Shopify product CSV over 15 MB: split it before import

The short answer

A Shopify product CSV cannot exceed 15 MB. If the export is larger, split it by target size and use the same header row in every part. A target of 14 MB leaves a small safety margin for file-size rounding and later edits.

• More than 15 MB: use size splitting and upload the parts one at a time.
• The file is small but Shopify still rejects it: check missing headers, column order, and variant IDs.
• Japanese text is garbled: confirm the encoding before splitting or upload.

• Find CSV rows with inconsistent column counts →Diagnose malformed rows before uploading them to a platform.
• Check or convert the CSV character encoding →Use this when Japanese, Korean, or accented text is garbled after export.

Confirm which Shopify problem you have

Check the file size in Finder or Explorer first. Then open a copy in a text editor and confirm that the first line contains the Shopify product headers. A size error and a format error need different fixes, so do not overwrite the original export.

• 15 MB or more: split by size.
• Missing or renamed headers: compare against Shopify's product CSV format.
• Unexpected variant changes: do not edit Option1/Option2/Option3 values unless you intend to create new variant IDs.

• Learn the general CSV split workflow →Choose a row count or target size while keeping the header in every output file.

Split the product export in LocaCSV

LocaCSV processes the file in the browser and reports input and output row counts. It does not infer product values or silently rewrite your catalog.

1. 1Keep the original Shopify export as a backup and open LocaCSV's CSV split workspace.
2. 2Select the product CSV and choose the target-size method.
3. 3Enter a limit below 15 MB (14 MB is a practical starting point) and run the split.
4. 4Download all output files. Each file keeps the header so Shopify can map the columns consistently.

Verify before uploading each part

• Every part is below the limit and has the same header row.
• The sum of data rows across all parts equals the original row count.
• Handle, variant, SKU, and image columns are present and have not shifted.
• Upload one small part first, then continue when Shopify shows the expected preview.

• Remove duplicate records before importing →Check duplicate IDs or email addresses before you create a second record.
• Find CSV rows with inconsistent column counts →Diagnose malformed rows before uploading them to a platform.

If the next upload error appears

A successful size split does not repair malformed CSV syntax. If Shopify reports a missing header, a shifted column, or duplicate products, stop and fix that specific issue before retrying.

• Find CSV rows with inconsistent column counts →Diagnose malformed rows before uploading them to a platform.
• Check or convert the CSV character encoding →Use this when Japanese, Korean, or accented text is garbled after export.
• Remove duplicate records before importing →Check duplicate IDs or email addresses before you create a second record.

Finish the Shopify import preparation

When the row totals and headers match, the remaining work is inside Shopify: upload the parts and review the import preview for each batch.