--- title: How to Add a Shopify Privacy Policy | Actorly description: A step-by-step guide for Shopify merchants on creating and publishing a privacy policy, including using Shopify's templates and automated settings for canonical: https://actorly.app/blog/how-to-add-a-privacy-policy-to-your-shopify-store --- [← Blog](https://actorly.app/blog) [Privacy and compliance](https://actorly.app/blog/category/privacy-and-compliance) # How to add a privacy policy to your Shopify store Learn how to generate a privacy policy using Shopify's built-in tools, what information it needs to contain, and how to make it visible to your customers. [Actorly team](https://actorly.app/authors/actorly-team) Oct 15, 2026 7 min read A privacy policy is a legal document that explains how your store collects, uses, and protects customer data. Shopify provides built-in tools within the admin to help you generate and publish a privacy policy page, which is a necessary step for building customer trust and complying with data privacy regulations ([Website Privacy Policy: How to Write One 2025](https://www.shopify.com/blog/website-privacy-policy)). ## Key takeaways - A privacy policy is a legal document explaining how you handle customer data; most online stores are required by law to have one. - Shopify provides an automated privacy policy generator and other tools in the **Settings > Customer privacy** section of your admin ([Shopify Help Center](https://help.shopify.com/en/manual/privacy-and-security/privacy/customer-privacy-settings/privacy-settings)). - Your policy should detail what data you collect, why you collect it, and whether you share it with third parties. - Shopify's automated settings can help maintain your policy, cookie banner, and data opt-out page, but you are still responsible for ensuring its accuracy. - You must make your privacy policy easy for customers to find, typically by adding a link to your store's footer. ## How to generate and add a privacy policy in Shopify Shopify has a dedicated **Customer privacy** section in the admin that allows you to create and manage your store's privacy policy ([Shopify Help Center](https://help.shopify.com/en/manual/privacy-and-security/privacy/customer-privacy-settings/privacy-settings)). You can write your own policy, or use Shopify's automated policy feature which uses a template. Here are the steps to create and publish your privacy policy page: 1. From your Shopify admin, go to **Settings > Customer privacy**. 2. You have two main options. This template automatically updates when your store's settings change. 3. Review the generated text carefully to ensure it accurately reflects your business practices, including any third-party apps you use that collect data. 4. Click **Save**. After saving, Shopify creates a new page for your policy. The next step is to make it accessible to your customers. Most stores add a link to their privacy policy in the footer menu of their website ([Website Privacy Policy: How to Write One 2025](https://www.shopify.com/blog/website-privacy-policy)). ## What information should a privacy policy include? Your privacy policy must be transparent about your data handling practices. It should clearly explain to your customers what personal information you collect and what you do with it. While specific requirements depend on where you and your customers are located, a comprehensive policy generally covers several key areas ([Website Privacy Policy: How to Write One 2025](https://www.shopify.com/blog/website-privacy-policy)). Information TypeWhat to Disclose **Profile and Contact Information** Explain that you collect information like names, shipping addresses, and email addresses when customers create an account or make a purchase. **Device Information** Disclose the collection of technical data such as IP addresses, cookie IDs, and browser types, which are often used for analytics and security. **Customer Rights** Inform customers of their rights, such as the right to access, correct, or delete their personal data. Source: [Website Privacy Policy: How to Write One 2025](https://www.shopify.com/blog/website-privacy-policy) ## Should I use Shopify's automated privacy settings? Shopify offers automated privacy settings to help merchants manage compliance ([Automate your privacy settings - Shopify Changelog](https://changelog.shopify.com/posts/automate-your-privacy-settings)). When enabled, these settings automatically generate and update your privacy policy, manage a cookie consent banner, and provide a data sales opt-out page based on Shopify's recommendations. This can be a helpful tool, but it is not a substitute for legal advice ([Shopify Help Center](https://help.shopify.com/en/manual/privacy-and-security/privacy/customer-privacy-settings/privacy-settings)). You remain responsible for making sure your policy is accurate and complies with all applicable laws. ## Common mistakes to avoid When setting up a privacy policy, merchants can make errors that undermine customer trust and legal compliance. Here are a few common mistakes to watch out for. - **Forgetting to customize the template.** Shopify's generated policy is a starting point. You must review and edit it to reflect the specific data you collect, especially through third-party apps for marketing, analytics, or support. - **Hiding the policy.** A privacy policy must be easy for users to find. Failing to add a link to your store's footer or another visible location can be seen as a lack of transparency. - **Not updating the policy.** Your privacy policy is not a "set it and forget it" document. If you change how you collect, use, or share data, for instance, by installing a new app or expanding into new markets, you must update your policy to reflect those changes. - **Ignoring data requests.** Privacy laws give customers the right to request access to or deletion of their personal data ([Shopify Help Center](https://help.shopify.com/en/manual/privacy-and-security/privacy/processing-customer-data-requests)). As a merchant, you are responsible for responding to these requests. Shopify provides tools to help you process them. ## A worked example: Handling a customer data request Imagine a customer from California emails you asking for a copy of all the personal data your store has about them. Under regulations like the California Privacy Rights Act (CPRA), you are obligated to respond. Shopify's platform has built-in procedures for this. From your Shopify admin, you would go to the **Customers** section, find the specific customer's profile, click **More actions**, and select **Request customer data** ([Shopify Help Center](https://help.shopify.com/en/manual/privacy-and-security/privacy/processing-customer-data-requests)). Shopify then compiles a report of that customer's information. Once the report is ready, you are responsible for providing it to the customer. This process also extends to the apps you use. When a data request is made, Shopify sends a webhook to your installed apps so they can also comply with requests to access or delete data. This highlights the importance of using apps from developers who properly handle these mandatory compliance webhooks. This is general information, not legal advice. ## Frequently asked questions ### Do I legally need a privacy policy for my Shopify store? In most jurisdictions, yes. Laws like the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in Europe and various US state laws require businesses that collect personal data from residents to have a privacy policy ([Website Privacy Policy: How to Write One 2025](https://www.shopify.com/blog/website-privacy-policy)). Many third-party services, like Google Analytics, also require you to have one. ### What was the Shopify Privacy & Compliance app? This was a Shopify app that provided tools for cookie banners and privacy policies. Its features have since been integrated directly into the Shopify admin under **Settings > Customer privacy**, and the app was discontinued ([Introducing Customer Privacy settings in Shopify admin - Shopify](https://changelog.shopify.com/posts/introducing-customer-privacy-settings-in-shopify-admin)). ### How does Shopify handle my customers' data? When Shopify processes your customers' personal data to help you run your store, it acts at your direction, and your privacy policy applies. Shopify also processes data for its own purposes, such as service improvement and security, which is covered by [Shopify's own privacy policies](https://www.shopify.com/legal/privacy/consumers). ### What are my responsibilities for data deletion requests? When a customer asks you to delete their personal data, you can initiate the process from their customer profile in your Shopify admin by selecting **Erase personal data** ([Shopify Help Center](https://help.shopify.com/en/manual/privacy-and-security/privacy/processing-customer-data-requests)). Shopify then processes this request and also notifies installed apps to erase the data they hold on that customer. ### Where does Shopify store customer data? Shopify uses Google Cloud Platform and stores data across multiple regions to ensure reliability. It has legal mechanisms in place, including Data Processing Addendums and Standard Contractual Clauses, to govern the transfer of data internationally in compliance with laws like the GDPR ([Shopify Help Center](https://help.shopify.com/en/manual/privacy-and-security/privacy/international-data-transfers/onward-transfers)). ### Can I use a third-party app for my privacy policy? Yes, you can use a third-party cookie banner or privacy policy app from the Shopify App Store ([Shopify Help Center](https://help.shopify.com/en/manual/privacy-and-security/privacy/customer-privacy-settings/privacy-settings)). If you use a third-party cookie banner, you must still configure the consent regions in your Shopify admin's **Customer privacy** settings to ensure there are no conflicts. ## Read next - [A Shopify checklist before you launch your store](https://actorly.app/blog/shopify-checklist-before-you-launch-a-store) Written by [Actorly team](https://actorly.app/authors/actorly-team) The team behind Actorly Actorly is a Shopify app by ONDUTYOPS LLC that keeps a searchable history of the changes it can see in a store. The team writes these guides for merchants and checks each claim against what the app does today. [All posts by Actorly team](https://actorly.app/authors/actorly-team) ## Keep reading [Pricing, discounts and sales Why did my Shopify discount stop working?:](https://actorly.app/blog/why-did-my-shopify-discount-stop-working)[Change history and activity logs What Shopify keeps when someone edits a price:](https://actorly.app/blog/what-shopify-keeps-when-someone-edits-a-price)[Comparisons Shopify activity log: what it shows, its limits:](https://actorly.app/blog/shopify-activity-log-vs-actorly)