When you want to go somewhere, you need the right address. The same goes for your Shopify store’s URLs. A broken or outdated link can turn a smooth shopping experience into a dead end for your customers.
Clean, descriptive URLs make your Shopify store easier for customers to navigate and for search engines to understand. Over time, however, products change, collections expand, and brands reposition themselves, creating a real need to update URLs.
Changing URLs in Shopify is not difficult, but doing it incorrectly can lead to broken links, lost traffic, and SEO issues. This article explains when and how to change URLs in Shopify, a step-by-step procedure to apply changes, and outlines best practices.
Why Should You Change the URL in Shopify?
There are several common reasons store owners decide to change their Shopify URLs.
Branding and trust: As stores grow, they move from a generic myshopify.com URL to a branded custom domain for a more professional image.
SEO optimization: Shorter, keyword‑rich slugs, for example, /products/pink-linen-shirt instead of /products/product-123, improve relevance and click-through rate from search results.
Better structure and user experience: Cleaning up inconsistent or confusing URL structures like mixed languages, random numbers, or duplicate paths makes navigation easier for shoppers and search engines.
Platform or domain migration: When moving from another platform to Shopify, or rebranding to a new domain, URLs need to be updated and redirected to keep traffic and links.
To Fix Broken Links: When deleting or renaming products, use custom URL redirects, such as 301 redirects, to ensure customers are directed to the new page instead of a 404 error page.
Done correctly, these changes can support long‑term growth. Done poorly, they can temporarily reduce visibility and cause sales‑killing errors.
How to Change the URL in Shopify: Detailed Steps
Follow these steps to correctly change your Shopify product URL. This will help you avoid losing traffic in the process.
Changing Your Domain URL in Shopify
Shopify uses a default .myshopify.com URL, which you’ve probably seen earlier. It works rather well for a time. Most store owners prefer to have their own domain name, which makes it more professional and builds trust with customers.
It gives your brand an even stronger identity and makes it easier for people to remember.
Shopify makes it simple to connect to an existing domain or buy a new one right from your dashboard. If you want to change the main domain of your Shopify store (what shows in the address bar), follow these steps:
Steps to Change Domain URL:
Go to your Shopify Admin panel.
Click Settings > Domains.
Click Connect existing domain or Buy new domain.
You can buy a domain through Shopify or connect one from a third-party provider like GoDaddy or Namecheap.
Once the domain is connected, click Change primary domain.
Choose your new domain and save.
Your store will now use the new domain as the default.
Note:
The original yourstore.myshopify.com URL can’t be removed, but can be hidden from public view.
Make sure your DNS settings are correct if you are using a third-party domain.
SSL certificates are provided automatically for secure browsing.
As soon as the new domain is set as the primary domain, visitors will automatically see it when they visit your store. Just ensure that everything is integrated and running smoothly. This small change will significantly enhance your brand’s presence to the outside world.
If you need more help or have any queries regarding changing URLs in Shopify, jump into this Reddit thread for detailed insights and discussions.
Changing Product, Collection, Page, and Blog Post URLs
If you want to change the URL in Shopify for a given content type, such as products, collections, pages, or blog posts, follow these steps. These are intended to make the content easier to read, more relevant, and more search engine-friendly.
Shopify gives you control over these URLs so you can keep things organized and clean. Even small changes to a link can improve how customers find and understand your content.
These URLs are based on Shopify’s “handles.” You can customize them to be shorter, clearer, and more SEO-friendly.
How to Change a Product URL:
Go to Products.
Click on the product you want to edit.
Scroll to the search engine listing section.
Click Edit.
Change the URL handle field to your new preferred URL.
Save your changes.
Repeat similar steps for:
Collections: Go to Products > Collections.
Pages: Go to Online Store > Pages.
Blog Posts: Go to Online Store > Blog Posts.
Example:
From: yourstore.com/products/red-shoes
To: yourstore.com/products/blue-running-shoes
After updating any URLs, it’s a good idea to set up redirects. This way, visitors who click on old links will still land on the right page. It keeps your store user-friendly and helps you avoid losing traffic. Check out this other Reddit thread from the official Shopify community for more help when changing URLs in Shopify.
How Does Changing the URL in Shopify Affect SEO?
URL changes are essentially “site moves” at the page level, so they always carry some SEO risk. The impact depends on how well redirects and consistency are handled. Key effects are:
Temporary ranking fluctuations: When URLs change, Google and other search engines need time to crawl the new URLs, process the 301 redirects, and transfer signals from old URLs to the new ones.
Link equity transfer: Proper 301 redirects signal to search engines that the move is permanent, and that link authority should be passed to the new URLs.
Crawl budget and indexing: Large‑scale URL changes increase the workload for crawling and reindexing. Clean redirect mappings and updated sitemaps help search engines complete this process efficiently.
Simply put, search engines treat new URLs as fresh pages, so always use 301 redirects to preserve rankings and backlink value. Expect temporary ranking shifts for 2-4 weeks, and avoid unnecessary changes to maintain crawl efficiency and user experience.
Google guidance and SEO case studies suggest that domain and large‑scale URL migrations can take several weeks to fully stabilize, even when done correctly. Hire Shopify developers from BrainSpate to avoid downtime and minimize setbacks when changing URLs in Shopify.
Common Mistakes When Changing Shopify URLs
Many SEO and performance issues come from a small set of avoidable mistakes.
Not setting redirects: Changing handles without redirects leads to 404 errors, lost traffic, and frustrated users.
Incomplete redirect mapping: Redirecting only some old URLs (e.g., top products) while leaving out filtered or legacy URLs creates gaps that still generate errors.
Redirect chains and loops: Sending a single old URL through multiple hops or back to itself can slow the site and confuse search engines.
Changing URLs too often: Repeatedly editing slugs for the same page forces search engines to re-evaluate and can weaken accumulated signals.
Keyword stuffing in URLs: Overloaded slugs like /cheap-discount-cheap-running-shoes-online look spammy and can hurt user trust and click‑through rates.
Forgetting internal links: Menus, footers, blog posts, and email templates may still point to old URLs even after redirects are set.
Review analytics and crawl reports after changes to quickly catch and fix these issues.
Things to Consider Before Changing the URL in Shopify
Switching up a product URL isn’t just about updating the link. There are a few extra steps to make sure everything runs smoothly. Here’s what to keep in mind:
Check Internal Links: If you have linked to this product elsewhere on your site (e.g., in blog posts or other product pages), those links must point to the new URL.
Set Up Redirects: Don’t lose visitors. Add a redirect so anyone who clicks the old URL automatically lands on the new one.
Update External Links: If other websites, influencers, or directories link to your product, it’s worth asking them to update the link. This helps keep your traffic and SEO strong.
Fix Marketing Links: Double-check ads, social media posts, and email campaigns to ensure they use the new link.
Adjust Tracking and Analytics: If you are using UTM tags or tracking tools, update them with the new URL to keep your data accurate.
Taking these steps ensures your URL change doesn’t hurt your SEO or confuse customers. A little extra effort now saves headaches later. You can hire our Shopify development company for expert assistance with the process.
Now, let’s discuss the steps to change the URL in Shopify.
How to Set Up URL Redirects in Shopify?
The old URL will no longer work on your Shopify store after the change, and you must set up a redirect for it to work. If you do not create a redirect page, visitors will be sent to the dead pages, which greatly annoys them and will strongly affect your search rankings. A redirect thus directs both users and search engines to the new address.
You must create a 301 redirect whenever a URL changes, sending your clients and search engines to the new URL instead of a 404 error.
How to Add a URL Redirect:
Go to Content > Menu.
Click on URL Redirects (or “View URL Redirects” in some themes).
Click Create URL redirect.
Enter the old URL and the new URL.
Click Save.
Taking a moment to set up redirects can save you from a lot of issues later. It keeps the browsing experience smooth and ensures you don’t lose traffic or sales due to outdated links.
Best Practices for SEO‑Friendly Shopify URLs
Well‑designed URLs are easy for both users and search engines to understand.
Keep URLs short and descriptive: Focus on the main keyword and product or category name, avoiding unnecessary words.
Use hyphens and lowercase: Shopify handles are typically lowercase with hyphens between words, for example, /products/pink-linen-shirt.
Avoid stop words when possible: Words like “and”, “the”, or “of” can be removed unless they are important for clarity.
Match content and intent: Ensure the slug matches what users actually see on the page to avoid confusion and improve engagement.
Keep a stable structure: Use consistent folder patterns such as /products/ for products and /collections/ for collections; avoid frequent structural changes.
Use canonical tags for duplicates: When products appear in multiple collections or with variant URLs, canonical tags help consolidate signals to a preferred URL.
Many of these principles are also emphasized in broader SEO resources, including Google’s documentation on site moves and change‑of‑address workflows.
Final Words on Changing Shopify URLs
Make sure to use 301 redirects for the old URLs, test your updated configuration before going live, and maintain the same structure. Following these steps carefully will improve your store’s navigation and help preserve its hard-earned visibility.
When large-scale changes are necessary, treat them as structured SEO projects, including full URL inventories, redirect spreadsheets, updated internal links, and Search Console configuration. With proper preparation, most stores can update URLs without long-term loss of visibility or revenue.
Q1. Will changing a product or page URL affect my SEO?
A URL can, indeed, affect SEO if not executed with care. Search engines treat the new URL as an entirely different page, which means you will lose your ranking on the existing page and the value of your backlinks. Always set up a 301 redirection from the old URL to the new one.
Q2. Do I need to buy a new domain to use a custom URL?
There is no need to get a new domain just to create your customized URLs. You can connect a domain you already own through Shopify’s domain settings. If you do not have a domain yet, you can also buy one directly from your admin dashboard through Shopify, which offers special discounts for Shopify merchants.
Q3. Will my customers see a broken link if I forget to redirect an old URL?
Yes, if there are no redirects, a visitor who clicks the old link will be redirected to a 404 error page. This is a poor user experience and can affect your conversion rates. Thus, redirects must be set up after URL changes; this provides an easy transition for both the customers and search engines.
Q4. Can I preview what the new URL will look like before saving it?
While there’s no live preview feature, Shopify does show you the updated URL structure in the editor before you save changes. Take this opportunity to double-check that it looks clean, readable, and accurate. Remember that once saved, URL changes should be permanent to avoid SEO issues, so verify it carefully.
