- Compare the exported file with the source at full size, especially lettering, edges, and texture.
- Check the current platform guidance again before a time-sensitive upload.
- Keep an original copy so a new crop does not require repeatedly editing an already compressed export.
Crop: preview the thumbnail, not just the full image
Etsy recommends that the first listing photo be horizontal or square so the focal point works in cropped thumbnail views. Use the listing thumbnail adjustment tool to preview square, portrait, and landscape crops, and leave enough border that important product details remain visible. Convert to sRGB when colors appear wrong on Etsy; this is a color-profile check, not a universal crop dimension.
Audit the rest of the set
Additional frames should answer a different buyer question rather than repeat the first image. Look for recognition, scale, detail, context, and any personalization view that the actual offer supports.
- Remove a frame that makes the product too small to inspect.
- Reject context that implies an unsupported feature, size, material, or included item.
- Use images you have the rights and permissions to publish.
Official sources