Assets & tasks / DECISION CHECK
Why does my product-image text stay English after I switch the store language?
A text translator cannot automatically rewrite pixels in a photograph. Create a localized asset where necessary, then verify that your store’s supported theme or publishing setup selects it. Translating a title or alt text is not proof that the visible image changed.
Separate pixels from translatable fields
Inspect the product page and identify whether the English words are normal page text, an image caption or letters baked into an image file. Only the first two can change as ordinary text fields. An embedded feature diagram needs a different picture or an editable text layer rendered outside the picture.
A public Shopify user question asks how one or two text-heavy product images can switch between English and Polish. Its proposed solutions are questions, not verified requirements. Shopify’s Translate & Adapt documentation describes content localization, but do not infer that every product-media slot is automatically localizable. Confirm support on the exact resource and theme you use.
Define an asset-selection matrix
| Context | Expected picture | Proof |
|---|---|---|
| English; variant A | English or text-free A asset | Visible file and copy |
| Polish; variant A | Polish or text-free A asset | Language-switch check |
| Polish; variant B | Correct B product and language | Variant-switch check |
| Direct shared product URL | Supported default or selected locale | Fresh-session check |
Use the localized image and variant review CSV as a manual record. Its sample row is fictional. Replace it with your own authorized evidence; the worksheet does not connect to or change any external account.
Choose a maintainable implementation
Consider moving short feature labels into accessible page text around a text-free image when the design permits. If separate images are necessary, use the actual supported localization mechanism and document its owner. Do not create a second store simply because one image failed to switch; compare that operational cost with a supported theme solution first.
Generate or edit each candidate using the same product evidence. Localize marketing annotations, not the physical product into a different SKU. Itemlume does not install a Shopify app or change your theme’s selection logic.
Test combined changes
Switch language, market and variant in the combinations customers actually use. Inspect both the picture and normal page text. A Polish diagram of the wrong bottle size is still a failure. Record the file URL, visible words, variant and fallback behavior. Keep an approved default for unsupported contexts and ensure that fallback does not communicate a contradictory claim.
Sources and further reading
Sources for this page were checked on . Platform rules can change; verify the current source before publishing. Prompt examples and workflow recommendations are Itemlume editorial guidance, not independently measured results.
Frequently asked questions
Does translated alt text translate the image?
No. Alt text and the visible pixels are separate.
Can every product-media image be localized directly?
Verify the current resource and theme support; do not assume universal support.
Should packaging words also change?
Preserve the actual package; localize separate explanatory copy.
BUILD FROM A PRODUCT YOU KNOW
Put this workflow into practice with your own product.
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