The checker cannot import products, verify image accessibility or guarantee an error-free Shopify import. Back up a full product export, review every finding and test one or two products before a bulk update.
Why inspect a Shopify CSV before uploading it?
A large catalog export can look healthy in a spreadsheet while a few headers or variant values create unexpected product changes during import. Shopify documents that updating products requires URL handle and Title columns, and variant-related data has dependencies: excluding option-name and option-value columns while updating variant fields can alter existing variants.
CSV imports may also contain repeated SKUs, unexpected empty inventory tracking, mismatched compare-at prices, malformed image links or rows with the wrong number of fields. This preflight tool surfaces these problems as explicit review items; it does not claim to emulate the Shopify importer.
How to use this free CSV checker
First, export your products from Shopify or prepare the CSV you intend to import. Select whether it creates new products or updates existing ones. Paste the text into the local editor or choose the original CSV file on your device.
Click Check CSV locally to get the count of checked rows, product handles, error findings and warnings. Review each CSV row number and column name to locate the issue in the source. Filter the findings and download a spreadsheet-safe CSV report to share with your team.
Review the actual business logic yourself. Repeated SKUs, duplicate image positions and a blank title on a secondary variant row are not always Shopify validation errors. They are review clues, not an instruction to delete rows. The checker does not repair or overwrite any records.
Fields and compatibility rules
The checker recognizes current Shopify headers such as URL handle, SKU, Price, Compare-at price, Inventory tracker, Inventory quantity and Product image URL, as well as common legacy forms such as Handle, Variant SKU, Variant Price and Image Src. Do not mix old and new headers for the same field in one CSV.
Creating a new simple product can require only Title, while updating products requires URL handle and Title columns. When variant-related fields are updated, Option1 name and Option1 value become important. The checker flags missing dependencies rather than quietly creating a default variant.
CSV values are parsed as text. The checker does not call Shopify, load external images, validate product categories against live taxonomies or determine whether your store has one or multiple inventory locations. If your CSV comes from a different ecommerce platform, convert it to the Shopify product format first.
Safety, limits and next steps
Each local input is capped at 2 MB, 20,000 data rows and 200 header columns. The report can contain up to 3,000 listed findings, with any additional findings counted but not enumerated. The CSV report uses UTF-8 and spreadsheet formula protection.
Use the Shopify image row merger for the separate problem of splitting multiple source image URLs into dedicated image rows. After running both utilities, import only a small test batch and check the live product images, variants, inventory and prices. Keep a backup of your original export.
Frequently asked questions
Does this upload or edit my Shopify store?
No. Your CSV remains in a separate browser editor and the checker never contacts Shopify or saves your uploaded file on a server.
Will a clean report guarantee a successful Shopify import?
No. The report covers specific common patterns only. Shopify may apply other rules, store-specific fields and changing validations.
Why does a duplicate SKU appear as a warning?
Multiple variant rows with the same SKU may indicate a mix-up, but Shopify does not necessarily reject every duplicate. Review the specific product and inventory workflow.
Can I use an older Shopify CSV export?
Yes, common old header names are recognized. The official Shopify documentation remains the source of truth for current import requirements.
Official Shopify product CSV guide
Walkthrough with a real sample CSV
Shopify CSV checklist: variants, SKU and price examples