Shopify adds support for up to 20 barcodes per product variant
On September 8, 2026, Shopify enabled product variants to store up to 20 barcodes each, allowing any of them to identify the item across all sales channels and apps. Merchants can now add, scan, or remove those barcodes directly from the variant details page or the Shopify mobile app, and the changes sync instantly to the admin.
Barcode types can be set to UPC, EAN, ISBN, GTIN, ASIN, or Custom, with automatic format validation to catch mistyped digits. Updates can be applied to many variants at once using the bulk editor, and the full set can be imported or exported through the Variant Barcodes column in product CSV files. Sales channels and apps continue to read the first barcode listed, so existing labels and feeds keep working without modification. Scanning a barcode with the Shopify app instantly pulls up the corresponding variant for quick editing. The limit of 20 barcodes per variant applies equally to all types, including custom codes.
Previously, each variant could store only a single barcode. Merchants’ existing barcodes remain unchanged and require no migration. The first barcode listed continues to be used by channels and apps that expect a single identifier. Because the first barcode retains its legacy role, no updates to downstream systems are required.
What we know
The change took effect on September 8, 2026.
Product variants can now hold up to 20 barcodes each.
Merchants can add, scan, and remove barcodes on the variant details page or from the Shopify app.
Barcodes can be updated across many variants at once using the bulk editor.
The full set of barcodes can be imported and exported using the Variant Barcodes column in product CSV.