If Google Merchant Center flags your product image for “Text on image”, also called a promotional overlay, the product is disapproved until you replace the image. Here's what counts, and how to fix it.
What counts as an overlay
Google doesn't allow anything added on top of the product photo: calls to action like “shop now”, prices or shipping offers, words like “best” or “cheap”, watermarks, added logos, and borders. A logo that's physically part of the product is fine.
- ❌ “Shop now”, prices, “Free shipping”
- ❌ Watermarks, stamps, added logos
- ❌ Borders around the image
- ✅ A logo printed on the product itself
Use a clean product photo
The fix is a clean photo of the product on its own, filling most of the frame. Google recommends at least 1500 × 1500 pixels, and from January 2027, the minimum is 500 × 500 for every product.
| Disapproved | Approved |
|---|---|
| Product photo + “50% OFF” badge + watermark | Clean photo, product fills most of the frame, 1500 × 1500 px or larger |
Swap the image
In Shopify, replace the product's featured image, then let the Google and YouTube channel sync. Merchant Center's automatic image improvements can also remove some overlays for you. Fixes can take a day or more to show.
- Shopify product → replace the featured image
- Let the Google & YouTube channel sync
- Optional: Merchant Center image improvements
- Allow 24–72 hours
Doing this at scale
FeedFix flags undersized images along with title, description, and identifier issues for every product, so you can see what's holding back your Shopping listings in one queue. See FeedFix.