How to show only relevant variant images on Shopify (and why it matters)

Great design can’t fix confusing image galleries.

If your Shopify product pages are cluttered with every variant image, colors, styles, and sizes, it doesn’t matter how beautiful your layout is. Shoppers scroll, guess, get overwhelmed... and leave.

That’s why we recommend pairing Instant Page Builder with Rubik Variant Images.

Rubik gives you control over how variant images behave. Instant gives you design control over everything else. Together, they help brands build high-converting product pages that look clean and perform better.

Here’s how it works, and why it matters:

Why variant image behavior matters on Shopify

If you’re building a Shopify store with products that come in multiple styles, you’ve probably run into this: Shopify shows all product images by default, regardless of which variant is selected.

This happens because Shopify’s native product page template doesn’t limit image display based on variant choice. Every photo uploaded to a product is visible to the shopper, even if it doesn’t apply to the selected variant.

For merchants selling visually distinct variants, like clothing in multiple colors, or furniture in different finishes, this can lead to a confusing customer experience and unnecessary product returns.

Image galleries that respond to shopper behavior

Most shoppers are skimming. They’re comparing options quickly. They don’t want to scroll through 20 images to figure out what “Dusty Rose” actually looks like.

Rubik Variant Images is a Shopify app designed to give merchants more control over image behavior.

That way, shoppers only see the images that are relevant to what they're actually looking for!

With Rubik, you can:

• Assign multiple images to each product variant

• Ensure that only relevant images appear when a shopper selects a variant

• Organize and sort images without editing code or templates

It works by enhancing the product’s image logic, allowing images to dynamically update based on the variant selection. This approach aligns with how shoppers expect modern eCommerce experiences to function, particularly in fashion, beauty, and home goods categories.

How it integrates with custom layouts in Instant Page Builder

Instant Page Builder is a visual store builder for Shopify that lets you design fully customized product pages.

Rubik works seamlessly inside Instant because it enhances that product data without breaking Shopify’s structure. You assign variant images in Rubik, and Instant’s product components automatically respect those assignments.

Here's how it works:

How to integrate Rubik and Instant

You don’t need to edit your theme or write custom code to get started. Here’s how the setup typically works:

1. Install Rubik Variant Images from the Shopify App Store

2. In the Rubik dashboard, open a product and assign specific images to each variant

3. Use Instant Page Builder to design your product page layout

4. Publish the page, Rubik handles the image switching logic automatically

This setup is compatible with most Shopify themes and all Instant-built product pages.

Real merchants are already seeing the difference

Take this Rubik Variant Images review from Monkey and Pebbles, who used Rubik + Instant to power their PDP design:

"Easily the best Shopify app for dynamic variant images -- and it works with Instant.so created product pages! It's easy to use and configure products."

Final thoughts

Shopify gives merchants a strong foundation, but many aspects of the storefront experience need refinement, especially when it comes to how product visuals are presented.

If you're already using Instant Page Builder to create custom layouts, integrating Rubik Variant Images gives you more control over how shoppers interact with your products. It’s a small adjustment with a meaningful impact, particularly for stores with visually distinct variants.

Start showing the right images, right now

Make your product galleries feel as intentional as your layout:

→ Try Rubik Variant Images
→ Build your custom pages with Instant