{"id":8684,"date":"2026-10-05T08:21:42","date_gmt":"2026-10-05T05:21:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ivitskiy.com\/blog\/?p=8684"},"modified":"2026-10-05T08:21:42","modified_gmt":"2026-10-05T05:21:42","slug":"text-on-image-merchant-center","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ivitskiy.com\/blog\/en\/text-on-image-merchant-center\/","title":{"rendered":"Text on image: what to do in Merchant Center"},"content":{"rendered":"
In short:<\/strong> A store logo drawn on the photo comes off the same way as a buy prompt. The product stays disapproved until you replace the file in image link [image_link]. Automatic image improvements stay off until you turn them on.<\/div>\n\n\n

«Text on image» means the product photo has promotional text (a retailer logo or a call to action) or a watermark, and that layer can cover the product. The issue is in Merchant Center. Open Products under «Products & store», then the Needs attention tab.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The main photo has to be a clean, unobstructed view. Text and graphics added after the shoot lead to an image disapproval. Other disapproval reasons are in why Merchant Center disapproves products<\/a>. Steps for this issue are in the Google help page on Text on image<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What it means<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The issue is one field, the main photo. Change the image link [image_link] URL. That field is one main photo. Other angles use [additional_image_link]. A promotional overlay belongs to this same issue. A logo may stay only if it is physically part of the product. A store logo drawn on top counts as this issue for me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Take this off the main photo<\/th>Examples from the rule<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
Calls to action, price, shipping, warranty<\/td>«Buy», «Shop now», «Order today», «Free shipping», «Includes 2-year warranty»<\/td><\/tr>
Promotional adjectives, condition, set<\/td>«Best», «Cheap», «Top quality», «New», «2-piece set», «Adaptable»<\/td><\/tr>
Codes and watermarks<\/td>UPC barcode, QR code, serial tag, stock watermark, copyright symbol, graphic stamp<\/td><\/tr>
Logo or name added on top<\/td>Brand, manufacturer, or store, when the mark was added after the shoot<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Comparison:<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

What is at stake<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A product without a clean view is disapproved and stays disapproved until the image is updated. Ads and free listings need that photo on every product. Without a clean photo the product does not show in Shopping. How those campaigns are run is covered in Shopping campaign management<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If the photo fails the image link rules, it will not appear on Google surfaces, and the notice sits in Diagnostics. Promotional text, a call to action, and a watermark on the main photo are not allowed and may cause disapproval.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What to do<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
    \n
  1. Open Products under «Products & store», then the Needs attention tab, and click the filter icon above the table. It finds products with this issue.<\/li>\n
  2. For one product, open it by the title, click Edit product, open the main image, put a new URL in [image_link], and click Save. The file at that URL needs no text over the photo.<\/li>\n
  3. For many products, click the download icon and save the .csv. Fix the URLs or the image files, then upload the corrected data to Merchant Center the same way you already submit products. A change on the Needs attention page can take 24-72 hours. In some instances, if the account or a product offer is disapproved and you have fixed the issue or you disagree with it, you can request a review. A successful review clears the issue. If a request limit exists, it shows on screen. If a third-party platform runs the store, some of these steps may not apply.<\/li>\n
  4. Automatic image improvements are off by default. Open Products under «Products & store», then the Automations tab, the image improvements setting, View details, and the toggle. The system tries to remove the text it finds, plus watermarks, overlays, and logos. If it succeeds, it replaces the image, and the product may be approved. If you dislike the result, upload your own photo with no promotional layer. The setup is described in the help page on automatic image improvements<\/a>.<\/li>\n
  5. Automatic improvements may not fix every case. A multi-panel collage, heavy text on the product, or a strong or dense watermark can leave the original in place. When text sits on the product, I shoot a new photo. To see what already changed, open Products, then the history graph. In the «What needed attention» column, find «Automatic improvement: image quality [image_link]», expand it, click View fix, and download the list.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    What not to do<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
      \n
    • Do not leave a price, a shipping promise, a buy prompt, a warranty, words like «Best» or «New», a barcode, a QR code, or a watermark on the main photo.<\/li>\n
    • Do not put the store logo, or a placeholder caption, in place of the product photo.<\/li>\n
    • Do not expect automatic improvements to always strip the text and approve the product.<\/li>\n
    • Do not confuse a logo drawn on the photo with a logo that is physically part of the product.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

      When this does not apply<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

      An AI label on the image is not a text or watermark violation. The setting for that label in Google advertising products does not guarantee compliance with EU, India, or New York State rules. The help page on this issue says to seek legal advice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Size is a different rule, in the image link help. A new requirement of at least 500 x 500 pixels for every product begins on January 31, 2027. For performance, about 1500 x 1500 or larger is the recommendation. Beside that date, the size section of the same page already lists at least 500 x 500 pixels, no more than 64 megapixels, and no more than 16 MB.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      A placeholder photo is a separate ban, not this issue: «Coming soon», «No image available», «Photo pending», a store logo in place of the product, one generic picture for many products, a drawing with no physical item, a single-color square, a border, or an extra item not sold with the main product. Ordinary products do not get these exceptions. A generic image is allowed for Hardware (632), Vehicles & Parts (888), and Computer Software (313). A program logo may replace the photo only in Computer Software (313). One color field is allowed for Vehicle Paint (3812), Craft Paint, Ink & Glaze (505378), and Painting Consumables (503740). A photo that will not open, or a site with no products, is a different issue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      I put the whole system behind these checks into a short e-book.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

      Questions and answers<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

      Will automatic improvements remove any caption?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

      No. The toggle stays off until you turn it on. A collage, dense text on the product, or a heavy watermark may leave the original in place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Can the logo stay on the photo?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

      Only if it is physically part of the product. A logo drawn on after the shoot comes off.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      How long until this issue clears?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

      A change on the Needs attention page can take 24-72 hours. Any review limit is shown on screen.<\/p>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

      Text on image in Merchant Center keeps a product disapproved until the main photo is a clean view, with no promotional text or watermark.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":0,"featured_media":8686,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[152],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-8684","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-google-ads-setup","generate-columns","tablet-grid-50","mobile-grid-100","grid-parent","grid-50"],"yoast_head":"\nText on Image in Merchant Center: How to Fix It<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Text on image in Merchant Center keeps a product disapproved until the main photo is a clean view, with no promotional text or watermark.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" 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