Why is my Dawn theme banner image blurry and how can I fix it?

Topic summary

Blurry banner imagery in the Dawn theme traced to Shopify serving low‑resolution variants from image-banner.liquid.

Key guidance:

  • Suggested banner sizes: desktop ~1920×1080; mobile 480×480 (some use 840×840). General sharpening/brightness tweaks may help.
  • Reference sizes for Dawn provided (e.g., slideshow ~1600×1050) and “adapt to size” for text overlays.

Core fix (successful for the OP):

  • Increase the requested image width in Liquid from a small value (e.g., image_url: width: 750 or 1500) to a large one (e.g., 3480 or 3840) and ensure the srcset widths include large breakpoints (… , 3000, 3840). Example pattern: image_url: width: 3840 with widths ‘375, 550, 750, 1100, 1500, 1780, 2000, 3000, 3840’.
  • A proposed replacement using img_url: ‘master’ led to a blank/grey banner for the OP; reverting and only increasing width resolved it.

Status and follow-ups:

  • Multiple users report the same issue (including other themes and separate desktop/mobile setups) and seek where to apply the change in image-banner.liquid.
  • No definitive solution shared for product images; assistance offered case‑by‑case.
  • Thread remains active with requests for hands‑on help and code reviews.
Summarized with AI on December 14. AI used: gpt-5.

Hi, I am having this exact same problenm. Blurry banner image (1920 x 1080px).

Are you able to check out my code and let me know what you think is wrong?

{{ 'section-image-banner.css' | asset_url | stylesheet_tag }}

{%- if section.settings.adapt_height_first_image and section.settings.image != blank -%}
  {%- style -%}
  @media screen and (max-width: 749px) {
    #Banner-{{ section.id }}::before,
    #Banner-{{ section.id }} .banner__media::before,
    #Banner-{{ section.id }}:not(.banner--mobile-bottom) .banner__content::before {
      padding-bottom: {{ 1 | divided_by: section.settings.image.aspect_ratio | times: 100 }}%;
      content: '';
      display: block;
    }
  }

  @media screen and (min-width: 750px) {
    #Banner-{{ section.id }}::before,
    #Banner-{{ section.id }} .banner__media::before {
      padding-bottom: {{ 1 | divided_by: section.settings.image.aspect_ratio | times: 100 }}%;
      content: '';
      display: block;
    }
  }
  {%- endstyle -%}
{%- endif -%}

{%- style -%}
  #Banner-{{ section.id }}::after {
    opacity: {{ section.settings.image_overlay_opacity | divided_by: 100.0 }};
  }
{%- endstyle -%}

  {%- if section.settings.image != blank -%}
    

      {%-liquid
        assign image_height = section.settings.image.width | divided_by: section.settings.image.aspect_ratio
        if section.settings.image_2 != blank
          assign image_class = "banner__media-image-half"
        endif
        if section.settings.image_2 != blank and section.settings.stack_images_on_mobile
          assign sizes = "(min-width: 750px) 50vw, 100vw"
        elsif section.settings.image_2 != blank
          assign sizes = "50vw"
        else
          assign sizes = "100vw"
        endif
      -%}
      {{ section.settings.image | image_url: width: 1500 | image_tag:
        loading: 'lazy',
        width: section.settings.image.width,
        height: image_height,
        class: image_class,
        sizes: sizes,
        widths: '375, 550, 750, 1100, 1500, 1780, 2000, 3000, 3840',
        alt: section.settings.image.alt | escape
      }}
    

  {%- elsif section.settings.image_2 == blank -%}
    
      {{ 'lifestyle-2' | placeholder_svg_tag: 'placeholder-svg' }}
    

  {%- endif -%}
  {%- if section.settings.image_2 != blank -%}
    
      {%-liquid
        assign image_height_2 = section.settings.image_2.width | divided_by: section.settings.image_2.aspect_ratio
        if section.settings.image != blank
          assign image_class_2 = "banner__media-image-half"
        endif
        if section.settings.image != blank and section.settings.stack_images_on_mobile
          assign sizes = "(min-width: 750px) 50vw, 100vw"
        elsif section.settings.image != blank
          assign sizes = "50vw"
        else
          assign sizes = "100vw"
        endif
      -%}
      {{ section.settings.image_2 | image_url: width: 1500 | image_tag:
        loading: 'lazy',
        width: section.settings.image_2.width,
        height: image_height_2,
        class: image_class_2,
        sizes: sizes,
        widths: '375, 550, 750, 1100, 1500, 1780, 2000, 3000, 3840',
        alt: section.settings.image_2.alt | escape
      }}
    

  {%- endif -%}
  
    

      {%- for block in section.blocks -%}
        {%- case block.type -%}
          {%- when 'heading' -%}
            ## 
              {{ block.settings.heading | escape }}
            
          {%- when 'text' -%}
            
              {{ block.settings.text | escape }}
            

          {%- when 'buttons' -%}
            
              {%- if block.settings.button_label_1 != blank -%}
                

        {%- endcase -%}
      {%- endfor -%}
    

  

{% schema %}
{
  "name": "t:sections.image-banner.name",
  "tag": "section",
  "class": "section",
  "settings": [
    {
      "type": "image_picker",
      "id": "image",
      "label": "t:sections.image-banner.settings.image.label"
    },
    {
      "type": "image_picker",
      "id": "image_2",
      "label": "t:sections.image-banner.settings.image_2.label"
    },
    {
      "type": "range",
      "id": "image_overlay_opacity",
      "min": 0,
      "max": 100,
      "step": 10,
      "unit": "%",
      "label": "t:sections.image-banner.settings.image_overlay_opacity.label",
      "default": 0
    },
    {
      "type": "select",
      "id": "image_height",
      "options": [
        {
          "value": "small",
          "label": "t:sections.image-banner.settings.image_height.options__1.label"
        },
        {
          "value": "medium",
          "label": "t:sections.image-banner.settings.image_height.options__2.label"
        },
        {
          "value": "large",
          "label": "t:sections.image-banner.settings.image_height.options__3.label"
        }
      ],
      "default": "medium",
      "label": "t:sections.image-banner.settings.image_height.label",
      "info": "t:sections.image-banner.settings.image_height.info"
    },
    {
      "type": "checkbox",
      "id": "adapt_height_first_image",
      "default": false,
      "label": "t:sections.image-banner.settings.adapt_height_first_image.label",
      "info": "t:sections.image-banner.settings.adapt_height_first_image.info"
    },
    {
      "type": "select",
      "id": "desktop_content_position",
      "options": [
        {
          "value": "top-left",
          "label": "t:sections.image-banner.settings.desktop_content_position.options__1.label"
        },
        {
          "value": "top-center",
          "label": "t:sections.image-banner.settings.desktop_content_position.options__2.label"
        },
        {
          "value": "top-right",
          "label": "t:sections.image-banner.settings.desktop_content_position.options__3.label"
        },
        {
          "value": "middle-left",
          "label": "t:sections.image-banner.settings.desktop_content_position.options__4.label"
        },
        {
          "value": "middle-center",
          "label": "t:sections.image-banner.settings.desktop_content_position.options__5.label"
        },
        {
          "value": "middle-right",
          "label": "t:sections.image-banner.settings.desktop_content_position.options__6.label"
        },
        {
          "value": "bottom-left",
          "label": "t:sections.image-banner.settings.desktop_content_position.options__7.label"
        },
        {
          "value": "bottom-center",
          "label": "t:sections.image-banner.settings.desktop_content_position.options__8.label"
        },
        {
          "value": "bottom-right",
          "label": "t:sections.image-banner.settings.desktop_content_position.options__9.label"
        }
      ],
      "default": "middle-center",
      "label": "t:sections.image-banner.settings.desktop_content_position.label"
    },
    {
      "type": "checkbox",
      "id": "show_text_box",
      "default": true,
      "label": "t:sections.image-banner.settings.show_text_box.label"
    },
    {
      "type": "select",
      "id": "desktop_content_alignment",
      "options": [
        {
          "value": "left",
          "label": "t:sections.image-banner.settings.desktop_content_alignment.options__1.label"
        },
        {
          "value": "center",
          "label": "t:sections.image-banner.settings.desktop_content_alignment.options__2.label"
        },
        {
          "value": "right",
          "label": "t:sections.image-banner.settings.desktop_content_alignment.options__3.label"
        }
      ],
      "default": "center",
      "label": "t:sections.image-banner.settings.desktop_content_alignment.label"
    },
    {
      "type": "select",
      "id": "color_scheme",
      "options": [
        {
          "value": "accent-1",
          "label": "t:sections.all.colors.accent_1.label"
        },
        {
          "value": "accent-2",
          "label": "t:sections.all.colors.accent_2.label"
        },
        {
          "value": "background-1",
          "label": "t:sections.all.colors.background_1.label"
        },
        {
          "value": "background-2",
          "label": "t:sections.all.colors.background_2.label"
        },
        {
          "value": "inverse",
          "label": "t:sections.all.colors.inverse.label"
        }
      ],
      "default": "background-1",
      "label": "t:sections.all.colors.label",
      "info": "t:sections.image-banner.settings.color_scheme.info"
    },
    {
      "type": "header",
      "content": "t:sections.image-banner.settings.header.content"
    },
    {
      "type": "select",
      "id": "mobile_content_alignment",
      "options": [
        {
          "value": "left",
          "label": "t:sections.image-banner.settings.mobile_content_alignment.options__1.label"
        },
        {
          "value": "center",
          "label": "t:sections.image-banner.settings.mobile_content_alignment.options__2.label"
        },
        {
          "value": "right",
          "label": "t:sections.image-banner.settings.mobile_content_alignment.options__3.label"
        }
      ],
      "default": "center",
      "label": "t:sections.image-banner.settings.mobile_content_alignment.label"
    },
    {
      "type": "checkbox",
      "id": "stack_images_on_mobile",
      "default": true,
      "label": "t:sections.image-banner.settings.stack_images_on_mobile.label"
    },
    {
      "type": "checkbox",
      "id": "show_text_below",
      "default": true,
      "label": "t:sections.image-banner.settings.show_text_below.label"
    }
  ],
  "blocks": [
    {
      "type": "heading",
      "name": "t:sections.image-banner.blocks.heading.name",
      "limit": 1,
      "settings": [
        {
          "type": "text",
          "id": "heading",
          "default": "Image banner",
          "label": "t:sections.image-banner.blocks.heading.settings.heading.label"
        },
        {
          "type": "select",
          "id": "heading_size",
          "options": [
            {
              "value": "h2",
              "label": "t:sections.all.heading_size.options__1.label"
            },
            {
              "value": "h1",
              "label": "t:sections.all.heading_size.options__2.label"
            },
            {
              "value": "h0",
              "label": "t:sections.all.heading_size.options__3.label"
            }
          ],
          "default": "h1",
          "label": "t:sections.all.heading_size.label"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "type": "text",
      "name": "t:sections.image-banner.blocks.text.name",
      "limit": 1,
      "settings": [
        {
          "type": "text",
          "id": "text",
          "default": "Give customers details about the banner image(s) or content on the template.",
          "label": "t:sections.image-banner.blocks.text.settings.text.label"
        },
        {
          "type": "select",
          "id": "text_style",
          "options": [
            {
              "value": "body",
              "label": "t:sections.image-banner.blocks.text.settings.text_style.options__1.label"
            },
            {
              "value": "subtitle",
              "label": "t:sections.image-banner.blocks.text.settings.text_style.options__2.label"
            },
            {
              "value": "caption-with-letter-spacing",
              "label": "t:sections.image-banner.blocks.text.settings.text_style.options__3.label"
            }
          ],
          "default": "body",
          "label": "t:sections.image-banner.blocks.text.settings.text_style.label"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "type": "buttons",
      "name": "t:sections.image-banner.blocks.buttons.name",
      "limit": 1,
      "settings": [
        {
          "type": "text",
          "id": "button_label_1",
          "default": "Button label",
          "label": "t:sections.image-banner.blocks.buttons.settings.button_label_1.label",
          "info": "t:sections.image-banner.blocks.buttons.settings.button_label_1.info"
        },
        {
          "type": "url",
          "id": "button_link_1",
          "label": "t:sections.image-banner.blocks.buttons.settings.button_link_1.label"
        },
        {
          "type": "checkbox",
          "id": "button_style_secondary_1",
          "default": false,
          "label": "t:sections.image-banner.blocks.buttons.settings.button_style_secondary_1.label"
        },
        {
          "type": "text",
          "id": "button_label_2",
          "default": "Button label",
          "label": "t:sections.image-banner.blocks.buttons.settings.button_label_2.label",
          "info": "t:sections.image-banner.blocks.buttons.settings.button_label_2.info"
        },
        {
          "type": "url",
          "id": "button_link_2",
          "label": "t:sections.image-banner.blocks.buttons.settings.button_link_2.label"
        },
        {
          "type": "checkbox",
          "id": "button_style_secondary_2",
          "default": false,
          "label": "t:sections.image-banner.blocks.buttons.settings.button_style_secondary_2.label"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "presets": [
    {
      "name": "t:sections.image-banner.presets.name",
      "blocks": [
        {
          "type": "heading"
        },
        {
          "type": "text"
        },
        {
          "type": "buttons"
        }
      ]
    }
  ]
}
{% endschema %}