SQUARE GUIDE · STORE LAYOUT
How to make product photos look consistent in a grid
A collection page looks tidy when every product sits in the same shape of frame, at a similar size, on a matching background. Supplier photos rarely arrive that way. Here's what to standardise, and the numbers to help you choose.
1. Pick one shape and use it everywhere.
Mixed shapes are the main reason a grid looks uneven. A tall bottle photo next to a wide shoe photo makes the row jump. Choose one aspect ratio for every product's main image. Square (1:1) is the most common choice because it suits both tall and wide products and fits most store themes and marketplaces. Portrait 4:5 can suit clothing and tall products.
Many store themes have their own image ratio setting and can crop images to fit. Check that first: if the theme is set to crop, it may cut the edges off products whatever you upload. Theme crop settings versus padding.
2. Pad instead of cropping.
To turn a rectangular photo into a square without losing any of the product, add space to the shorter sides. Cropping to a square would cut off the top and bottom of a tall product. Padding keeps every edge, at the cost of making the product appear a little smaller in its frame.
3. Choose a margin and keep it the same.
A margin is the minimum space between the product photo and the edge of the square. The same margin on every image keeps products at a similar visual size. Here's how much of a square frame a photo fills at three margins:
| Margin on each side | Longest side of photo | Square photo covers | 2:3 or 3:2 photo covers |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0% | 100% of frame | 100% | 67% |
| 5% | 90% of frame | 81% | 54% |
| 10% | 80% of frame | 64% | 43% |
Coverage = (1 − 2 × margin)² × (short side ÷ long side). A 2:3 photo's short side is two-thirds of its long side.
A 5% margin is a good starting point: products stay large but don't touch the edge. Use 10% if your theme draws borders or badges over the corners. Avoid 0% on every image if some products will touch the frame and others won't.
The photo's own background counts.
Padding adds white around the photo, but the original background stays. A product shot on light grey will show a grey rectangle inside a white square. For a seamless result, start from photos with a pure white background, or use a background-removal tool first and then pad.
4. Use the same pixel size.
Export every image at the same dimensions, such as 2,048 × 2,048 pixels, so they all scale the same way and zoom features behave consistently. A larger canvas doesn't add detail to a small original, though. A 600-pixel-wide supplier photo padded onto a 2,048-pixel square is still a 600-pixel photo with more white space around it. If a product looks small or soft, the fix is a better original.
5. Shoot new photos with the grid in mind.
- Same distance and angle for similar products, so their sizes compare honestly.
- Same lighting and background, ideally white or very light, to match padding.
- Leave space around the product in the frame, so you're not forced to crop tightly later.
- Fill the frame similarly for each item, so small and large products don't look the same size by accident.
6. Name and keep your files in order.
Keep the originals in one folder and the padded exports in another, with names that match your product or SKU. When a theme or marketplace changes its recommended size, you can export a new set from the originals in one batch.
Pad a whole batch at once
Tidy Square pads up to 20 product photos to the same square size with a 0%, 5% or 10% margin, and downloads them as a ZIP. Your photos are processed on your device.
Open the square image makerIndependent guide by Tidy. Coverage figures are calculated as shown. Check your store theme's and marketplace's current image guidance. Checked 22 October 2026.