How to Show Only Relevant Variation Images in Shopify and Look Like a Genius

Have you ever rummaged through your digital closet, trying to find just the right setting in Shopify to make your product page look more like an elegant boutique than a chaotic yard sale? It's okay; we've all been there, clicking away like caffeinated squirrels. That's like the time my co-founder, Jay, and I were setting up our first Shopify store. We wanted each product variation to shine like it was wearing a virtual spotlight but struggled against a sea of thumbnail images that refused to cooperate. It was a lot like wrangling cats — adorable, but frustrating.

Unveiling the Mystery of Variation Images

Let's dive right in. You want the image for a specific variation to appear when selected without it clogging up the thumbnail section — understandable. Imagine a world where only the selected product variation image shows up like a well-mannered guest at a dinner party, while the rest lounge in the backstage area until their cue.

Seeing the issue through this lens, it first became apparent during a late-night browsing session on ocemida.com. They had it nailed — a clean, distraction-free product page. That's when the light bulb moment happened: Let's make our Shopify store that way!

The Step-by-Step Guide to Hidden Image Magic

We’re going deep into the nuts and bolts, folks. Think of this as your personal tour guide leading you through the labyrinth of Shopify settings. Comfortable shoes recommended.

Fire Up Shopify Admin Our journey begins where all things Shopify do — in the admin panel. Navigate over like a swift wind to the "Products" section and select the product that's been keeping you up at night. Clicking here feels like opening a secret passage.
Dance with Variants Scroll, scroll, and scroll until you meet the "Variants" section. Click on a specific variant because we're all about showing each its due spotlight. Make sure the images associated with your variants are uploaded and correctly assigned here.
The Sneaky Snippet Trick This is where we put on our developer hats — if only virtually. Head to the "Online Store" section, choose "Themes," and then stare at the less-than-intuitive "Actions" button until it gives in. Select "Edit code" because we’re diving into the nitty-gritty.
Locate Your Liquid Gold Now, in the left-hand sidebar, you're looking for something tantalizingly called product-template.liquid or main-product.liquid depending on your theme. Are you sweating slightly? Fear not; we're nearly home.

Inject the Magic Potion Brace yourselves: here's the code snippet that changes everything. Insert it after the main product image but before the thumbnails.

<style>
    .variant-image { display: none; }
</style>
<script>
    document.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded", function() {
        let variantImages = document.querySelectorAll('.variant-image');
        let selectElement = document.querySelector('[name="id"]');

        function showVariantImage() {
            variantImages.forEach((image) => { image.style.display = 'none'; });

            let selectedVariantImage = document.querySelector('.variant-image[data-variant-id="' + selectElement.value + '"]');
            if (selectedVariantImage) {
                selectedVariantImage.style.display = 'block';
            }
        }

        selectElement.addEventListener('change', showVariantImage);
        showVariantImage();
    });
</script>

Note the stealthy style class .variant-image — it’s your cloak of invisibility.

Assign Some Class In your product images, add class="variant-image" and further, a data-variant-id="{{ variant.id }}" for each associated variant. This tells our snippet which image to make visible. It’s like giving each image their party invitation.

From Chaotic Clusters to Sleek Symphonies

Reflecting on this, kind of like the times when you'd finally assemble that flat-pack furniture only to have just one bolt left — everything makes sense, and clicks perfectly. Now, as savvy connoisseurs of Shopify sophistication, we can enjoy a store that's slick, responsive, and less like a digital haystack.

Imagine, just like Jay did, sitting back and seeing each product variation click into place with no errant thumbnails cluttering the scene — even if, occasionally, you still misplace a virtual bolt here and there.

For those of us who cherish the integrity of a tidy, no-muss, no-fuss product page, following these steps is akin to finding that last, elusive piece in a jigsaw puzzle. Sweet victory. So next time, as you sip your regular morning brew, behold a Shopify store that's elegant, clean, and possibly more organized than your own wardrobe.

And there we have it: Shopify zen achieved, and online commerce brilliance unveiled under the same roof.