Shopify CSV image errors: “An error occurred while trying to download the image”
Shopify tried to download an image from the URL in your CSV and failed. The link is private, broken, not a direct image, or the image is too large.
Validation failed: An error occurred while trying to download the imageWhat the message means
Shopify doesn’t read images from your computer during a CSV import. It downloads every URL in Product image URL and Variant image URL (older files: Image Src and Variant Image). The help center lists related messages:
| Message | Meaning |
|---|---|
Validation failed: An error occurred while trying to download the image | The file at that address couldn’t be downloaded. |
Validation failed: getaddrinfo: nodename nor servname provided, or not known | The URL is malformed or the domain doesn’t exist; Shopify recommends including the http:// or https:// prefix and using a public direct link. |
Incorrect header check | The file at that address is not a valid image. |
Validation failed: The uploaded image exceeds the 20 megapixel limit | The image is too large. Shopify’s maximum is 5000 × 5000 px. |
Common causes
- Share links instead of direct links. Google Drive, Dropbox and OneDrive share links open a web page, not the image file.
- Private or expiring links, such as supplier portal images that need a login.
- Missing
https://, or spaces and line breaks inside the URL. - Local file paths like
C:\Photos\mug.jpg. - Huge or unusual files, such as 50-megapixel camera originals.
How to fix it
- Copy one failing URL into a private browser window. It should show only the image, not a web page or a login screen.
- Replace share links with direct image URLs, or upload the images to Content → Files in Shopify admin and use the URLs Shopify gives you.
- Make sure every URL starts with
https://and contains no spaces. - Resize images larger than 5000 × 5000 px.
- Re-import the affected products, or import without images and add photos in the admin.
Images from supplier PDFs
Photos embedded in a supplier PDF have no URL, so they can’t go into a CSV directly. Ask the supplier for an image folder or public image links, or upload the photos to Shopify Files first. Sheet2Store includes image URLs that are already in your supplier file and flags values that aren’t valid public http(s) links, but it doesn’t extract photos from PDFs.
Frequently asked questions
Were my products imported without the images?
Usually the product row fails validation, so check the import summary. Fix the URLs and import those products again.
Can I use Google Drive links?
Share links point to a Drive page, not the file, so they typically fail. Upload images somewhere that serves the file directly, such as Shopify Files.
What image size should I use?
Shopify accepts images up to 5000 × 5000 px. Square images around 2048 × 2048 px are a common choice for product photos.
Turn a supplier file into an import-ready CSV
Upload a supplier PDF, Excel or CSV price list. Map the columns, set your markup, fix flagged rows and download a Shopify or WooCommerce CSV. The first five rows are free to preview.