Setup & user guide.

Turn your artwork into products, connect your store, and keep each release moving. This guide covers setup, daily use, troubleshooting, and support.

Before you begin

Gather the accounts you plan to connect for your store, file storage, and print providers. Keep them open in your browser so their credentials are easy to find. The five panes are Storefront, Storage, Printers, Social Publishing, and Copy.

How it works

ArtDrop analyzes your art, prepares the listing copy and files, creates your products, and publishes supported listings to your selected store. Each provider finishes at the stage it supports.

From one file to four product ideas

One sample artwork appears on one Printful and three Printify mockups. Use these as format and placement examples, then review your own listings and physical samples.

Step 1, Storefront

Choose Shopify or Etsy and connect the exact shop with credentials owned by that store. Either storefront can complete first-run setup by itself. For Shopify, enter the exact myshopify.com domain. For Etsy, authorize the shop and configure supported storage for digital files. Use Test connection where offered and grant only the permissions ArtDrop shows. ArtDrop creates product and listing data only. It does not access orders, customers, payments, shipping, or fulfillment. It does not relay orders or provide checkout.

Etsy digital downloads publish directly after the shop and supported storage are configured. Physical products publish through your exact Etsy-connected Printify shop or Gelato store. Printful creates its product inside Printful, so use Printify or Gelato for Etsy physical publishing.

Current Shopify connection

The public Shopify App Store route is not currently available. Where direct setup is available, connect through a merchant-owned app record in Shopify's Dev Dashboard. Create the record for the exact shop you are connecting.

Store URL

Paste your .myshopify.com address into the visible URL field, not your custom domain. Example: yourstore.myshopify.com. You can find it in the browser bar while signed in to Shopify admin.

Create your Shopify Partner app

Open dev.shopify.com/dashboard, choose Apps, click Create app, then Start from Dev Dashboard, and give it a short name such as ArtDrop. On the Create version page, set App URL to https://app.getartdrop.com, uncheck Embed app in Shopify admin, and set Redirect URLs to https://app.getartdrop.com/oauth/shopify/callback. Under Access, paste the scope list ArtDrop shows on the Storefront step, then click Release. In Settings, copy the Client ID and reveal the Secret. Paste your store URL, the Client ID, and the Secret into ArtDrop, then click Install via my Partner app and approve on Shopify's install screen.

Using an existing access token

If you already have a Shopify Admin API access token from an older custom app, paste it into Access token instead of creating a Partner app. It should start with shpat_. New stores generally use the Dev Dashboard flow above because legacy custom app tokens are not available everywhere.

Shopify access boundary

ArtDrop prepares product and listing data with the permissions shown during setup. You keep checkout, customers, payments, shipping, fulfillment, and store navigation in Shopify.

Step 2, Storage

ArtDrop prepares artwork that your provider or Etsy route can access. Keep only credentials for storage services you want ArtDrop to use. Save, submit one controlled test file, and confirm its URL before a batch. ArtDrop uses Shopify Files only for individual files under 20 MiB. Direct Etsy digital publishing requires a supported storage connection. If a test fails, inspect the named storage service before retrying.

If you use Backblaze B2, every B2 field on this step is required. Other services and providers may impose their own file limits.

What you need from Backblaze

• Key ID and Application Key, create these at App Keys → Add a New Application Key in Backblaze. The Application Key is shown only once.
• Bucket Name and Bucket ID, found on the Backblaze Buckets page.
• Endpoint URL, click your bucket in Backblaze to find this. Looks like https://s3.us-west-004.backblazeb2.com.

Step 3, Printers

Set up the print providers you want for each store. Every store keeps its own connection, Gelato Store ID or Printify Shop ID, voice, product lines, and templates. Account-level print provider API keys are shared across your stores. Printful uses one exact Native or Manual Order/API store inside Printful.

ArtDrop creates products at Gelato, Printful, and Printify. Supported Gelato and Printify connections can publish Shopify or Etsy listings. Printful creates and verifies the product in Printful for you to finish there.

Use the store and provider results matrix when you need the exact destination, credential, and publishing details for a drop.

Gelato

Enter the account-level Gelato API key and exact Gelato Store ID for this store. For Shopify, use Add Gelato Product and choose sizes and prices from the live catalog. For Etsy physical products, use an existing Studio template from the exact Etsy-connected legacy store. Confirm an added store inside Gelato after entering its ID. Product UID and Template ID are for existing legacy Studio templates only.

Printful

Enter the Printful token and fetch the exact API-compatible Native or Manual Order/API store. Use Add Printful Product, choose variants, placement, and price, then save. ArtDrop creates and verifies your product in Printful. You finish publishing it when you are ready.

Printify

Enter the Printify API key and choose the exact Etsy-connected or Shopify-connected Printify shop. Use Add Printify Product, choose the print provider, variants, and prices, then save. Reload the Printify card to confirm the shop before sending a batch.

On four supported MWW On Demand Fabric by the Yard products, ArtDrop places the complete artwork once as a panel. Follow the fabric panel setup guide, inspect the exact provider variant, and order a physical sample. Mirror, half-drop, half-brick, grid, scatter, and other repeats are not generated automatically.

Provider output examples

Each mockup appears under the provider that generated it. Use the images as format and placement examples, then confirm your listing, stock, and sample with the provider.

Printful wall art

Printify products

Gelato is supported too. This image library has no verified Gelato product example yet, so the examples above show Printful and Printify.

Provider Cost Comparison

Provider Cost Comparison is representative and can be incomplete. The current table does not establish account-specific current pricing, source, currency, destination, shipping, tax, fees, plan discounts, or fetch time. Confirm every amount directly with the provider before pricing or choosing a route.

Account and route isolation is not proven for this comparison. Displayed rows can come from a process-cached snapshot created before the current account configuration is read. Printify rows can also come from saved template variant costs while the response is still labeled live. Do not use the table as a quote.

Step 4, Social

Skip Social during setup. Start with Storefront, then add the storage, providers, and copy options your products need. For Pinterest details, see Pinterest availability. Revoke any old social credentials at the service that issued them.

Step 5, Copy

Choose whether ArtDrop drafts your product copy or uses copy you provide. Add your brand context if you want generated titles, descriptions, SEO fields, and alt text to sound more like you. Product publishing works either way.

Yes, let ArtDrop write my copy

In the hosted app, review the available method and terms before generating. On Mac, open Advanced and enter your personal Anthropic key. Then add your Store Identity and Copy Rules so ArtDrop can draft from your artwork and voice.

No, I'll write my own copy

For each field (title, description, SEO title, SEO description, alt text) pick one of two modes:

• Filename: ArtDrop uses the artwork's filename as the text. A file called abstract-sunset.tif becomes the title "Abstract Sunset".
• Template: define a reusable string with {artwork_name} as a placeholder. For example, {artwork_name}, fine-art print by Your Name.

Store Identity

Add your name, store name, the kind of art you make, and how you make it. Specific details give ArtDrop better material for writing about your work.

Copy Rules

Set the tone, tell ArtDrop what matters, add examples you like, and list words to avoid. Blank fields use ArtDrop defaults. Copy Rules guide the writing model, so review the finished draft in your store and edit it when needed.

EXIF camera data

If your image files carry supported EXIF metadata (camera model, lens, ISO, or shutter), ArtDrop can mention those fields in the listing. Three options: Full (include specs in the description and add them as tags), Tags only (hidden tags, clean description), or Off (never mention them). The default is Full, and many photographers turn it off for a cleaner presentation.

What changes when copy generation is off

ArtDrop skips generated copy and Voice Trainer. Your product publishing workflow stays the same.

Voice Trainer (post-wizard)

Supported writing files: Voice Trainer accepts up to 10 files per request: DOCX, TXT, PDF, CSV, JPG, JPEG, and PNG. ArtDrop does not currently set a per-file byte limit for these samples. Combined extracted text is limited to 120,000 characters. Review the extracted rules and every generated draft.

Open Copy and Data after setup to teach ArtDrop your style from work you have already written.

How it works:

1. Give it something to read: supported writing files, a website URL, or your Store Identity fields
2. Choose Analyze Voice: ArtDrop extracts concrete style rules from the source
3. Review the filled fields: Voice Trainer applies its rules directly to Copy and Data
4. Choose Save, then reload the store: rules that remain after reload are ready for later drops

Return to Voice Trainer any time you want to learn from a different sample or refine the rules.

Dropping artwork

Choose a store, drop your artwork, and let ArtDrop prepare the products tied to that store and product line.

1. Confirm the destination store and optional product line shown in Drop Zone
2. Drag artwork onto the Dashboard, or choose it with the file browser
3. Follow its progress in the Live Log
4. Open the named store or provider to review the finished result

Supported formats: Artwork uploads accept TIF, TIFF, PNG, JPG, and JPEG.

Upload sizes: One upload request is limited to 3 GiB total and 200 files. Each artwork file is limited to 2 GiB. Your storage service, browser, network, template, or provider can still set a lower limit.

Print quality: use the exact pixel dimensions, aspect ratio, color guidance, and recommended effective resolution for the largest configured print area. Inspect provider warnings and order representative samples.

One artwork across four formats

The same artwork appears on one Printful and three Printify mockups so you can compare formats and placement. Review your own listing and physical sample before selling.

Paste artwork from the clipboard

On the dashboard, press Cmd+V on a Mac or Ctrl+V on Windows, Linux, or ChromeOS while your cursor is outside an editable field. ArtDrop turns the clipboard image into a timestamped upload for the active store and product choices.

Clipboard paste is handy for a screenshot or an image copied from an editor. It uses the resolution currently on the clipboard. Choose the original file when the print master, color profile, transparency, or metadata matters.

Batch scheduling, release a few at a time

Drop more than one image at once and ArtDrop lets you start the group now or space it out over time. Start with a few images, confirm the store and templates, then grow the next batch.

1. Select a manageable batch. Confirm the active store, templates, and provider connections
2. Choose "Space them out over time." Pick 1, 2, 5, or 10 artworks released per day, or about 1 artwork per hour. Hosted Web advances due paced releases on the server without a signed-in page or open dashboard. On Mac, keep the app running.
3. Or choose "Publish all now." ArtDrop starts processing every accepted artwork in the group

Closing the choice dialog with Escape or clicking outside it selects Publish all now. Clear Queue releases held work for processing. It does not delete work or cancel one destination.

Scheduling controls when work starts. Hosted Web continues paced releases without an open browser or signed-in dashboard. The Mac app must remain running for Mac schedules. Review the named results as the batch moves.

A varied batch, ready for review

Six separate artworks appear on six formats to show the range a batch can contain. Each image and product is its own example.

Write your own copy with a spreadsheet

Control the supported copy, store, and product fields for every image with one CSV or XLSX sheet. With Copy Engine on, ArtDrop can draft supported copy fields you leave blank. With it off, blank cells stay empty.

1. Download the XLSX or CSV template. In the app, on the Copy step or in Copy and Data after setup, choose the matching template button. You can also make your own .xlsx or UTF-8 .csv sheet in Excel, Google Sheets, or Numbers. ArtDrop accepts CSV and XLSX copy sheets. CSV is decoded as UTF-8 with an optional BOM, and XLSX uses the active worksheet. Each CSV or XLSX copy sheet is limited to 2 MiB. ArtDrop does not currently set a row-count or per-cell character limit.
2. One row per image. Put the image's file name in the filename column. Matching is forgiving: capitalization does not matter and the extension is optional, so sunset.png, SUNSET.PNG, and sunset all match the same file.
3. Fill only what you want to control. The documented columns are title, description, seo_title, seo_description, alt_text, and product_tags (a comma-separated list added on top of your base tags).
4. Drop the sheet into the drop zone together with your images, or ahead of them. You can edit the sheet mid batch; later images pick up your changes automatically.

The live log confirms every match as it happens, for example Copy sidecar matched sunset.png: title, description, product_tags.

Edit storefront copy and tags from Products

Open Products, choose the exact Shopify or Etsy storefront and product, then edit the supported copy fields and the full tag set. Save synchronizes those fields and tags only to the selected storefront. It does not edit a POD provider catalog or change media, pricing, variants, inventory, status, or alt text.

Regenerate is bound to the selected product, storefront, and source artwork. Managed generation uses one copy credit; a personal Anthropic key uses that key instead. Regenerate returns an unsaved draft for review and does not change the storefront until you choose Save. It is a generation action, not chat and not a pre-publish approval pause.

Publish to multiple stores

Choose a store in Stores, or name the exact store and optional line in a sheet or JSON sidecar. Each store keeps its own voice, product lines, connection details, and provider IDs. The first store is included.

The advertised Web and Mac ladder covers store positions through 25. The Web add-store checkout rejects position 26. This is not a backend-wide maximum: the Mac checkout keeps charging $15 for positions above 25, the license server accepts entitlements up to 100, and saved-store validation can preserve 25 additional records plus the synthetic default for 26 effective routes. Shopify-billed entries are also excluded from the direct Stripe entitlement count. Treat any value above the advertised 25-position ladder as an implementation inconsistency or administrative entitlement, not a promised tier. Web uses a graduated ladder: store positions 2 and 3 cost $10 per month each, positions 4 through 6 cost $6 each, positions 7 through 10 cost $3 each, and positions 11 through 25 cost $2 each. On Mac, positions 2 and 3 cost $75 one time each, positions 4 through 6 cost $45 each, positions 7 through 10 cost $25 each, and positions 11 through 25 cost $15 each. Earlier stores retain the price assigned to their position. If the public Shopify App Store rail is approved and enabled later, each Shopify-installed shop will subscribe separately at the operator-configured Shopify plan amount and currency; the code default is USD $39 per 30 days.

Release one upload to several stores

In Your Stores, use Publish drops to to select several stores for one upload. ArtDrop reuses the artwork analysis and prepares each store separately. A failure in one target does not stop healthy siblings from finishing.

Reload Stores after a change to confirm every field. If the manager or Add store is missing after one reload, contact support before sending work.

Each selected store can release now or after its own delay of up to 30 days. Hosted Web can release scheduled work while the browser is closed. On Mac, keep the app running. Processing begins around the chosen time, so open each store to confirm its final publication time.

Fabric by the Yard

ArtDrop supports four Printify Fabric by the Yard products fulfilled by MWW On Demand: Combed Cotton Prima, Spun Polyester, Faux Linen, and Cotton Twill. It places one complete artwork once as a panel.

Prepare the full composition in the source, save the exact Printify product and variant, and order the exact sample. Longer cuts are not treated as seamless repeats, and there is no dedicated quilting-weight-cotton integration. Read the full fabric setup guide.

Pinterest availability

Pinterest is not currently available through ArtDrop. ArtDrop does not currently create Product Pins, publish Pinterest catalogs, create a Pinterest storefront, or save Pins to boards.

Read the Pinterest availability page.

Bluesky availability · Facebook availability · Instagram availability · Threads availability

Match artwork to each channel shape

These editorial crops are composition examples for common channel shapes. Prepare and publish the final crops in the channel you use.

Documentation & support

Use the task guides in Docs for current store setup, providers, publishing, and recovery instructions. If the guides do not cover your issue, email support@getartdrop.com.

Live Log, Needs Attention, and Retry Sync

Use the Live Log to follow the work this browser can see. The Live Log may be incomplete. Copy Log copies the lines currently displayed. Verify the named provider and storefront before retrying. Accepted, processing, and scheduled do not mean published.

Needs Attention highlights visible issues, but it may be incomplete too. Retry Sync is not a general retry. It only handles its named sync action. Dismiss does not delete, fix, or unpublish external products.

When an action has no confirmed result, reload the exact store, provider, voice, license, or destination first. This shows the latest saved state before you try again.

Common issues

The most frequent setup snags and how to fix them. Tap any issue to expand.

Back up, restore, and secure your sessions

Download a settings backup

Open Backup and Restore and choose Download my settings JSON. The file includes configuration fields, three legacy template lists, the export time, and the app version. ArtDrop removes account identity and fields recognized as credentials from the main configuration, but it appends the legacy template lists without applying that redaction to them. The current filter also misses LULU_CLIENT_KEY and GOOTEN_PARTNER_BILLING_KEY, so treat every backup as sensitive.

ArtDrop encrypts hosted credential values at rest with AES-256-GCM inside each account's PostgreSQL configuration JSON. Browser views, settings downloads, and account-data exports still filter values by field name after reading the configuration. The two names above can remain visible or appear in either download. During /api/config/save, a session with no license key can also attempt a timestamped raw copy when a nonempty configuration and the global configuration file already exist. That copy can contain credentials. Encryption at rest does not make either downloaded or copied file safe to share.

Restore settings

Restore accepts a UTF-8 JSON object up to 1 MiB with at most 500 top-level keys. It removes metadata and internal keys, stores recognized template lists separately, and merges the remaining fields into your current settings. Signed-in demos can use global files for template import and export. After restoring, re-enter credentials and test the exact store, provider, storage service, and destination. Artwork and external products stay where they are.

Know when hosted sessions end

Hosted magic-link and passkey sessions normally allow 30 minutes of inactivity and up to three sessions. A fourth normal session usually revokes the oldest. These controls depend on database rows and can fail open during a database outage. A failed row insert can also leave a stateless session. Sign out clears this browser and attempts server-side revocation while keeping your enrolled passkey.

If a sign-in link, network request, or passkey setup fails, open the full newest email link or sign in with email. An enrolled passkey can still exist. License attachment is a separate step after sign-in.

Export or delete hosted account data

Signed-in users can download a limited account JSON under Data and privacy. It contains the account email, export time, an explanatory note, and user, config, and credit containers. User dates appear when the user row is found. For demo:<email> and licensed keys found through user_configs.email, it adds available settings, plan, and purchased-balance data under a hashed license_ref. Hosted storage encrypts credential values at rest, but the downloaded file is a separate artifact. Recognized credential fields become [redacted], while LULU_CLIENT_KEY and GOOTEN_PARTNER_BILLING_KEY can remain.

Licensed settings are included only when user_configs.email was populated, and current app code has no caller for that helper. A licensed configuration can therefore be missing from an export and remain after deletion. Exports also omit template columns, demo counters, magic tokens, passkeys, sessions, suppressions, credit ledgers, audit and drop records, affiliate and payout records, license-server data, files including archive/master, and data held by connected services. A database failure can produce a partial download without labeling it as failed.

The delete control attempts to remove selected user, configuration, passkey, magic-token, and session data, then attempts to suppress the email. Billing and omitted data remain. The endpoint can report success and sign out this browser after a database or partial deletion failure. A successful audit insert stores the raw email as the entity identifier while hashing the actor email and IP. Confirm removal with support before treating the response as complete erasure.

A live drop moves the source and preview into the active archive/master workspace. Hosted licensed and demo users get identity-specific paths that persist across browser sessions. Admin and local use the global fallback. The worker keeps this archive as its permanent source, and later tools can read it. The backend has no automatic archive cleanup or account-deletion filesystem step, so confirm hosted artwork removal with support.

License & devices

The $399 lifetime Mac license covers up to 2 Macs and does not include hosted Web access. Hosted Web requires a separate active Web subscription. To move a Mac activation, use the License tab if available or contact support.

If you can't access the old device, email support@getartdrop.com and we'll reset it for you.

Still need help?

If the guides above do not cover your issue, reach out directly. Support is provided on a best-effort basis.

Setup guide, troubleshooting, and support in one place. For pricing and pre-sale questions see the FAQ.