Sidekick can now generate images with transparent backgrounds

On 23 October 2026, Shopify added a small but practical capability to Sidekick, its assistant inside the Shopify admin: it can now generate images with transparent backgrounds. Anyone who has spent time cutting a subject out of a flat background before it can sit on a banner, an email block or a collection page will see the appeal. This guide covers what Shopify has announced, how to use it, what the changelog does not tell us, and how merchants and agencies might sensibly put it to work.

What it is

Sidekick generates images from a written description. The new entry says it can now do so without a solid background behind the subject. Shopify positions the feature for illustrations, icons and other graphics used across a store and its marketing.

A transparent background matters because the image can then be placed over any colour, photograph or section of a page without a visible box around it. A flat background, by contrast, usually has to be removed by hand before the asset is usable in a layout.

How it works and how to access it

The process described in the changelog is simple. Open Sidekick in the Shopify admin, describe the image you want, and include a request for a transparent background in the prompt. Shopify's own example is: "Create a hand-drawn leaf illustration with a transparent background."

There is no separate tool or setting mentioned. The request for transparency is made in the prompt itself, which means the quality of the result will depend partly on how clearly you describe the subject and the style you want.

Limits and caveats

The changelog entry is short, and it leaves several practical questions open. It does not state which plans, regions or user groups can use the feature, and it does not list any limits. It also does not say anything about file formats, resolution, or how consistent the results are from one prompt to the next.

That does not mean there are problems. It means we should treat the feature as something to test in your own admin rather than something to build a process around on day one. If you cannot see the behaviour described, check with Shopify before assuming it is a fault on your side.

What it means for merchants

In our view, the most obvious value is speed on the small jobs that tend to sit in a backlog. Icons for a size guide or delivery information, a simple illustration for an email, or a graphic to sit over a campaign banner can all be drafted in a few minutes rather than waiting for a designer or a freelancer to be free.

For fashion, streetwear and sportswear brands, where the product photography carries most of the brand, generated graphics are likely to play a supporting role: badges, callouts, seasonal accents and simple illustrative touches. Anything that represents the product itself should still come from your own photography.

It is also worth keeping brand consistency in mind. A transparent image is easy to drop anywhere, which makes it equally easy to drop in something that does not quite match your style. A short note on tone, colour and level of detail will help anyone using Sidekick for creative work.

What it means for agencies and partners

For agencies, this is mainly a time saver during build and prototyping. Placeholder and supporting graphics can be produced inside the client's admin while a layout is being assembled, which keeps reviews moving. It also gives clients a way to produce simple assets themselves once a build is handed over.

That second point is where guidance is useful. If merchants are going to generate their own graphics, it helps to give them a short brief covering style, colour, where generated images are and are not appropriate, and who approves them before they go live.

How we would approach it

1. Check that Sidekick is available in your admin and try Shopify's example prompt to confirm the behaviour.
2. Test the output on real layouts, against both light and dark backgrounds, and look closely at the edges of the image.
3. Write a short brand guide for generated graphics, covering style, colour and approval.
4. Start with low-risk assets such as icons and illustrations, and keep product imagery as real photography.
5. Save the prompts that work so the team can reuse them and keep a consistent look.

The short version

Sidekick can now generate images with transparent backgrounds, requested through the prompt, for illustrations, icons and other graphics. Availability and limits are not stated in the changelog, so test it in your own admin first. Used with a clear brand brief, it can take time out of small creative jobs without changing how you handle product photography.

ETTA provides fractional ecommerce leadership for fashion, streetwear and sportswear brands. If you want a senior view on how this affects your store, get in touch.