Shopify’s own category metafields don’t work for our product catalog, but I don’t seem to be able to disable them. I can delete the corresponding metafields and metaobjects from the custom data section, but even when I do so they still appear as suggestions on new products (or on old products that haven’t been viewed for a while). And, if a staff member mistakenly clicks “Accept all” or doesn’t realize it’s the wrong metafield and uses it, the metaobject reappears in the custom data section.
How do I turn these suggestions completely off so they don’t appear when a staff member opens a product in the back end? Example below:
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This is one of the most annoying feature Shopify so far has brought up. Now my client has got confused and started to fill those suggested metafields instead of our actual metafields.
I also find these highly annoying. I would love to disable them entirely.
Hi @acacomposers
I am from Mageplaza - Shopify solution expert.
At the moment, Shopify does not offer an official way to completely disable default metafield suggestions.
Even if you delete the metafield or metaobject definitions, the suggestions may still appear due to Shopify’s automatic synchronization from the standard taxonomy or temporary caching. However, you can try to limit their appearance with the following methods:
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Lock Down Staff Access with Permissions
Prevent accidental edits by restricting who can manage metafields:
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Use a Custom Product Template with Limited Fields
If you’re using a custom product template in your theme:
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You can ignore or hide unwanted metafields from the storefront.
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This won’t remove them from the admin, but it minimizes their effect.
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Avoid Product Category Assignment
If you’re using Shopify’s standard product categories (standard_product_type), removing or avoiding these assignments may reduce auto-suggestions.
However, this may also impact filtering and other features, so proceed with caution.
There are also several apps available on the Shopify App Store that offer more advanced metafield management and may better suit your needs.
Let me know if you have any questions or need further assistance. Thank you very much!
I have actually found a workaround, and I wanted to let everyone in this thread know:
You can remove these suggested metafields from the backend product entry by navigating to Settings → Custom Data → Products → Assigned to categories, entering the relevant metafield definition, then re-assigning the Category Assignment to a category your store isn’t using.
I have actually found a workaround, and I wanted to let everyone in this thread know:
You can remove these suggested metafields from the backend product entry by navigating to Settings → Custom Data → Products → Assigned to categories, entering the relevant metafield definition, then re-assigning the Category Assignment to a category your store isn’t using. (see screenshot in other reply)
Stopped working. Can’t remove all assignments anymore.
