How do I add size and colour options to a product in Shopify?

How options and variants work

An option is the choice a customer makes, such as Size or Colour. Values are the choices inside it, such as S, M, L. Shopify combines the values of every option to create variants, so 3 sizes and 4 colours give 12 variants. Each variant can have its own price, SKU, barcode, weight, stock count and image.

Adding size and colour to a product

1. 1Open the product from the Products page in your Shopify admin.
2. 2In the Variants section, add an option, name it Size and enter each size value.
3. 3Add a second option named Colour and enter each colour.
4. 4Review the variants Shopify creates and delete any combinations you do not actually sell.
5. 5Set the price, SKU and stock for each variant. You can edit several variants together if they share a price.
6. 6Assign an image to each colour variant so the photo changes when a customer picks a colour.
7. 7Save, then check the product page on your storefront on both mobile and desktop.

Limits and large ranges

Shopify has limits on how many options and variants a single product can have, and these have changed over time, so check Shopify's help centre for the current numbers before planning a large range. If you sell many combinations, such as rings in several metals, stone sizes and ring sizes, you may need to split them into separate products, use an app for extra options, or rethink which choices are true variants and which are customisations.

Making options easier to choose

• Many Shopify themes can show colour options as swatches instead of a dropdown; check your theme settings.
• Add a size guide link near the size selector to reduce returns.
• Show clearly when a variant is out of stock rather than letting customers pick it and fail at checkout.
• Keep option names and value spellings consistent across products so filters work properly.