Shopify keeps a log of recent actions taken in your store's admin area, which can help you track changes made by staff, apps, or sales channels (The page on activity logs).
According to Magecomp, this log is a useful starting point for investigating unexpected updates to products, settings, or other parts of your store.
Key takeaways
- You can access the main activity log from your Shopify admin under
Settings>General(The page on activity logs). - The log shows a maximum of 250 recent events; it is not a permanent or complete history of your store.
- The log is view-only and cannot be exported for offline analysis or record-keeping.
- Shopify has separate logs for Point of Sale (POS) activity and user management changes, which are found in different sections of the admin.
How to find the activity log in your Shopify admin
You can find the main log of store activities inside your Shopify settings. To view it, your account needs the Home and Store settings > Manage settings permissions (The page on activity logs). If you don't see the option, ask the store owner to check your staff permissions.
Here are the steps to access the log:
- From your Shopify admin, go to Settings, then click General.
- In the Resources section near the bottom of the page, click the link to view recent store activity.
The page will display a list of recent events, showing the action, who or what performed it, and the date and time (The page on activity logs).
What does the activity log record?
The log records a variety of recent actions taken by people, apps, or sales channels within your Shopify admin (The page on activity logs). It provides a high-level overview of changes rather than a detailed, field-by-field history.
Examples of events you might see include:
- A product being deleted.
- A change to a store setting (The page on activity logs).
- An app being granted access to the store.
- A theme being published or hidden by the Online Store channel.
- A product being removed from a sales channel because a market was deactivated.
It's important to know that many parts of Shopify have their own, more specific histories. For instance, individual orders, customers, and inventory transfers have a "Timeline" view that tracks changes and internal notes for that specific record (The page on activity logs). You can also view up to 180 days of a product's inventory adjustment history from its product details page.
Why does the log say "Shopify" made a change?
Sometimes, an entry in the log will name "Shopify" as the actor instead of a specific staff member or app. According to Shopify's help documentation, this is normal and does not necessarily mean there was unauthorized activity.
Here are common reasons why "Shopify" might be listed as the actor for a change:
| Scenario | Example | Why it happens, according to Shopify |
|---|---|---|
| App or Channel Sync | A product is published to a new sales channel. | Third-party apps or sales channels sync data with your store automatically. |
| Online Store Operations | A theme is published from the theme editor. | Actions taken through the Online Store channel's editor are logged with the channel's name, not the user's. |
| Market-driven Changes | A product is removed from the Online Store. | Deactivating a market can automatically unpublish products from that market. |
| User Management | A staff account is deleted. | When a staff member is deleted, the log may show "Shopify deleted" followed by the staff member's name, instead of showing who performed the action. |
Source: Shopify Help Center
If you see an entry from "Shopify" that seems suspicious, compare the timestamp with actions you or your team might have taken, such as starting a bulk edit or installing a new app (Shopify Help Center).
What are the limits of Shopify's activity log?
While helpful for seeing recent changes, the built-in activity log has several important limitations that merchants should be aware of.
- It only shows 250 results: The log displays a maximum of 250 events (The page on activity logs). This is a fixed limit on the number of entries, not a set number of days. On a busy store with many staff and apps, the visible history might only cover a few hours or days.
- It cannot be exported: You cannot download the log as a CSV or any other file format. Shopify suggests taking screenshots if you need to document specific entries for your records.
- It is view-only: The entries in the log are simple text lines. You cannot click to expand them for more detail or see what a value was before it changed.
- It is not the only log: Shopify keeps several different logs for different purposes. If you are looking for changes to staff accounts or POS activity, you need to check other locations.
For merchants who need a more extensive history, some apps in the Shopify App Store are designed to record changes beyond these limits.
Where to find other activity logs in Shopify
The main activity log doesn't cover everything. Shopify has other, more specific logs for certain areas of your business.
| Log Name | Where to Find It | What It Tracks |
|---|---|---|
| User management activity log | Settings > Users > Security | Creating, editing, or deleting staff accounts and user roles. |
| POS activity log | Point of Sale channel > Settings > Activity log | High-risk actions in the Shopify POS app, such as voids, refunds, and manual discounts. |
| Inventory adjustment history | Products > (select a product) > Inventory section | Changes to the inventory quantity for a specific product or variant, for the last 180 days. |
| Timeline | On an individual order, customer, or transfer page | A detailed history of that specific record, including internal comments. |
If you can't find an event in the main activity log, check if it might be recorded in one of these more specific places.
Frequently asked questions
Can I export or download Shopify's activity log?
No, the activity log cannot be exported or downloaded (The page on activity logs). If you need to save a record of an event for auditing purposes, Shopify's official guidance is to take a screenshot.
How many days of history does the activity log keep?
The log's retention is based on the number of events, not a fixed number of days. It displays a maximum of 250 results (The page on activity logs). For a store with frequent changes, this might only represent a short period, while a less active store will have a longer history available.
How do I see activity for a specific staff member?
The main activity log shows which user performed an action, but you cannot filter the log by a specific staff member (The page on pos activity log). However, the separate POS activity log can be filtered by staff member, location, and event type.
What permissions do I need to see the activity log?
To access the main activity log, a user must have both the Home and Store settings > Manage settings permissions assigned to their account (The page on activity logs). To see the POS activity log, a user needs the same permissions.
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