Frequently Asked Questions Rubik Variant Images & Swatch

Rubik Variant Images & Swatch is a Built for Shopify certified Shopify app that lets merchants assign multiple images to each product variant and display only the relevant images when a customer selects that variant. It also replaces the default Shopify variant picker with visual image swatches, color swatches, or pill buttons.

The app supports products with multiple option types (e.g., Color + Size), videos and 3D models, AI-powered image assignment, bulk assignment, and full swatch style customization. It streamlines the shopping experience, makes product pages cleaner, and reduces customer confusion.

Yes. Rubik Variant Images & Swatch has earned the Built for Shopify badge, which is awarded to apps that meet Shopify's highest standards for quality. Built for Shopify apps are engineered for peak performance, feature intuitive interfaces, and integrate seamlessly with the Shopify admin.

This means merchants can install with confidence knowing the app has been vetted by Shopify for performance, design, and reliability.

Install Rubik Variant Images & Swatch, enable the app embed on your theme, then open a product in the app. Drag and drop images to assign them to specific variants. When a customer selects a variant on your storefront, only the assigned images are shown in the product gallery. Unassigned images can be set to show for all variants or hidden entirely.

No. The app is optimized for maximum performance. It uses Shopify metafields for storing image data and operates asynchronously to ensure your store's loading speed remains unaffected. Swatch styles are rendered inside Shadow DOM, preventing CSS conflicts with your theme.

Visit the Shopify App Store, search for "Rubik Variant Images", and click Install. After installation, follow these two required steps:

1. Enable the app embed: go to the app dashboard and click "Activate", or go to Online Store → Themes → Customize → App embeds and enable "Rubik Variant Images".
2. Configure a product: open any product in the app and drag images to assign them to variants.

Go to your Shopify admin → Online Store → Themes → Customize → App embeds. Enable "Rubik Variant Images" from the list. Alternatively, click the "Enable on new theme" button on the app's dashboard to do it automatically.

The app supports multiple variant options. In the configuration panel, assign images for each unique combination (for example, Red + Long Sleeve). You can choose which option controls image switching and display the remaining options as pill swatches or dropdowns.

Watch the multiple options tutorial for a detailed walkthrough.

Unassigned images are shown for all variants by default. If you want an image to be visible for specific variants but not all, you can enable that feature in the app settings. This lets you share images across selected variants without duplicating them.

Yes. You can assign videos and 3D models to specific variants, just like images. When a customer selects a variant, only the assigned media (images, videos, and 3D models) will be displayed in the product gallery.

Drag and drop images within the app's interface to rearrange their order. The first image in the list becomes the main image for that variant and is shown as the product's featured image when that variant is selected.

The app uses the first image in a variant's assigned list as the main image. If you want a different main image, rearrange the image order by dragging and dropping the desired image to the first position.

When enabled, all images that are not assigned to any variant are hidden from the product page gallery. These images remain in your Shopify admin and can still appear on collection pages if they are set as the product's featured image. When disabled, unassigned images are shown for all variants.

The auto-assign feature uses AI to analyze your product images and automatically match them to the correct variants based on visual similarity. Instead of manually dragging and dropping each image, click the AI assign button and the system will assign images to variants for you.

Every plan includes monthly AI credits. Watch the AI assign tutorial for a demonstration.

Bulk assign lets you configure multiple products at once instead of setting up each product individually. You can preview results before starting, and the app processes products in the background. This is useful for stores with hundreds or thousands of products that need variant image assignment.

The app replaces the default Shopify variant dropdown with visual swatches. Three swatch types are available:

• Image swatches: display a thumbnail of the variant's assigned image or a custom swatch image.
• Color swatches: display a solid color fill based on the variant's assigned color.
• Pill swatches: show the variant name as a text button, ideal for sizes or labels.

When a customer clicks a swatch, the product gallery updates to show only that variant's images. Watch the swatch setup tutorial for a step-by-step guide.

Yes. You can set images that are not part of your product gallery as swatch images, and assign custom colors to each variant option value. This is useful for showing fabric textures, material close-ups, or specific color fills as swatches instead of product photos.

Watch the custom swatch images tutorial to learn more.

The Swatch Style editor lets you customize every aspect of your swatches without code:

• Image swatches: shape (square, rounded, circle), size, border, image fit, tooltips, text labels
• Pill swatches: shape, padding, font size, border, selected state colors
• Option labels: visibility, font size, color
• Spacing & alignment: margins, alignment (left, center, right)
• Sold-out styles: diagonal line color for unavailable variants

All changes preview in real time. For advanced customization, use custom CSS with over 100 CSS variables.

Yes. The app dispatches a custom JavaScript event (rubik-swatch-clicked) whenever a swatch is clicked on the storefront. You can listen for this event to send data to Google Analytics, Facebook Pixel, or any other tracking tool. See the swatch click event documentation for implementation details and examples.

Yes. Rubik Variant Images & Swatch supports 350+ Shopify themes including Dawn, Prestige, Impulse, Impact, Focal, Palo Alto, Symmetry, Stiletto, Broadcast, and many more. It also works with page builder apps like PageFly, GemPages, Shogun, and EComposer.

If your theme is not natively supported, contact support and we'll add support for it.

No additional changes are needed after a theme update. Your variant image assignments and swatch settings are stored independently of your theme. If you experience any display issues after a theme update, contact support for assistance.

Enable the app embed for the new theme using the dashboard or by going to Online Store → Themes → Customize → App embeds. Your product configurations and swatch settings will carry over automatically. Check your product pages to ensure swatches display correctly with the new theme.

Contact support and we'll work to make the app compatible with your theme. If your theme is a custom theme not from the Shopify Theme Store, please upload it to Google Drive or Dropbox and share the link with us so we can analyze the theme structure.

Rubik Variant Images & Swatch includes its own built-in swatch functionality, so a separate swatch app is usually not needed. If you are using another swatch app that modifies variant images dynamically, there may be conflicts. Contact support for compatibility guidance.

The app offers a free plan and multiple paid plans. All plans include the full feature set including variant image swatches, custom CSS, bulk assign, and all swatch customization options. Paid plans increase the number of configured products and monthly AI image credits.

Visit the Plans page inside the app to view current pricing and plan details, or check the Shopify App Store listing.

Go to the Plans page inside the app to view your current plan and usage. Click "Change plan" to see available options and upgrade or downgrade. Plan changes take effect immediately.

You can disable the app widget from the Rubik Variant Images dashboard without uninstalling. This turns off swatch rendering on your storefront while keeping all your product configurations saved. Re-enable it at any time with a single click.

This is usually caused by caching. Try these steps:

1. Allow 3–5 minutes for changes to take effect.
2. Clear your browser cache or test in an incognito window.
3. Verify that the app embed is enabled on your theme.
4. If the issue persists, contact support.

Temporarily disable the app embed, or add ?stop_rubik=true to the end of the product page URL to deactivate the app for that page. If the issue resolves, contact support with the product URL. If the issue remains, it is not caused by the app.

You can reach our team through live chat on the bottom right corner of the app. We typically respond within a few hours.