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How-to · Ecommerce

Back up a Shopify store

At the end you will have a dated copy of the store's products, customers, orders and theme stored off Shopify, a clear list of what those exports leave out, and a decision on whether a backup app should run from now on.

Updated 8 steps5 official sources
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Before you start

What you need before step 1

Applies to: Any Shopify store, and in particular a store that has just gone live after a migration from WooCommerce, Magento or another platform

Admin roles you need

  • The store owner, or a staff account with permission to export products, customers and orders
  • Access to the email inbox of your staff login: Shopify emails larger exports and the theme file instead of downloading them

Licences

None needed.

Reference documentation

Shopify adminWhere every export in this guide startshttps://admin.shopify.comRead
Shopify Help Center: Duplicating and backing up your storeShopify's own list of what you can exporthttps://help.shopify.com/en/manual/shopify-admin/duplicate-storeRead

Also have ready

  • A spreadsheet program that opens UTF-8 CSV files
  • Two places to keep the copies, for example cloud storage and a company file share
Step by step

8 steps

  1. 1

    Export all products

    Where: Shopify admin > Products > Export

    Select All products, choose CSV for Excel, Numbers, or other spreadsheet programs (or Plain CSV file), then select Export products. For a large catalogue, Shopify notes the export can time out: filter the product list and export in batches.

    You should see: Shopify emails the CSV to you (and to the store owner if that is someone else).
  2. 2

    Export all customers

    Where: Shopify admin > Customers > Export

    Select All customers. Under Fields included, tick Customer tags and Customer metafields if you use them. Choose the CSV format and select Export customers.

    You should see: For more than 50 customers the CSV arrives by email. Exported customer files are limited to 15 MB.
  3. 3

    Export orders and transaction histories

    Where: Shopify admin > Orders > Export

    Select Orders by date and set the start and end dates, for example from your launch date to today. Choose the file format, then select Export orders. Repeat and select Export transaction histories if your accountant needs payment records. Shopify says a very large export can take hours.

    You should see: Shopify emails the orders CSV to you and the store owner.
  4. 4

    Export discount codes, gift card codes and finance reports

    Where: Shopify admin, following each Shopify Help Center page linked below

    Shopify lists these as further CSV exports for a backup: discount codes, gift card codes and the Finances report. Export the ones your store uses.

    You should see: You hold a CSV for each type of data your store uses.
  5. 5

    Download the theme

    Where: Shopify admin > Online Store > Themes, the actions menu (…) next to the theme

    Select Download theme file for the live theme, and for any theme you are editing. The theme file holds the design and code only: Shopify says it does not include products, collections, menus, pages, blog posts, images or the files in Content > Files.

    You should see: A .zip file arrives at the email address of your staff login.
  6. 6

    Keep your original images and files

    Where: Your computer or file share

    The product CSV lists image URLs, not the image files themselves, and the theme download leaves out images and Content > Files. Keep the original product photos and downloadable files you uploaded, in the same folder as the exports.

    You should see: Every product image and file you uploaded also exists outside Shopify.
  7. 7

    Store dated copies in two places

    Where: Your computer, then cloud storage and a second location

    Put all the CSVs, the theme .zip and the image folder into one folder named with the date, for example contoso-shopify-2026-11-14. Keep one copy in cloud storage and one somewhere else. Customer and order files contain personal information, so store them where only the right people can open them.

    You should see: The dated folder exists in two places, with access limited to the people who need it.
  8. 8

    Decide whether a backup app should run from now on

    Where: Shopify App Store (apps.shopify.com)

    Manual exports are a point-in-time copy, and orders cannot be imported back through the admin. Shopify says you can use an app from the Shopify App Store to back up store information. Apps to evaluate, in alphabetical order (each links to our independent profile):

    • Matrixify: export and import app that lists backup and scheduled exports, covering products, customers, orders, pages, blogs, menus, redirects, files and metafields.
    • Rewind Backups: backs up products, themes, collections, customer data and metafields, with real-time, daily and on-demand backups and single-item or bulk restores.
    • TinyBackup: daily and on-demand backups of products, collections, pages, blogs, orders, customers, themes, metafields and shipping profiles, with point-in-time restore of individual records.

    Before you choose, check on each listing which data types are covered on the plan you would use, how restores work, and the current pricing. Then test a restore of one product.

    You should see: You either have a backup app installed and a test restore that worked, or a calendar reminder to repeat these exports.
From experience

Expert tips

Back up the new store on launch day

Right after a migration, the exports are your proof of what arrived. Take the first set as soon as the final delta import is checked, so you can compare later changes against the launch state.

Don't sort the product CSV in a spreadsheet

Shopify warns that image URLs can become separated from their products if you sort the exported file. Open it to check it, but keep the original file untouched.

Treat the exports as personal information

Customer and order files hold names, addresses and purchase history. Store them with the same care as the store itself, and delete old copies you no longer need.

Check it worked

How to confirm it worked

  • The number of rows in the product, customer and order CSVs matches the counts in Shopify admin > Products, Customers and Orders for the same date range.

  • The theme .zip opens and contains folders such as layout, templates and sections.

  • If you installed a backup app, a test restore of one product brings back its earlier title or description.

Undo

How to reverse it

Rollback:

Exporting data and downloading a theme do not change the store, so there is nothing to undo. If you installed a backup app and decide against it, uninstall it from Shopify admin > Settings > Apps and sales channels.

Troubleshooting

Errors you might see

Product export times out

Cause: Shopify notes that very large product exports can time out.

Fix: Filter the products and export in batches.

Product images are missing from the backup

Cause: The product CSV references image URLs rather than including the image files.

Fix: Keep the original image files, or use an app that backs up files.

Customer export is incomplete or will not open

Cause: Exported customer CSV files are limited to 15 MB.

Fix: Export customer segments with filters, a few at a time.

Discount codes or issued gift cards cannot be moved into another store

Cause: Shopify says discount codes and issued gift cards cannot be transferred when you duplicate a store.

Fix: Keep the exports as a record, and recreate the codes you still need.

FAQ

Questions

Does Shopify back up my store for me?

Shopify's Help Center says you can back up store information by exporting CSV files from the admin and downloading your theme, or by using an app from the Shopify App Store.

Can I restore orders from a CSV export?

Not through the admin. Shopify says orders can only be brought over with third-party apps or the API.

Does the theme download include my products?

No. Shopify says theme downloads do not include products, collections, menus, pages, blog posts, images or other files.

How often should I export?

Shopify does not set a schedule. Many stores repeat the exports after big catalogue changes and before seasonal sales, or use a backup app that runs daily.

Sources

Official sources

Vendors change menus and requirements. Confirm on the source before you rely on a detail. Last checked .

Shopify Help Center: Duplicating and backing up your storeShopify Help Center: Exporting productsShopify Help Center: Importing and exporting customersShopify Help Center: Exporting ordersShopify Help Center: Downloading themes