This is the complete guide to adding virtual try-on to Shopify — from installation to your first live try-on session. We cover every step, every setting, and what to expect from real merchants who have done it.
40%
average conversion lift for shoppers who use virtual try-on
TryOnCloud merchants report up to 40% higher conversion rates for customers who use the Try On Virtually button, compared to shoppers who only view standard product photos.
What Is Virtual Try-On for Shopify?
Virtual try-on for Shopify is an AI-powered feature that lets shoppers upload a photo of themselves and see exactly how a garment looks on their body — before completing a purchase. A “Try On Virtually” button appears on your product pages. The shopper clicks it, uploads a photo, and within 15–20 seconds receives a photorealistic AI-generated image showing them wearing the selected clothing item.
The technology behind this is generative AI — specifically Google's Vertex AI model, which understands fabric texture, body shape, lighting, and garment drape well enough to produce results indistinguishable from real product photography. This is not an AR overlay or a simple color filter. It is a full image generation that replaces the product photo with a composite of the shopper wearing it.
Why Every Shopify Clothing Store Needs Virtual Try-On
The average online clothing return rate is 28–35%. The most cited reason customers give for returning clothes is “it looked different than expected” or “it didn't fit.” Virtual try-on directly addresses both problems by giving shoppers accurate visual confidence before they buy.
Merchants using TryOnCloud report three consistent outcomes:
- 25–35%reduction in return rate — fewer returns, lower processing costs, higher net revenue
- Up to 40%conversion lift for customers who use the try-on feature vs those who only view product photos
- 12–18%increase in average order value — shoppers who try on are more confident and buy more items per session
Less than 1% of Shopify clothing stores currently offer virtual try-on. For early adopters, the competitive advantage is significant — it is the equivalent of being one of the first stores on your high street to install a fitting room when most competitors only had mannequins.
Step-by-Step: How to Add Virtual Try-On to Your Shopify Store
The following steps apply to any Shopify store on any plan, including Basic. No developer is required. No theme files are edited. The entire process takes under 10 minutes.
Install TryOnCloud from the Shopify App Store
Go to the Shopify App Store and search for TryOnCloud. Click Install. Shopify will ask you to approve the permissions the app requires — these are standard read permissions for your product catalog and the ability to inject the try-on button block. Approve them to continue.
After installation, you will be redirected to the TryOnCloud onboarding screen inside your Shopify admin.
Complete your TryOnCloud account setup
TryOnCloud creates your account automatically during installation. Your Shopify store domain is linked to your account — no separate signup required. You will land on your TryOnCloud dashboard, where you can see your free plan (10 try-ons/month forever) is already active.
Take a moment to review your dashboard. You will see your API key, your usage counter, and a quick setup guide. You do not need to do anything in the dashboard before going to the next step.
Open Shopify Theme Editor
In your Shopify admin, go to Online Store → Themes → Customize. This opens the Theme Editor — the visual drag-and-drop interface where you configure your storefront layout.
In the top dropdown (which defaults to “Home page”), select Products → Default product to switch to your product page template. This is where the virtual try-on button will appear.
Add the TryOn Button block to your product page
In the left sidebar of the Theme Editor, locate the Product information section. Click Add block at the bottom of the section. In the block picker, find and select TryOnCloud — Try On Button.
The try-on button block will appear in your product page layout. Drag it to just below your Add to Cart button — this placement captures the highest engagement because shoppers consider the try-on before committing to purchase.
In the block settings panel (right sidebar), you can customise the button text, colour, and size to match your store's design language.
Save and verify the button is live
Click Save in the top right corner of the Theme Editor. Your virtual try-on button is now live on all product pages that use this template.
To verify, open any product page on your live storefront. You should see the Try On Virtually button below your Add to Cart button. Click it, upload a test photo, and confirm the try-on generates correctly. First generation takes 15–20 seconds.
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Placing the Virtual Try-On Button for Maximum Clicks
Button placement significantly affects how many shoppers discover and use the virtual try-on feature. Based on data from 312+ TryOnCloud merchants, here are the placements ranked by engagement rate:
| Placement | Click Rate | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Below Add to Cart button | Highest | All clothing stores — recommended default |
| Above Add to Cart button | High | Stores where try-on is the primary purchase driver |
| Below product description | Medium | Stores with long product descriptions |
| Below size chart | Medium | Stores where fit uncertainty is the main objection |
Real Results: What Shopify Merchants See After Adding Virtual Try-On
The impact of adding virtual try-on to a Shopify store is measurable within the first month. Here is what merchants consistently report:
Tips to Get the Most from Virtual Try-On on Shopify
- Use clean product photos:Product images with white or neutral backgrounds produce the most accurate try-on results. Avoid busy backgrounds, lifestyle shots, or images with models already wearing the garment.
- Promote the feature at checkout:Add a banner or callout on your product pages pointing to the Try On button. Many shoppers scroll past it without noticing — a short line like 'See how this looks on you — try it on virtually' significantly increases usage.
- Enable it on your best-selling products first:Start with your top 10 products by revenue. Measure the impact on return rate and conversion rate for those products specifically before rolling out to your full catalog.
- Review your TryOnCloud analytics weekly:Your dashboard shows which products are getting the most try-on sessions, which are converting, and where shoppers drop off. Use this data to prioritise which products to optimise.
- Tell your customers about it:Add a note in your order confirmation emails, homepage hero, and social media bio: 'Virtual try-on available on all clothing products.' Shoppers who know it exists use it far more than those who discover it by accident.