The new product editor has removed the ability to assign unique images to individual variants when a product has more than one option. Previously, I could assign a specific image to each variant regardless of which option it belonged to. This was essential for bundle products where multiple options have visual differences (e.g. bag colour AND strap colour).
The current format only allows image assignment by the first option, which means customers cannot see visual differences across the other options. This directly impacts the customers ability to make an informed purchase decision.
How does this get circumvented in the current set up?
Hi @SamanthaH
Welcome to the community.
Not sure what you see in product editor now but here is what I see:
So no problem adding image to a variant.
Please share some screenshots.
Hi @SamanthaH,
It’s still there, it’s just a little bit hidden! Click the down chevron shown here to expand the variants. You can then add images for each individual variant:
Hi @SamanthaH 
This is definitely a frustrating limitation, especially for products where more than one option changes the visual appearance.
For something like a bag colour + strap colour setup, assigning media only to the first option doesn’t really solve the problem. Customers might see the correct bag colour but have no visual indication of how a different strap colour will look.
If you need to stay with native variants, one workaround would be to create separate images representing the most important combinations and handle the image switching with some custom theme logic. That can work, but it may become difficult to manage once you have a larger number of combinations.
Another approach is to move the visually important choices outside of the native variant media setup. For example, I’ve used Easify Custom Product Options for products with multiple visual choices, where options such as colours can be displayed as image or color swatches rather than relying entirely on Shopify’s variant media assignment.
This can be particularly useful when you have options like bag colour, strap colour, hardware colour, or additional accessories. Each choice can be presented visually, so customers can clearly see what they’re selecting without being limited by the native variant media setup.
If the goal is for the main product image to dynamically show the exact final combination of bag colour + strap colour, though, that would be a more advanced setup and may require custom logic or a live preview solution.
It would be interesting to know roughly how many combinations you’re working with, as that would probably determine whether a custom solution or an options/live preview approach is easier to maintain.
Hi @SamanthaH,
If Shopify’s current variant media setup is limiting you to assigning images based on the first option, you can consider handling the visual choices separately with Inkybay – Product Personalizer.
With Inkybay’s Product Option feature, you can create independent options and assign image swatches or color swatches to each one. This means customers can visually select different options without having to create a separate Shopify variant and image combination for every possible selection. You can also use dropdowns, radio buttons, checkboxes, and other option types depending on how you want the product page organized.
For products where the customer needs to see how their selected choices look together, Inkybay’s Design Lab can provide a live preview of the customization. This can help overcome the limitations of relying only on Shopify’s native variant-image assignment.
No coding is required for setting up the product options, and Inkybay offers a 21-day free trial if you’d like to test whether it works for your product setup.
Hi @SamanthaH
I created a similar setup using Aris Product Options’feature called “Change product image upon option selection”.
Instead of relying on Shopify’s native variant-image assignment, you can configure images to change dynamically when customers select an option.
Here’s a working demo: Aris – Change product image upon option selection
If you’re open to share more about your specific product/option combination, I can also walk you through a more detailed instructions 
Hope it helps!
With two visually important options like bag colour and strap colour, I think the first thing to decide is whether you actually need a unique image set for every combination.
If the strap colour materially changes how the product looks, then treating only the first option as the visual driver is always going to be limiting.
I’d map out how many combinations you really need shoppers to see before choosing a solution. If it’s 3 bag colours × 3 straps, that’s manageable. If it becomes dozens of combinations, you may be better off with a live-preview/options approach rather than trying to maintain a separate gallery for every permutation.
Two native routes that still give every combination its own image, before reaching for an app:
- Product CSV, “Variant Image” column. It’s per variant row, not per option. Export the product, put the image URL for “Tan bag / Black strap” on that exact row, re-import. It sets the image on that one variant, whatever the option order.
- Put the most visual option first. The editor’s grouped view keys images off option 1. If the strap changes the look more than the bag colour, reorder the options (drag in the Options card). Then the grouped image picker follows the thing shoppers actually see.
One thing to decide before shooting: 5 bag colours × 4 straps is 20 images per angle. Often the better shopper experience is one hero per bag colour, plus a single close-up per strap in the gallery, rather than 20 near-identical photos.
