How to Change Domain Name on Shopify Quickly in 3 Steps 2025

For many customers, a domain name is often the very first impression they have of your Shopify store. So when it no longer reflects who you are or where your business is heading, it can hold you back! Fortunately, the good news is that learning how to change domain name on Shopify is actually far simpler than most people expect.

In fact, with just a few steps inside your Shopify admin, you can transition to a new domain smoothly while keeping your SEO, traffic, and customer experience intact. In this guide, we’ll walk you through exactly how to change domain on Shopify​:

• Step 1: Access your domain settings in Shopify
• Step 2: Choose the domain you want to set as primary
• Step 3: Change the domain type to “Primary domain”

Let’s discuss further!

How to Change Domain Name on Shopify

Changing your domain name on Shopify is a quick, simple process that takes place entirely within your store’s admin dashboard! Let us walk you through the detailed steps as follows:

Step 1. Access your domain settings in Shopify

First, you need to sign in to your Shopify admin, where all of your store’s core settings are located.
Then, from the main dashboard, scroll to the bottom-left corner and open Settings, then select Domains. This will bring you to the page that houses every domain connected to your store, including both the default Shopify address and any custom domains you’ve added.

Step 2. Choose the domain you want to set as primary

Once you’re on the Domains page, take a moment to identify the domain you want to use as your main storefront address. And when clicking on that domain, you will see all of its details, which give you a clear view of its connection status and available management actions. This step ensures that you’re adjusting the correct domain and prepares you for the final switch!

Step 3. Change the domain type to “Primary domain”

Inside the domain’s management view, select the Change domain type option.

It will open a small panel where you can then choose Primary domain, indicating that this is the address you want your customers to see first.

After making your choice, confirm the update by clicking Change domain type again. Shopify will apply the changes right away, meaning your storefront will begin loading under your newly selected primary domain without interruption. And that’s how to change domain name on Shopify!

Why Change Domain Name on Shopify?

Now that we’ve covered how to change domain on Shopify, you may want to step back a little and thoroughly understand why this change is necessary in the first place:

1. Trademark issues

One of the most common situations for domain changes is when legal or trademark concerns arise. A business might launch with a domain that seems unique, only to discover months or even years later that another company holds a registered trademark for a similar name!

Using an infringing domain can put your store at risk of takedown demands, legal disputes, or restrictions on how you market yourself. Hence, making the switch early prevents these issues from escalating and allows your business to reposition itself calmly rather than under pressure. Instead of battling uncertainty, you move forward with a name that you can confidently own and build upon.

2. Performance increase

Beyond legal concerns, performance is another major reason merchants rethink their domain.

A web address that is long, difficult to spell, or disconnected from your niche can quietly hinder your store’s visibility. Over time, you may notice that customers struggle to recall your URL or that search engines don’t associate your domain strongly with your product category. For that reason, switching to something shorter, clearer, or more keyword-aligned can make your site easier for users to remember and easier for search engines to understand.

The domain extension itself can also influence customer perception. Customers tend to feel more comfortable clicking familiar extensions (like “.com”, for example), which can increase organic traffic and reduce hesitation. Even technical performance may improve indirectly if your new domain gives you the chance to refresh outdated routing or configuration choices.

3. Rebranding

Last but not least, rebranding is a very natural motivation for learning how to change domain address on Shopify.

As businesses evolve, they often outgrow their original identity, and an old domain tied to your earlier stage can start to feel limiting or misleading. Customers might assume you still offer only the products reflected in your URL, even if your business has moved well beyond them.

Hence, choosing a new domain gives you the flexibility to present a brand identity that matches who you are today. It allows you to leave behind outdated associations and reintroduce your business with a cohesive, modern face. Sure, the transition requires planning, but the long-term benefit of having a domain that truly represents your brand’s current direction often far outweighs any temporary adjustments you need to make along the way.

What’s Next After Changing the Domain Name on Shopify?

Learning how to change domain on Shopify is only the first step. After all, a domain change usually affects how customers reach your store, how search engines interpret your pages, and how your backend systems communicate with each other!

Hence, to avoid disruptions and fully stabilize your storefront, you should complete a few follow-up tasks:

1. Set up redirects

Once your new domain is active, one of the first things to address is how visitors and search engines move from your old URL to your new one. Redirects act as a bridge between the past and the present, ensuring that anyone who types in your old address, clicks an outdated bookmark, or finds your old pages in search results is guided automatically to the right place. This smooth passage preserves the trust you’ve built with your audience and prevents search engines from treating your new domain as an entirely unfamiliar site.

To secure this foundation, you should:

• Configure 301 redirects from your old domain to your new one so traffic flows naturally.
• Notify Google of your domain change using the Change of Address tool in Search Console.
• Review and update internal links to avoid sending users through unnecessary redirect loops.
• Clean up any multi-step redirect chains to keep your site fast and efficient.
• Re-submit your sitemap under the new domain to speed up the re-indexing process.

With these pieces in place, your old domain should hand over all its traffic and ranking signals to the new address, giving your store a stable start!

2. Update website data

After ensuring that visitors can reach your new domain without confusion, the next priority is aligning your content and connected systems with the updated address.

A domain appears in countless places across your storefront, from navigation elements to policy pages, and many external platforms rely on it for tracking, authentication, and communication. For that reason, updating these areas reinforces your brand identity and ensures that every tool you use continues to function properly under the new setup.

As you review your store, make sure to:

• Update all references to your domain across menus, footers, headers, and key interface elements.
• Revise blog posts, help articles, and landing pages that mention or link to your old domain.
• Update domain information across analytics tools such as Google Analytics and Meta Pixel.
• Refresh your domain in payment gateways, checkout settings, CRM platforms, and email providers.
• Review and adjust marketing assets (including email templates and automated messages) to reflect the new domain.

3. Test your store

Now that everything is updated, the final step is to thoroughly test your store to confirm that the transition works smoothly for real users. Even if everything appears correct at first glance, small issues like broken links or missing images can surface after a domain change!

To guarantee your store is fully functional, be sure to:

• Navigate through all major pages (collections, product pages, cart, and checkout) to confirm they load properly.
• Check for broken links, inactive buttons, missing images, or unexpected redirect loops.
• Evaluate your site’s loading speed and responsiveness under the new domain.
• Monitor whether analytics, email delivery, and tracking tools are recording data correctly.
• Keep an eye on search performance, indexing activity, and traffic patterns as your new domain settles in.

Such thorough testing not only ensures a smooth customer experience but also gives you confidence that your new domain is performing exactly as intended.

How to Change Domain Name on Shopify: FAQs

Final Words

We have walked through how to change domain name on Shopify. By following the steps in this guide, you can make the transition smoothly and confidently!

And if you’re planning a domain update as part of a bigger store revamp or migration, the LitOS team can help streamline the entire process. From setup to optimization, we’re here to make your Shopify store faster, cleaner, and ready for growth. Feel free to reach out whenever you’re ready to take the next step.