Customizing the checkout

For security reasons, Shopify controls the checkout process (this also includes the order confirmation page and the thank you page). The theme does not have access to the checkout code.

For those reasons, the checkout code cannot be edited on Shopify. If you are facing any issues with the checkout, you will need to reach Shopify support.

Shopify support agents are, for the most part, non-technical people. They might incorrectly redirect you to our support for checkout issues. However, because we don't have access to the checkout code, we won't be able to help you. Consequently, when reaching Shopify about a checkout issue, insist that you are referring to the checkout and that it is Shopify's responsibility to fix any checkout issues.

Here are common issues that might arise regarding the checkout:

Customizing the checkout.liquid file

If you did some research on the internet, you might have found some old articles about a checkout.liquid file. This file used to be available to Shopify Plus partners to create a completely custom checkout experience. However, due to security concerns, this feature was deprecated in 2023 and will be fully removed by the end of 2024. It is no longer possible to access this file.

Customizing checkout appearance

Shopify allows you to customize the checkout appearance with settings. You can learn more about customizing the checkout in Shopify's official documentation.

Removing Express buttons

If you have enabled accelerated payment buttons such as PayPal, Apple Pay, or Amazon Pay, those will appear on the first page of your checkout.

Currently, there is no way to remove or hide those buttons. If you feel this is essential for your store, we recommend you reach Shopify support and suggest this improvement. This will help Shopify prioritize future developments.

Adding new features to the checkout

While you cannot edit the code in the checkout, Shopify has introduced a "checkout extension" feature, allowing you to add blocks inside a checkout. This can be used for many use cases, such as capturing a delivery date in the checkout or showing upsell products.

Please note though that, as of today, checkout extensions are mostly limited to Shopify Plus merchants.

To use checkout extensions, you need to install a compatible app. For more information about checkout extensions and what you can achieve with them, reach Shopify support.