A Beginner’s Guide to Using Metafields in Shopify

Shopify metafields are a powerful tool that allows store owners to store and display additional information about products, collections, customers, and more. If you’ve ever wanted to add custom product specifications, extra descriptions, or personalized data fields, metafields are the perfect solution.

In this guide, we’ll cover:

• What metafields are and why they are useful
• How to create and manage metafields in Shopify
• Ways to display metafields on your store
• Real-world examples of how to use them

By the end of this article, you’ll have a solid understanding of how Shopify metafields can help you customize and enhance your store.

What Are Shopify Metafields?

Metafields are custom fields that allow you to store extra data that Shopify doesn’t include by default. These fields can be added to:

• Products – Additional details like technical specifications, size charts, and materials
• Collections – Special instructions, collection descriptions, or filters
• Customers – Loyalty points, purchase preferences, or membership status
• Orders – Custom delivery notes or gift messages
• Pages & Blogs – Extra content for SEO or custom layouts

Instead of using apps or extra code, metafields provide a built-in way to store structured data for various elements of your store.

Why Use Shopify Metafields?

Metafields help store owners customize their Shopify store beyond the standard fields. Some benefits include:

• More product details – Add extra specifications like ingredients, dimensions, or warranty information.
• Better customer experience – Show personalized recommendations based on metafield data.
• Improved SEO – Use metafields to store schema markup for rich Google search results.
• Enhanced automation – Connect metafields with Shopify Flow to trigger actions based on stored data.

How to Create and Manage Metafields in Shopify

Shopify provides an easy way to create metafields without coding. Follow these steps to create metafields for your products.

Step 1: Access the Metafields Section

1. In your Shopify admin, go to Settings > Custom data.
2. Select the type of metafield you want to create (Products, Variants, Collections, etc.).

Step 2: Add a New Metafield Definition

1. Click "Add definition".
2. Enter a name (e.g., "Material Type").
3. Choose a content type (Text, Number, File, URL, etc.).
4. Click Save.

Step 3: Assign Metafields to Products

1. Go to Products > Select a product.
2. Scroll down to Metafields and enter a value (e.g., "100% Organic Cotton").
3. Click Save.

You can now display this metafield on your product page using Shopify’s theme editor or Liquid code.

How to Display Metafields on Your Shopify Store

Method 1: Using Shopify’s Theme Editor (No Code Needed)

1. Go to Online Store > Themes > Customize.
2. Select Products > Default product template.
3. Click "Add block" and choose Dynamic Source.
4. Select the metafield you created and click Save.

Now, your metafield data (e.g., Material Type) will appear on product pages.

Method 2: Using Liquid Code (For Advanced Users)

If your theme doesn’t support dynamic sources, you can manually add metafields using Liquid code:

1. In Shopify admin, go to Online Store > Themes > Edit Code.
2. Open the product-template.liquid file.
3. Insert this code where you want the metafield to appear:

4. Click Save and preview your changes.

This will display the "Material" metafield on all product pages.

Practical Use Cases for Shopify Metafields

Here are some real-world examples of how Shopify stores use metafields:

• Fashion Stores – Add size charts or fabric descriptions.
• Electronics Stores – Display technical specs like processor speed or battery life.
• Food & Beverage Stores – List ingredients, allergens, or expiration dates.
• Subscription Businesses – Store renewal dates and customer preferences.
• Wholesale Stores – Show bulk pricing or minimum order quantities.

By customizing product pages with metafields, you can provide more information to customers and increase conversions.

Best Practices for Using Metafields

• Keep metafields organized – Use clear names and structured data.
• Use the correct field types – Text for descriptions, numbers for pricing, and files for PDFs.
• Limit metafield values – Avoid cluttering your store with too many metafields.
• Test before publishing – Check how metafields display on your store before going live.

Shopify metafields are a powerful tool that allows store owners to customize product pages, store extra data, and improve customer experience. Whether you're adding technical specifications, personalization options, or SEO data, metafields help you create a more informative and engaging store.

Start using metafields today to enhance your Shopify store and provide your customers with detailed, well-organized product information.