Shopify image swatch doesn't show unless the option name for the variant is called "Color" or "Colour"

Technical Q&A

Topic summary

A user encountered an issue where image swatches for product variants only display when the option name is specifically “Color” or “Colour.” When changed to other names like “Variant,” the swatches revert to standard buttons.

Key Points:

  • The behavior is theme-dependent rather than a universal Shopify limitation
  • Older themes required either the “Color” naming convention or manual specification of which option names display as swatches
  • Modern themes typically require configuring product options through Category metafields to enable swatch functionality

Current Status:
The discussion remains open, awaiting the original poster to provide their theme name/version or a preview link to their store for more specific troubleshooting guidance.

Summarized with AI on October 25. AI used: claude-sonnet-4-5-20250929.
1

Hey,

Unless the option name for the variant is called “Color” or “Colour” the image swatch doesn’t appear and instead becomes buttons.

(I couldn’t put more than one embedded media since I’m a “new user” so I’m using imgur, scroll for all images): Imgur: The magic of the Internet

If it’s changed from “Color” to “Variant” it no longer shows the image swatches.

Appreciate any help, thanks!

2

This actually depends on your theme.
For older themes it was necessary to either use name like “Color” or specify which option names will be shown as swatches.

For most modern theme you need to create your product options based on Category metafields to show swatches, like this:
https://help.shopify.com/en/manual/custom-data/metafields/category-metafields/using-category-metafields

So, what’s your theme and what version? Or, even better, share a (preview) link to your store and actual product page

if my post is helpful, please like it and mark as a solution -- this will help others find it
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