How to Display Product Variant Images on Shopify Cart

One of the biggest limitations in Shopify is that its default cart does not display variant-specific images. This can affect the shopping experience, especially for products with multiple options like colors, sizes, or styles. Visual confirmation builds trust, but Shopify’s cart often shows product names and quantities, missing the specific variant the customer picked. Visuals play a major role in buying decisions.

In fact, studies show that over 75 percent of online shoppers rely on product images when making a purchase decision. When customers do not see the correct image in their cart, it can reduce their confidence and increase the chances of cart abandonment.

The good news is that you can display the correct variant images in your Shopify cart with a few simple customizations. In this guide, we will walk you through exactly how to do this, enhancing your cart's visual appeal and clarity while offering a smoother and more trustworthy shopping experience for your customers.

Understanding How Shopify Handles Variant Images

By default, Shopify allows merchants to assign unique images to each product variant, such as different colors or sizes. However, when a customer adds a product to the cart, only the main product image is displayed, regardless of the selected variant. This means that even if a customer selects a red shirt, the cart will still show the default image of a blue shirt, which can cause confusion and disrupt the shopping experience.

A Reddit user on the r/shopify subreddit discussed this issue:
"I only want my 3 main product images to be visible on the product page, with variant images only appearing if selected via drop-down."

This reflects a common challenge for Shopify store owners in effectively managing and displaying variant images throughout the shopping process.

Understanding this challenge is the foundation for improving your cart experience, which leads directly into the next step—assigning images properly to variants to prepare for better cart image displays.

Assigning Images to Each Product Variant

With the problem clear, the solution begins with correctly assigning images to each product variant inside Shopify’s admin panel. This step might sound simple, but it’s often overlooked or inconsistently done, causing variant images to fail in the cart or on product pages.

Here’s a detailed guide to get it right:

• Navigate to Products in your Shopify admin.
• Select the product that has multiple variants.
• Scroll to the Variants section and click on a specific variant (say, a “Red, Medium” hoodie).
• Use the Add image button to upload the exact image representing that variant.
• Save changes before moving on to the next variant.

For stores with extensive catalogs, Shopify supports bulk editing or CSV imports, which can save hours of manual updates.

Pro tip: maintain consistent file naming conventions like “hoodie-red-medium.jpg” to track and manage variant images easily.

Additionally, Shopify's mobile app now allows on-the-go variant image management. Store owners managing inventory during busy sales periods have praised this feature on social media platforms like Twitter and Instagram Stories, noting how it saves time and ensures up-to-date visuals without being tied to a desktop.

Assigning variant images correctly is essential. Without this, no amount of theme customization or apps can display the correct image dynamically in the cart, leaving your customers guessing and your conversions at risk.

Customize Your Theme to Show Variant Images in Cart

Shopify’s default cart templates (like cart.liquid or sections/cart-items.liquid) do not automatically display variant-specific images; they typically show the main product image regardless of the selected option. This is a common pain point for many store owners aiming to offer a visually accurate cart experience.

To fix this, you can customize your theme’s code:

• Access your Shopify admin and navigate to Online Store > Themes > Actions > Edit Code.

• Open the cart template file (cart.liquid or sections/cart-items.liquid, depending on your theme).
• Locate the code displaying product images and replace it with a snippet that pulls the variant’s featured image—usually using line_item.variant.image or variant.featured_image.
• Save your changes and test to confirm the cart now updates images according to variant selections.

Popular Shopify themes like Dawn or Refresh have slightly different file structures. For Dawn, you’ll typically edit cart-items.liquid inside the sections folder. Many developers share snippets and tutorials on forums and YouTube specifically tailored for these themes, making the process more approachable.

Use Third-Party Apps for Easy Variant Image Display

If you're looking for a quick, hassle-free way to display variant images in the cart without the need for code editing, third-party apps can handle it seamlessly. One standout option is the SA Variant Image Automator.

Key Features:

• Automatic Image Switching: Automatically updates the image when customers select different variants, ensuring they always see the correct product.
• Enhanced Galleries: Displays a smooth gallery of all variant images, giving customers a clearer view of their options.
• Consistent Updates: Ensures images are updated across product pages, carts, and checkout screens, providing a cohesive experience.

This app is handy for stores with extensive product catalogs or complex variant setups, removing the need for manual coding and reducing ongoing maintenance.

Many Shopify merchants report higher conversion rates and reduced cart abandonment after integrating the Variant Image Automator. It's praised by store owners in the Shopify Community for improving the shopping experience without needing developer intervention.

Sync Variant Images Across Storefront and Cart

Ensuring that the variant image on your product page seamlessly matches the image shown in the cart is crucial for delivering a smooth and trustworthy shopping experience. This visual consistency should extend across all devices—whether shoppers browse on desktop, mobile, or tablets—and apply during quick view pop-ups or mini-cart interactions.

When variant images sync flawlessly, customers feel confident that their selections are accurate, which significantly reduces the chances of order errors, returns, and cart abandonment. Although often overlooked, this synchronization is a foundational element for brands aiming to build trust and offer a professional, user-friendly shopping journey.

Testing and Optimization: The Final Step Before Launch

Before making your changes live, rigorous testing is essential to ensure everything functions perfectly:

• Preview your cart on multiple devices, including desktops, mobiles, and tablets, to check image display consistency.
• Test across all major browsers such as Chrome, Safari, and Edge to avoid browser-specific glitches.
• Verify all variant combinations to confirm the correct images appear for each selection.
• Leverage analytics and heatmaps with tools like Shopify Preview, Hotjar, or Google Analytics to track customer interactions and identify potential UX issues.

A practical test is simply adding different variants of the same product to your cart and confirming that the cart updates the images correctly each time. This proactive testing helps catch bugs early, optimize the user experience, and ultimately prevents lost sales due to confusion or mistrust.

Real-World Brand Example

Brands like Everyday Diamonds demonstrate effective variant image syncing to improve customer clarity and confidence.

For instance, on their Sophia Round Cut Solitaire Ear Studs - Gold product page, each variant, such as different metal types or sizes, is paired with its own distinct image.

 When shoppers select a variant, the product image updates immediately to reflect their choice.

This seamless syncing between variant selection and images reduces confusion, helps customers visualize their exact choice, and ultimately enhances trust and conversion rates.

By presenting variant-specific images clearly, Everyday Diamonds ensures a smooth and confident shopping experience that minimizes returns and abandoned carts.

Conclusion

Displaying the correct variant images in your Shopify cart is essential for enhancing the shopping experience. The benefits are clear:

• Reduces selection errors, ensuring customers get exactly what they want.
• Builds customer trust by displaying the right product visuals.
• Improves the overall shopping experience, making it smoother and more intuitive.

For smaller stores, manual theme customizations can be a great starting point. As your product range grows, consider third-party apps for scalable, automated solutions that keep your store running efficiently.

To further enhance your Shopify store’s product presentation and drive higher conversions, explore powerful tools like Color Swatch King and Variant Image Automator from StarApps Studio. These tools are specifically designed to streamline your product display, improve customer engagement, and optimize the shopping journey.