Trying to create a metafield definition after a metafield has been created, most options greyed out!

Technical Q&A

Topic summary

Main issue: Product metafields were created via GraphQL without definitions, so they don’t appear conveniently in the admin editor. When trying to add definitions under Settings > Custom data > Products > “Metafields without a definition,” the “Select type” options are greyed out—especially the needed File/File reference type—despite existing values being file references.

Context/terms:

  • Metafield definition: schema that makes a metafield editable/visible in the admin UI.
  • file_reference: a metafield type that points to a file (e.g., image or document) in Shopify.
  • GraphQL: API used to create the metafields initially (unstructured, no definitions).

Recent inputs:

  • A tutorial video was shared (general guidance on creating metafields with/without definitions).
  • A staff member asked whether this was on mobile, noting some options can be greyed out there; advised trying on desktop and contacting Support/Partner Support if the issue persists.
  • Another user confirmed the same problem: cannot set type “file_reference” on unstructured GraphQL-created metafields, causing client impact.

Status: Unresolved. Suggested next steps are to retry on desktop and escalate to Shopify Support for investigation.

Summarized with AI on December 26. AI used: gpt-5.
4

Hi, @twilson90 .

Are you trying this on desktop or mobile? Some metafield settings can be greyed out on mobile, so if you are using a mobile device I’d recommend trying this on desktop to see if you can select the option you’d like. If it’s still not working for you, please contact our support team through the Help Center here so we can look into this with you in more detail. If you are a Shopify Partner you can also contact us through the “Support” tab in your Partner dashboard.