Unsupported Image Type in Merchant Center: How to Fix It

What this issue means

Google's image link specification accepts these formats:

Google also says the file extension must match the actual format. A PNG saved with a .jpg name, or a WebP served from a URL ending in .png, can trigger this error.

What happens to the product depends on its history. For new products, Google says they stay disapproved until it can process a valid image. For existing products, Google reverts to the previous image it had.

Why it happens

• Modern formats Google doesn't list. AVIF, HEIC (iPhone photos), SVG and JPEG XL aren't in Google's supported list. Image optimization plugins and CDNs increasingly serve AVIF automatically.
• Content negotiation. A CDN serves different formats to different browsers from the same URL. If Google receives a format it doesn't accept, the image fails even though it looks fine in your browser.
• Wrong extension. Files renamed by hand, or exported from design tools with the wrong extension.
• Script URLs instead of files. Google says image URLs should link directly to an image file, not a script; redirects through ASP, PHP or ColdFusion scripts fail.
• Spaces or unencoded characters in the URL. my picture.jpg instead of my%20picture.jpg.
• The URL returns a web page. Links to an image gallery page, product page or an HTML error page instead of the file itself.
• Animated GIFs used as the main product image.

How to fix it

1. Get the affected list. In Merchant Center, open Products > Needs attention, filter for "Unsupported image type" (or the broken image link issue), and download the CSV with the image URLs.

2. Check what the URL actually serves. Open a few image URLs in a private browser window. Right-click, save the file, and check its real type. If you're comfortable with developer tools, check the Content-Type header in the Network tab: it should be image/jpeg, image/png, image/webp, and so on.

3. Convert unsupported files. Re-export AVIF, HEIC and SVG images as JPEG or PNG (or WebP). Keep them at least 500 x 500 pixels, since that becomes Google's minimum for all products on January 31, 2027.

4. Fix it in your platform:

   • Shopify (Google & YouTube app): Shopify's CDN generally provides compatible formats for the channel. If you uploaded HEIC or SVG files as product images, replace them with JPEG or PNG versions and set them as the featured or variant image.
   • WooCommerce: Image optimization plugins (WebP or AVIF converters) and CDNs are the usual cause. Make sure the feed uses the original JPEG or PNG URL, or configure the plugin to exclude feed requests from AVIF conversion. Check that the image URL your feed plugin sends ends in a real file, not a resizing script.
   • Feed files and supplemental sources: Point image_link to a direct, supported image file. A supplemental source with id and image_link can override bad URLs without changing your site.

5. Encode URLs properly. Replace spaces with %20 and URL-encode other symbols. Better yet, rename files to use lowercase letters, numbers and hyphens only.

6. Use a new URL for each changed image. Google says reusing the same URL can delay detection of a new image by up to six weeks, so change the filename when you replace a file.

7. Fix one product quickly if needed. In Merchant Center, open the product from Needs attention, choose Edit product, replace the image and save. Remember that your store app may overwrite this on its next sync, so fix the source too.

How long until it's fixed

Google says changes may take 24 to 72 hours to show on the Needs attention page. Because images must be recrawled, a new image URL typically takes a few days to process and can take longer. If you replaced the file but kept the same URL, it can take up to six weeks.

How to prevent it

• Standardize on JPEG for photos and PNG for images that need transparency.
• Configure CDNs and optimization plugins so feed image URLs stay in a supported format.
• Don't upload HEIC files straight from phones; convert them first.
• Avoid animated GIFs and SVGs as main product images.
• Use clean file names without spaces or special characters.

Image format problems often appear after a site speed project, when a new CDN or optimization plugin changes how images are served. Mercantads can review how your images reach Google and fix the feed without undoing your speed gains; see our Merchant Center service, or test URLs with the product image checker.