Shopify’s AI‑powered design assistant, Sidekick, just got a game‑changing upgrade. Merchants can now ask Sidekick to create images that come with transparent backgrounds, eliminating the need for extra editing software when you need clean icons, illustrations, or product graphics for your store or marketing assets. In this post we’ll break down exactly what’s new, who it impacts, and how you can start leveraging this feature right away.
What’s New in Sidekick
Sidekick’s image‑generation engine now supports a “transparent background” flag in the prompt. When you describe the visual you need and explicitly request a transparent background, the AI returns a PNG file with no solid backdrop. This works for a wide range of assets—hand‑drawn illustrations, vector‑style icons, product mock‑ups, social‑media graphics, and more. The change is entirely backend, so the UI in the Shopify admin stays the same: open Sidekick, type your prompt, and include the phrase “transparent background.”
Who Benefits: Merchants vs. Developers
Merchants gain a fast, cost‑free way to create polished visuals without juggling Photoshop or hiring a designer for every small graphic. This speeds up seasonal campaigns, product launches, and A/B tests.
Developers aren’t directly changing code for this feature, but the new asset format opens doors for apps and themes that rely on dynamic images. For example, a theme that pulls Sidekick‑generated icons on‑the‑fly can now use the PNGs directly, knowing they’ll blend seamlessly on any background.
How to Use Transparent‑Background Generation
Best Practices and Tips
alt="Hand‑drawn leaf illustration". This improves SEO and compliance.What Developers Can Do Next
While no new API endpoints are required, developers can enhance their themes and apps by:
{% assign leaf = 'sidekick-transparent/leaf.png' | file_url %}<img src="{{ leaf }}" alt="Leaf illustration">./admin/api/2024-07/graphql.json with a mutation that triggers Sidekick via the new imageGenerate field (if exposed in the future).settings.json. This prepares your theme for any future Sidekick enhancements.Conclusion & Call to Action
Transparent‑background image generation is a small but powerful addition to Sidekick that removes a common friction point for merchants. Start experimenting today—open Sidekick, type a prompt with “transparent background,” and replace that generic stock icon with a custom illustration that fits your brand perfectly. If you’re a developer, think about how you can surface these assets in your themes or apps to give merchants even more flexibility. Need help integrating Sidekick assets into your store? Reach out to our Shopify Experts team or drop a comment below—we’re happy to assist!
