File types and size limits for Shopify imports

Q: What file formats does Csvio support?

Csvio accepts CSV (.csv), Excel (.xlsx, .xls), and PDF (.pdf) files. PDF imports are available on the Pro plan only.

Q: What are the size and row limits for Csvio imports?

Free plan allows 100 products per import and 3 imports per month. Pro plan allows 50,000 products per import and unlimited imports per month (PDF imports are capped at 30 per month).

Q: How should I format my file for a clean import?

Put column headers in row 1, use one row per product or variant, and avoid merged cells. Blank rows are skipped automatically, so you don't need to remove them.

Csvio imports CSV, Excel (.xlsx and .xls), and PDF files into Shopify. How many products you can import at once depends on your plan.

The upload screen showing accepted formats — CSV, Excel, and PDF — with size limits

What file formats does Csvio support?

Format	Extensions	Notes
CSV	.csv	Comma-separated values, UTF-8 encoding recommended
Excel	.xlsx, .xls	Both modern and legacy Excel formats
PDF	.pdf	Tables extracted automatically (Pro plan only)

What are the size and row limits for Csvio imports?

Limits depend on your plan:

	Free	Pro
Products per import	100	50,000
Imports per month	3	Unlimited
PDF imports	Not available	Included (up to 30 per month)

The file size limit is displayed on the upload screen for your current plan.

How should I format my file for a clean import?

For the cleanest import, your file should follow these guidelines:

Column headers in row 1. Csvio reads the first row as headers. If your file has a title row or blank rows above the data, remove them.
One row per product or variant. Each row should represent a single product or a single variant of a product.
No merged cells. If using Excel, unmerge any cells before uploading — merged cells can cause rows to shift or data to be misread.
Blank rows are skipped. Csvio ignores empty rows anywhere in the file — a stray blank row won't cut your import short. Removing them still keeps your data tidy.

How do I fix garbled characters in a CSV import?

Csvio reads CSV files as UTF-8 by default. If your file contains accented characters (e.g. "Robe en été") or non-Latin scripts and they appear garbled after import, the file may be saved in a different encoding.

To fix this: Open the file in your spreadsheet application and re-save it as "CSV UTF-8" or "CSV (UTF-8, comma-delimited)".

What should I check in an Excel file?

If your workbook has multiple sheets, Csvio reads the first sheet by default. You can switch sheets on the action screen if needed.
Remove any summary rows, totals, or footer rows at the bottom of your data — they may be imported as products.
Avoid formulas that reference other sheets — Csvio reads cell values, not formulas.

Can I import a PDF catalog?

On the Pro plan, Csvio extracts product tables from PDF files automatically. This works best with:

PDFs that contain structured tables (price lists, catalogues with columns)
Clear column headers
Files up to 20 MB

Scanned images of printed documents may not extract cleanly. If the result doesn't look right, try converting the PDF to Excel or CSV first using another tool, then upload that file instead.