cannot upload photos to a new product, just keep getting server error

[Tara_Potter]

I am trying to add a new product to my shopify store and I notice that the "add photo" area looks different - no biggy, but it is not allowing me to upload any photos to the product.  I keep getting a red "server error" flash up at me and no pictures upload.  This has only just started happening today.

[screenagers]

What red error message you are getting and what image format images your are uploading .

File requirements and types

Shopify accepts .jpg, .png, and .gif file types for images and all major video file types such as .mp4 and .mov. If you upload .svg image files, then they will be converted to .png. The best file type for product images, pages, and blog posts is .jpg. The best file type for logos, borders, and trims is .png.

You can't upload video files when you're on a trial membership.

Each file needs to be smaller than 20 MB to upload to Shopify.

[Tara_Potter]

I am uploading the same size and format that I have been for nearly 2
years. I am not a newbie, this is a new problem for me. It gives simply
"server error". No error codes. I can work around the problem by uploading
a single photo at a time, but that is a total waste of my time.

[screenagers]

While uploading multiple images for a single product it take one or two minutes . Or contact support for further assistance 

[JHS]

It's not just Tara's problem. We haven't been able to upload images
for 3 days now and keep getting that non specific red box with Server Error.
We can't even upload single images.
The Variant area is also messed up.

All our procedures have not changed.
We have tried Firefox, rebooting router, clearing cookies and temp files to

no avail.
The only thing that's changed is Shopify's software.

[Mrzombie]

Hy.

I'm having exactly the same problem at www.mrzombie.pt, today i started to get the server error message when uploading product images.

any updates?

[Akshay_V]

@Mrzombie , @JHS  , @screenagers  , @Tara_Potter 

I have read the whole thread conversation. All of them facing the same issue with uploading the images into the product.

If you are from Italy then I want to tell you that is a technical issue and the Shopify team is already working on it to fix the issue. So please keep patience and check this link for updates. https://status.shopify.com/

If after that issue is not fixed then contact Shopify chat support using the below reference link.

For another country user, I suggest you contact Shopify chat support using the below link and tell them your issue with the help of a screenshot. So their technical expert will check and provide you solution within 72 hours.

Reference Link: https://help.shopify.com/en/questions#/contact/chat

[Marcolegend]

We've been having the same problem in South Africa since yesterday. We contacted Shopify support and they said they'll escalate it to the technical dept but it's more than 24 hrs since the problem started and no solution yet. Anybody got theirs to work yet? We're desperate to start uploading products for our deadline. 

[prawnmania]

I am also from SA and having the same problem -  I wanted to complete my store this weekend but now this happens!

[Tara_Potter]

Exactly, and I am in Canada, not Italy.  Still no resolution to the problem

[JHS]

Over 24 hours since emailing support and no response. This of itself is unusual as the turnaround is usually a few hours.
On a happy note ( although this may be temporary ) I was able to upload images at around midnight here ( Australia ).

The image box was still a big open box without the 'upload from url' link but all else worked well.

Shopify status page says "Some customers using the TIM internet service provider are also affected.".
Maybe that's us. Who knows ?

[Anara]

I am having same issue but I don't get any error codes, it's just not letting me upload my pictures!

[Tara_Potter · Accepted solution]

Okay, they finally fixed it, for my shop at least, I can now upload multiple photos at once without getting the server error.  Hope it is fixed soon for everyone else.

[JHS]

Well whadaya know. Server error on image upload is back 😞

Just love how Tara's last post says "Success. This is an accepted solution"
I'm sure Tara didn't call it that.

[Hydrobiz]

Did they contact you with regards to fixing this error? Because I am still experiencing this error - the red 'Server Error' pop up when trying to upload a product image. Has been like this for almost a week now and I desperately need to add new products to our store. 

[JHS]

Emailed me to say they have 'escalated' it to seek a solution.

[prawnmania]

Hi,

I managed to copy and paste the URL of the image and it worked -- not
ideal but it works for now.

Try that and let me know if it works.

[JHS]

Glad to see you have a work around.

With me all my images are stored on my PC hard drive.

[JHS]

It's been almost 2 weeks now and all Shopify keep prattling on about is Italian shops. Australia or Canada haven't had a mention yet and the 'escalate to technical support' happened over a week ago. Having a  shop is not much use if you can't upload images.

[prawnmania]

if you upload your photos to pinterest or IG and then use the url for the image as I did - will it work as a short term solution for you until they've

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@JHS wrote:

It's been almost 2 weeks now and all Shopify keep prattling on about is Italian shops. Australia or Canada haven't had a mention yet and the 'escalate to technical support' happened over a week ago. Having a  shop is not much use if you can't upload images.

---

resolved this issue? Just thinking of a roundabout way to get you to use an url instead of your hard drive as a reference. 

Let me know. 

[JHS]

Thanks Prawnmania.

Any upload is better than none. Bit fiddly and can only do single images

at a time but yes far better than none. We have been using this method

for the past week and I mentioned it to support so I guess that's why the

'tech' guys are not inclined to bust a boiler over this problem.

[Chris_L_]

Having that same issue as well but it may be due to something we updated on our end. I talked to support and they did... something or another so that it sorta works again but it's spotty at best. Kinda hoping this works itself out eventually but honestly I don't 100% know what's going on.

[JHS]

Whatever the problem is it doesn't appear to warrant a mention on the status page.

'No incident reported'. I guess an incident has to be widespread. 

[gypsy]

hi jhs

am having the same problem with no end insight

when you say use the url from the photo uploaded to pinterest  ,how do you get that to show up when uploading a product photo?

cheers

michael

[Scarlet_Tang]

This problem is NOT solved. I'm in the US and cannot upload photos. I've had a shop for several years, and I can't upload photos to my listings.

[LuCkY1St]

Same problem here in Belgium.

[Scarlet_Tang]

Another shop owner was able to get some info from Shopify support: 

Troy K: 

Hi! This is a current issue that our developers are aware of and working on. Things like this don't typically take too long to fix, but I don't have an exact estimate of when it will be back up and running. I can personally send you an update once things are back up and running

Edit for workaround: 

As a temporary work around, you can add the images to your files (Settings>Files), and then in the product editor, click the Add Image from URL button and add the URL that was given for the specific image when uploading to your files. Currently this is the only workaround. Our developers are currently working on this issue!

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[t94]

this worked for me thanks bro

[trapunto]

I am also having this issue in Alberta, Canada. Single image or bulk image uploads get me a red "image cannot be added" box. Images are ~250kb a pop, 1720x1720px, well within the requirements. I have 12 of them for a total of 4.2MB. Larger files have uploaded previously without a problem before. 

[timchard]

ATLANTA here. Same issue. Judging by the recent posts, seems to be an "incident"

[Myrubiogarden]

Having the same issue - not able to load images and getting the “image cannot be added” error message

[Dee_Wilkerson]

Me too! I'm in the USA. I also couldn't find a way to just post a comment to this thread, so I replied to the last person in the thread, which was Myrubiogarden. Sorry!

I did find a work around though. My apologies if this has already been posted:

Upload your image into the Files section of your store's Settings. Then you can copy the URL that is assigned to that image. Then you can use that URL to add to your product. It takes longer to do because you are not able to upload multiple images at once, but it beats getting the "image failed to upload" error message.

Hopefully Shopify will get their stuff together soon since this has been going on for at least 2 months!

[Meios-Jeremy]

it seems to be fixed.  working for me on my store here in California.

[LuCkY1St]

Yep ! Working here in Belgium.

[JHS]

As usual I couldn't post a new message because this thread has been considered 'solved'.
We 'had' been bulk transferring original images used in our our ebay listings and getting the red error box.
Our only workaround has been to right click on the ebay image and copying the image url.
Slow but sure.

[RenKou]

OMG AFTER months (if not like a year) of struggle, this worked - Thank you @Dee_Wilkerson 

[ponch]

I am having the same issue in uploading a jpg from Italy. Is there any way of debugging the issue and understand why it is not uploading ?

[ahab]

I'm having same issue in Ontario, Canada. I think the issue just started because earlier upload was successful.

Edit: I solved it by converting original image to jpeg. Simple saving as jpeg doesn't work.

[trapunto]

Mine started working again yesterday here in Alberta, Canada. 

[Spinshot]

Still troubles in Germany 😞 

[GrangeGrocer]

This is currently happening to me in Edinburgh. Trying to upload an image to a page, waiting ages and then getting 'server error'. 

Shopify can you assist?

Grange Grocer

www.GrangeGrocer.co.uk

[Charpzy26]

Im getting the same issue, could someone give an update?

[openviz]

I have the same problem but I couldn't solve it. I didn't follow the steps I found to solve the problem. 

[jwojo]

How did you solve this problem? Im having the same issue here in Wisconsin 

[ahab]

@jwojo downlaod the file without changing it's default extension 

After you download the file as .webdev (or whatever the default extension is), go line tile to convert it to jpeg "google convert .webdev to .jpeg". That is what worked for me.

I have a suspicion that some jpeg files aren't actually in the right .jpeg format. I say this because when I tried different files it worked. I'm not sure why but I assume something is wrong with them internally I guess. 

[PaulNewton]

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@ahab wrote:

I have a suspicion that some jpeg files aren't actually in the right .jpeg format. I say this because when I tried different files it worked. I'm not sure why but I assume something is wrong with them internally I guess. 

---

Yes, many many people, tools and services simply change the extension of image files instead of doing a proper conversion which modifies actual content and header signature in the file.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portable_Network_Graphics#File_header 

But when such a file is given to a system that does real validation and file checking the file extension is not a trusted value.

Other places only check the extension with no real validation, a big example is sites that don't allow gifs but changing a .gif to a .png lets you upload it and browsers will still show the gif animation because the extension is irrelevant at that level.

[scout_x]

I have the same problem just happening today after uploading photos from the exact same batch for the last couple of days! What can I do please?