How can I bulk update product metafields in Shopify?

Shopify Discussion
1

Hey, I have around 12000 products that I am using a single line text metafield for. For all of them I need to put in a different value. It is hard to change it from the admin. Any suggestions how to do it in bulk and to save time?

2

You can do this with a bulk editing app like Matrixify. With the number of products you have, you’ll need to pay for one of their premium plans, but you can cancel it when you’re done.

There probably are other apps that can modify metafields in bulk, but I’ve only personally used Matrixify.

3

Hello @ac0 and @BenSmith1

Thank you for suggesting the use of Matrixify app for this task!

You sure can use Matrixify to bulk export and import your Shopify Products with their Metafields.

We have a great tutorial here that explains exactly how to bulk manage Metafields in your Shopify store.

If you have any questions or concerns along the way, please reach out to us directly.

4

Hello,

I would suggest checking out our Ablestar Bulk Product Editor if you want to update these metafields in bulk. Since each of your products needs a different value the best way is to use a spreadsheet to update the values. A few things about the app you might find helpful:

  • You don’t need to rename the columns to match a specific format. As long as the first column in the spreadsheet refers to a product (title, handle, SKU etc..) the app can detect them for you
  • If you export the metafields to a spreadsheet it’s faster than most apps because the app keeps a copy of your products in its local database
  • You can undo any of your modifications with one click
  • There’s no limit on the number of products during the trial period so if this is a one time thing you should be able to do it for free

Here’s a quick video showing how to update the values with a spreadsheet:

Also, if you want to update the metafields based on conditions, for example: “All products from vendor A with metafield B should have metafield C set to ‘abc’” you can do that without spreadsheets.

Happy to answer any other questions you might have. Best,

Daniel

5

Shopify has finally added bulk export and import of product metafields in the Summer 2024 update. No need for apps or workarounds now.

6

Really? Is this documented anywhere? :crossed_fingers:

7

Picking up on Migratory’s note about the 2024 update: Shopify did ship native CSV import/export for product metafields in summer 2024 (Products > Export, then Import the edited file). Worth knowing the limits though: CSV-only, no in-admin grid, no undo, ID/handle columns have to stay clean. At 12k rows where each product needs a different value, that gets painful fast.

For that kind of workflow, a Shopify-native PIM with a live spreadsheet editor is usually faster than the CSV roundtrip (Peak PIM is another option worth a look. It connects via a Shopify App in a few minutes, then you bulk edit products, variants, metafields, and metaobjects from the PIM).

8

Hi @BenSmith1

Best choice is Matrixify. Export products with that metafield, fill in the values in Excel or Google Sheets, then import again in one batch. If values are following rules, you can use formulas to quickly generate them. Shopify bulk editor does the job, but for 12000 products Matrixify is by far the fastest and most reliable.