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Guide

How to bulk edit metafields in Shopify

Updated 22 October 2026 · 4 minute read

The short answer

Select the products in your Shopify admin, open the bulk editor, choose Columns and add the metafields you want under Metafields, then edit them in the grid. This works for products, variants and collections. A product CSV includes product metafields that have a definition, in columns named like Color (product.metafields.shopify.color-pattern); variant metafields are not in the CSV. Ecomsync sets metafield values only against definitions your store already has, and never guesses a value.

Definitions first

A metafield definition gives a field its name, type and validation, such as a number, a list of colours or a date. Bulk editing works on metafields with a definition. Create the definition in your admin's custom data settings before you fill values.

Category metafields come from Shopify's Standard Product Taxonomy. Choosing a product category unlocks fields such as size, neckline and fabric for a shirt, stored under product.metafields.shopify, and they can be linked to variant options to drive colour swatches.

In the bulk editor

  1. Go to Products and tick the products.
  2. Open the bulk editor.
  3. Choose Columns, then add the fields under Metafields.
  4. Fill the cells and save. There is no undo once saved.

With a CSV

  1. Export the products. Each product metafield with a definition is a column, such as Color (product.metafields.shopify.color-pattern).
  2. Fill the values in the format the definition expects.
  3. Import with the option to overwrite products with matching handles.

Variant metafields are not supported in the product CSV. Use the bulk editor for those.

With Ecomsync

Ecomsync reads your store's metafield definitions and only writes values that parse as the definition's type. A metafield is structured data your storefront shows as fact, so Ecomsync never invents a definition or a value: a value it could not confirm from the product's data is flagged in the review list for you to check.

Questions

What are category metafields in Shopify?

Fields that come with a product category in Shopify's Standard Product Taxonomy, such as size, fabric or neckline. They are stored under product.metafields.shopify and can power filters and swatches.