How can I fix the error of non-existing image IDs on my product?

Technical Q&A

Topic summary

Main issue: Shopify shows an error when saving a product: “The following image IDs do not exist or do not belong to the product,” listing numeric IDs. Image IDs are internal references; variants (e.g., sizes like S/M/L) may still point to images that were deleted or no longer belong to the product.

Common causes noted:

  • Duplicating a product copied images that later got removed or replaced.
  • Replacing/compressing product photos, then removing originals while variants still referenced them.
  • Deleting all product photos, leaving variants with missing image assignments.

Fixes that worked for several users:

  • Remove/replace copied images on duplicated products.
  • Re-upload product images and explicitly set each variant’s featured image to a current image.
  • Ensure every variant has an image; some resolved it by giving each variant a distinct photo.
  • If all photos were deleted, add images back to the listing and assign them to variants.

Open questions: Multiple users asked how to “unattach” orphaned IDs from variants; no step-by-step process was provided. Mapping the numeric IDs to specific images remains unclear.

Status: Partially resolved with workarounds; no definitive procedure shared for bulk/unassign steps.

Summarized with AI on January 13. AI used: gpt-5.
1

Hi. I am new to Shopify. When adding a product manually to my website (using Dawn theme) i got this message:

There is 1 error with this product:

  • The following image IDs do not exist or do not belong to the product: 28389935448115,28389928927283

Can anyone tell me what it means and how to fix it? And how to identify the item associated with the numbers?

Many thanks

1 Like
2

I had this problem and worked out it was caused by product images that were copied when I duplicated a product. Once I removed or replaced those product images, this fixed the problem

3 Likes
3

Thank you, I appreciate your response. I will try to replace the pics.

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4

Hi! I know it’s an old post, but faced this issue today. It was when I replaced pics on a product, using compressed files for lower size. I have size as a variant on this product and each size (S-M-L) was associated with a picture of the product’s collection. When replaced the pics, there was one still showing on sizes, but was removed from the collection (by me). So this was the error coming from. It took me a while to figure out, because with the numbers it’s hard to identify the pic. I replaced the old pic on size with one of the recently added. This solved the issue.

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5

Hello Kate

Thanks for picking this up and offering your experience. It all helps!

Regards

sue

6

I tried this but sadly it refused to work please help!

1 Like
7

The true reason is that when you uploaded images those got an ID for internal references to that ressource. You attached that ID to provide individual variants with their featured image.
When you deleted the images without deattaching those IDs from the variants this is exactly where this error showed up: “The following image IDs do not exist or do not belong to the product”

You need to unattach those IDs.

8

how do you replace this ids? i deleted all the pictures, but it still throws the code

9

I had the same issue. For me i didn’t have a image on the different variants. once i uploaded a picture to the variants it worked

10

What’s the process for unattaching the IDs?

2 Likes
11

I also need help with the process for unattaching the IDs! Please help.

12

I just had the same issue and once I made sure each variant had a different photo, it resolved the issue.

13

You manually added the images?

14

i was able to fix the issue, i had to add photos onto the listing for it to
go away.
i had deleted all the photos at first, but then it still threw the error
code, till i added images