How to Change a Shopify Domain Name

Key takeaways

You can change the default domain name you receive when setting up your Shopify store to customize it to your liking. 

• After purchasing a customized domain name and connecting it, log in to your Shopify admin page and change the primary domain to the new one. 

• You can buy customized domain names through Shopify or external sources. 

• In the future, you can change the domain name you choose when setting up your Shopify store by setting the old primary domain name as a subdomain and redirecting it to your new primary domain name, ensuring continuity for customers. 

Learn more about how to purchase and change your Shopify domain name. To deepen your digital marketing and e-commerce knowledge and skills, consider enrolling in the Google Digital Marketing & E-commerce Professional Certificate. This eight-course series takes around six months to complete while working at your own pace. It offers an opportunity to build skills like search engine optimization, performance measurement, customer retention, and how to build and grow e-commerce stores. In the end, you can earn a career credential that you can add to your resume and professional profiles.

How to change your Shopify domain name

When you set up a Shopify store, you’ll automatically receive a default domain name, which is the name of your store, followed by myshopify.com. While it is fine to keep this name, you may prefer to customize your store with your own domain name. Your domain name can be anything you want as long as it’s available to purchase.

Follow these steps when you’re ready to change your default domain name to a more unique one:

1. Buy a customized domain name.

2. Confirm your domain is connected.

3. Change your primary domain from the Shopify admin page.

4. Find your new domain from the dropdown list.

5. Click Set as primary.

Let’s look at each step in more detail.

1. Buy a customized domain name.

The first step to adding your domain name to your Shopify store, or changing it, is purchasing a domain. You can do this by buying your domain name through Shopify, which simplifies the setup process, although this isn’t the only option. You can also buy your domain name from any other provider. 

If you buy from Shopify, log in to it, access the Admin panel, and then go to Settings > Domains > Buy new domain. 

You can search to see if your preferred domain name is available and click Buy to purchase it. 

Review the information on the next screen, and click Buy domain when ready.

Can I change my Shopify domain name for free?

Although Shopify offers free subdomains, which are ideal for starting your store, once you have an established website and store, you'll likely want a more customized domain name. Prices for these vary, with Shopify estimating that they cost an average of $10 to $20 annually to own [1]. You may also need to pay other fees, such as registration and transfer fees. 

2. Confirm your domain is connected.

Return to the Domain section in your Shopify store to check if your new domain has been successfully connected to your Shopify store and is ready to use. If it is, it will be listed here, but it can take up to 48 hours to appear on the list.

3. Change your primary domain from the Shopify admin page.

Once your domain is connected, go to your Shopify store’s admin panel, click Settings > Domains, and find the tab titled Change primary domain.

4. Find your new domain from the dropdown list.

Click Change primary domain to access a dropdown list with your domain names. Your new domain name should now be listed.

5. Set your domain as primary.

Finally, select your domain name from the list and click Set as primary. Your Shopify store now has a new primary domain name.

Learn more: How to Start an E-Commerce Business

How to change your domain name in Shopify when buying it from an external provider

You don’t have to buy your domain name directly from Shopify. You can still use it with your Shopify store if you already own or want to purchase one from a different provider. The process of adding it to your store is just slightly different. Follow these steps:

1. Change your Shopify DNS settings according to your provider’s instructions. The instructions will vary depending on which provider you bought your domain from.

2. Once you have the proper DNS settings, go to your Shopify Admin panel and click Settings > Domain > Connect existing domain.

3. Enter your domain name in the designated field when prompted, and then click Next.

4. Click Verify connection to complete the process.

5. Within 48 hours, check your Domains page to verify your new domain is listed and marked as Connected in the Third-party domains section.

How many times can you change your Shopify domain name?

If you decide to change your domain name later on, you can do so if you purchase a new domain name. Follow the same process in this article to add your new name. 

Although you can have only one primary domain name at a time, you can also use subdomains. You can set up your old domain as a subdomain and redirect it to your new primary domain. This ensures that customers still using the old website address will be redirected to the new one.

Explore our free digital marketing resources

Whether you’re building your skills to run your Shopify store or looking to begin a new professional journey, our weekly newsletter, Career Chat, can help you keep your finger on the pulse of the digital marketing landscape. Other resources to check out include:

• Watch on YouTube: 5 AI Tools that Will Transform Your Digital Marketing Strategy

• Bookmark for later: Digital Marketing Terms Every Marketer Should Know

• Do more with Shopify: How to Complete a Shopify Test Order

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