# Metafields and metaobjects

Level: Intermediate. About 50 minutes. Plans: Not stated by Shopify. Checked against Shopify's documentation on 2026-10-08.

**Short answer:** Metafields add your own fields to products, customers, orders and collections; metaobjects hold structured content with several fields that you can reuse [1][3]. Create definitions in **Settings** > **Metafields and metaobjects**, fill in values on each product, and connect them to your theme with the **Connect dynamic source** icon in the theme editor [2][6][5].

## Before you start

**Metafields** add your own data to existing store records. Shopify supports them on products and variants, customers, orders and draft orders, and collections [1]. Each metafield has a definition: a name, a type, a namespace and key (for example `custom.color`), and optional validation rules [2].

**Metaobjects** hold structured content made of several fields, such as an FAQ, a product highlight or a profile. Use one when your data is best shown as multiple fields. A metaobject has a definition (its fields) and entries (the content) [3]. A metafield can point to a metaobject, so one entry can be reused on many products [4].

Example: a candle shop adds a "Burn time" metafield to every product, and a "Scent profile" metaobject with a name, top notes and an image. Each candle picks its scent profile from a list.

Staff need permission for the resource, such as **View** and **Create and edit** under Products [1]. To show values on your store, your theme must support metafields; check its documentation [5]. Shopify does not say which plans include metafields or metaobjects.

Shopify's pages name the settings page in two ways: **Settings** > **Metafields and metaobjects** and **Settings** > **Custom data** [4][3]. Use whichever your admin shows.

## Steps

1. **Open the metafield settings.** From your Shopify admin, go to **Settings** > **Metafields and metaobjects** and select the resource, such as **Products** [4]. You can also open a product and click **Add definition** in its **Metafields** section [2].
2. **Create a metafield definition.** Click **Add definition** and enter a **Name**, such as "Burn time". If Shopify suggests a matching standard definition, you can pick it instead [2]. Click **Select type** and choose a type, such as **Single line text** or **File** > **Image** [2].
3. **Set validation and access.** If a **Validation** section appears, set rules such as a character limit or a minimum and maximum [2]. Select **Storefronts** only if a custom storefront needs the value. For product and variant metafields, select **Smart collections** if you want to build collections from it. Click **Save** [2].
4. **Fill in values on your products.** Open a product and go to its **Metafields** section. Click the metafield, enter the value and click **Save** [6]. If you don't see the metafield, click **View all** [6].
5. **Build a metaobject definition.** Go to **Content** > **Metaobjects** and click **Add definition**. Enter a **Name**, then click **Add field** for each field, give it a **Field label** and click **Select field type** [7]. Click the asterisk beside a label to make that field required. Click **Save** [7].
6. **Choose where the metaobject appears.** Before saving, check the **Access** section: **Storefronts** is selected by default; deselect it to turn off storefront access. To publish each entry as its own page, select **Web pages** under **Features** [7].
7. **Add entries.** Go to **Content** > **Metaobjects**, click your definition, then **Add entry**. Complete the fields and click **Save** [8]. New entries are **Active** by default. **Draft** entries can't be published to your store [8].
8. **Link the metaobject to products.** In **Settings** > **Metafields and metaobjects**, select **Products** and click **Add definition**. Click **Select type**, choose **Metaobject**, pick **One value** or **List of values**, select **Storefronts** and click **Save** [4].
9. **Pick an entry on each product.** Open a product. In **Metafields**, click the new definition, click **Select entry** and choose one. Click **Create new** if the entry doesn't exist yet [4].
10. **Show the data on your store.** Open the theme editor and add a section or block that supports dynamic sources, such as **Product info** [5]. In a setting, click the **Connect dynamic source** icon, search for the metafield and select it [5]. A single template can hold up to 20 metafields [5].

## Check your work

- Open a product in the admin and confirm each metafield shows a value in the **Metafields** section [6].
- Preview a product page from the theme editor and confirm the value or metaobject content appears where you connected it [5].
- Go to **Content** > **Metaobjects**, open your definition and confirm every entry you need is **Active** [8].

## Common problems

- **"The metafield isn't on the product page."** Adding a value doesn't show it on the store. Connect it in the theme editor, and check that your theme supports metafields [5].
- **"I can't find the dynamic source option."** The section or block doesn't support dynamic sources. Use one that does, such as **Product info** [5].
- **"The value won't save."** It breaks a validation rule on the definition. Change the value or edit the rule [2].
- **"My entry doesn't appear on the store."** Draft entries can't be published. Set the entry to **Active** [8].
- **"I deleted a metaobject and lost content."** Deleting a metaobject deletes all its entries and can't be undone. Before deleting, check it isn't connected to your live theme [7].
- **"I need to show a list of related products."** Product reference lists need a custom section or a theme that uses product list settings [5].

## Further reading

- [Metaobjects](https://help.shopify.com/en/manual/custom-data/metaobjects) [3]
- [Displaying metafields on your online store](https://help.shopify.com/en/manual/custom-data/metafields/displaying-metafields-on-your-online-store) [5]

## Sources

1. [Metafields](https://help.shopify.com/en/manual/custom-data/metafields), Shopify Help Center, accessed 2026-10-08
2. [Creating custom metafield definitions](https://help.shopify.com/en/manual/custom-data/metafields/metafield-definitions/creating-custom-metafield-definitions), Shopify Help Center, accessed 2026-10-08
3. [Metaobjects](https://help.shopify.com/en/manual/custom-data/metaobjects), Shopify Help Center, accessed 2026-10-08
4. [Referencing metaobjects](https://help.shopify.com/en/manual/custom-data/metaobjects/referencing-metaobjects), Shopify Help Center, accessed 2026-10-08
5. [Displaying metafields on your online store](https://help.shopify.com/en/manual/custom-data/metafields/displaying-metafields-on-your-online-store), Shopify Help Center, accessed 2026-10-08
6. [Adding values to metafields](https://help.shopify.com/en/manual/custom-data/metafields/adding-values-to-metafields), Shopify Help Center, accessed 2026-10-08
7. [Building a metaobject](https://help.shopify.com/en/manual/custom-data/metaobjects/building-a-metaobject), Shopify Help Center, accessed 2026-10-08
8. [Creating metaobject entries](https://help.shopify.com/en/manual/custom-data/metaobjects/creating-entries), Shopify Help Center, accessed 2026-10-08

Source page: https://webmerchants.net/guides/metafields-and-metaobjects