Deleting a Shopify account removes your store, all products, customer data, and transaction history permanently

When you delete a Shopify account, the entire store disappears — products, customer records, order history, and all settings. Shopify does not keep a backup you can restore later. The deletion is when ready once you confirm it, though your domain registration (if you bought it through Shopify) remains active until its renewal date passes, and you keep responsibility for any unpaid invoices or chargebacks that occurred before deletion.

Before you delete, understand what you lose and what you keep. You lose access to all store data and the ability to view past orders. You keep any domain you registered elsewhere, and you remain liable for any outstanding charges or disputes. If you think you might return to selling later, pausing your store (which costs nothing) is safer than deletion, because you can reactivate it with your data intact.

Key Takeaways

  • Deletion is permanent and when ready — Shopify does not restore deleted stores, so back up any data you need before you proceed.
  • You remain responsible for unpaid invoices, chargebacks, and any other charges that occurred while your store was active.
  • Pausing your store instead of deleting it costs nothing and lets you keep your data if you decide to sell again later.
  • The deletion process takes place in your Shopify admin under Settings, and you must confirm your store name to complete it.
  • Your domain registration stays active until its renewal date, so you may need to cancel it separately if you do not want to keep paying for it.

What happens to your data when you delete

Shopify removes all store information from its servers, including your product catalog, customer list, order history, and account settings. You cannot recover this data after deletion. If you need records of past orders for tax purposes, accounting, or legal reasons, you must read or export them before you delete.

Your customer data is also deleted. If you have customer email addresses or contact information you want to keep, export your customer list from your Shopify admin before deletion. Once the store is gone, you have no way to retrieve those records from Shopify.

How to back up your store data before deletion

Shopify's admin lets you export orders, customers, and products as CSV files. Go to your Shopify admin, then navigate to Settings, then Data and Privacy. From there, you can request a data read, which Shopify emails to you as a file. This process can take a few hours for large stores.

For products, go to Products in your admin, select all products, and use the export function to read them as a CSV. For orders, go to Orders, filter the orders you want, select them, and export. For customers, go to Customers and export the full list. Save these files to your computer or cloud storage before you proceed with deletion.

If your store has apps installed that store data outside of Shopify (like email marketing tools or inventory systems), contact those services separately to back up or export your data from them. Deleting your Shopify store does not delete data those apps hold.

The steps to delete your Shopify account

Open your Shopify admin and go to Settings. At the bottom of the Settings menu, click Plan and Permissions. Scroll down until you see the option to close your store. Click Close store.

Shopify will ask you to confirm that you want to delete your store and will show you a warning about what you are about to lose. You must type your store name exactly as it appears to confirm the deletion. Once you type it correctly and click the final confirmation button, the deletion begins when ready.

Your store will be inaccessible within minutes. You will receive a confirmation email from Shopify. Any apps connected to your store will lose access to your data at that point.

What you still owe after deletion

Deleting your store does not erase any charges Shopify has already billed you for. If you have an unpaid invoice, a chargeback dispute, or a transaction fee that has not been collected, Shopify will continue to pursue payment. Your credit card on file may be charged, or Shopify may send the debt to a collection agency.

Check your billing history in your Shopify admin before you delete. Go to Settings, then Billing. Make sure all invoices are paid and there are no pending charges. If you see a dispute or chargeback, contact Shopify Support to resolve it before deletion.

Your domain registration is separate from your store account. If you registered your domain through Shopify, it will remain active and you will continue to be billed for it until the renewal date passes or you cancel it separately. You can transfer the domain to another registrar or let it expire when the current term ends.

Pausing your store instead of deleting it

If you are not sure you want to delete permanently, pause your store instead. A paused store costs nothing and keeps all your data intact. Your products, customers, and orders remain in your admin, and you can reactivate the store at any time without losing anything.

To pause, go to Settings, then Plan and Permissions, and look for the option to pause your store. A paused store is not visible to customers — they see a message that the store is temporarily closed — but you keep full access to your admin and all your data. This is the safer choice if you think you might sell again in the future.

What happens to your domain after deletion

If you registered your domain through Shopify, the domain stays registered and active until its renewal date. You will continue to receive renewal invoices from Shopify. The domain will not automatically point to your store anymore (because the store no longer exists), but Shopify will not release the domain or cancel the registration.

If you want to stop paying for the domain, you must cancel the registration separately. Go to Settings, then Domains, find the domain you want to cancel, and follow the cancellation steps. You can also transfer the domain to another registrar if you want to keep it but move it away from Shopify.

If you registered your domain elsewhere (not through Shopify), deleting your Shopify store does not affect it. Your domain will continue to exist with your original registrar, and you will continue to pay them directly for it. You will need to update your domain's DNS settings or point it elsewhere if you do not want it connected to Shopify anymore.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I get my store back after I delete it?

No. Shopify does not restore deleted stores. Once you confirm deletion, your store and all its data are gone permanently. If you think you might want to sell again later, pause your store instead — it costs nothing and keeps your data safe.

Will deleting my store cancel my domain?

No. If you registered your domain through Shopify, it stays active and you keep paying for it. You must cancel the domain registration separately in your Shopify admin under Settings, then Domains. If your domain is registered elsewhere, deleting your Shopify store does not affect it.

What if I have unpaid invoices when I delete?

Shopify will continue to bill you for any charges that occurred before deletion. Check your billing history in Settings, then Billing, and pay any outstanding invoices before you delete. If you delete with unpaid charges, Shopify may charge your credit card or send the debt to a collection agency.

Can I read my customer list before I delete?

Yes. Go to Customers in your admin and use the export function to read your customer list as a CSV file. You can also export orders and products the same way. Do this before you delete, because you cannot recover this data afterward.

Does deleting my store affect my Shopify account login?

If you have only one store, deleting it also closes your Shopify account and you will not be able to log in anymore. If you have multiple stores, deleting one store keeps your account active and you can still access your other stores.