How to Upgrade From Shopify's Legacy Customer Accounts Without Breaking Your Theme
As of February 26, Shopify's legacy customer accounts are deprecated. They're no longer available to new stores, and Shopify will stop feature updates and technical support. A final sunset date will be announced later in 2026. If your store still uses them, this is how to upgrade without breaking your theme, apps, or automations.
Published Feb 26, 2026. Author: Ecomm Guys. 4 min read.
Key Points
- Legacy customer accounts get no more feature updates or technical support from Shopify.
- A final sunset date will be announced later in 2026, so plan the upgrade now.
- Customer accounts use one-time codes instead of passwords and include returns and store credit.
- Theme customizations, Flow workflows, and customer segments need checking before you switch.
- Shopify says more than 800 apps already support customer accounts.
What Changed on February 26
Shopify's changelog says legacy customer accounts are no longer available to new stores or to existing stores that don't use them. Shopify will stop providing feature updates and technical support, and a final sunset date will be announced later this year. Shopify strongly recommends upgrading as soon as possible.
The developer changelog adds detail. Theme developers should stop including legacy customer account Liquid files, and a store on legacy accounts that moves to a theme without those files will be upgraded automatically. Apps that rely on legacy account Liquid pages won't work on the new version. Shopify says more than 800 apps have already switched, and that over 70% of merchants already use the new customer accounts.
What You Gain by Upgrading
The new customer accounts change how sign-in and accounts work, as well as how they look. Customers sign in with their email and a one-time code, so there are no passwords to reset. Returns, store credit, subscription management, order tracking, and reordering are built in. Accounts are managed separately from your theme, so theme updates don't break them, and apps add features through upgrade-safe app blocks.
Customers can also sign in with Google or Facebook if you turn that on, and Plus stores already using Multipass can keep it. For stores with a separate login system, Shopify supports connecting your own identity provider. The result is fewer support tickets about lost passwords and a more consistent account area on mobile.
What to Check Before You Upgrade
Shopify's upgrade guide lists the areas most likely to cause problems. These are the ones we check first.
- Review each legacy customer template in the theme editor and in your theme code for custom links, such as subscriptions or loyalty.
- Legacy account URLs redirect automatically, but a custom sign-in modal or page may need removing.
- In Shopify Flow, the account-enabled trigger behaves differently, and some legacy triggers aren't supported.
- Customer segments using disabled, invited, or declined account status will change as customers sign in.
- In Markets, you can use only one domain for customer accounts across all markets.
- Confirm each account-related app supports the new customer accounts.
How to Upgrade Safely
Work in a draft first. Shopify's guide has you duplicate your checkout and accounts configuration so you can make and preview changes before customers see them. Recreate the customizations you want to keep with app blocks, set your branding for the sign-in page, then preview and test every sign-in option you offer.
Test the paths customers use most: signing in, viewing an order, starting a return, and managing a subscription. Then test the back-office side, including any Flow workflows and segments tied to account status. Only then complete the upgrade.
How Long the Upgrade Takes
In our experience, most stores need a half-day of review and a few hours of testing. The stores that need more care are those with subscription apps, loyalty programs, or custom sign-in built into the theme. If that's you, do it now, while there's no deadline yet.
Check Which Version You're On
Check Settings > Customer accounts in your admin to see which version you use. If you're on legacy accounts, list your account customizations and apps, create a draft configuration, and book a time to test before you switch.
Want help upgrading your customer accounts? Book a call with our team.
Sources
- Legacy customer accounts are deprecated Shopify Changelog, February 2026
- Legacy customer accounts are deprecated Shopify.dev Changelog, February 2026
- Upgrading to customer accounts from legacy customer accounts Shopify Help Center