Running a Shopify store often starts as a solo mission. You wear all the hats, from product sourcing to customer service. But as your business grows, you might find yourself needing an extra pair of hands to manage the increasing workload. Knowing how to add another admin to Shopify becomes really important at this stage. You may be adding another admin to Shopify if you hired a Shopify SEO company to manage your digital marketing or you need to invite another person for whatever reason. This capability lets you delegate tasks without giving away your main login, which is a crucial security measure. You get to share the workload effectively, but still keep your core business information secure and maintain control over your online store. Learning how to add another admin to Shopify helps you scale your operations smoothly and efficiently.
Why Add Another Admin to Your Shopify Store?
Thinking about adding someone else to your Shopify backend? It is a smart move for a growing business looking to manage tasks effectively. Maybe you have hired a new team member to handle ecommerce marketing, or perhaps you are working with a virtual assistant to manage daily tasks like order fulfillment or updating your Shopify design. Giving them their own admin access, separate from the store owner account, means they can do their job efficiently without needing to use your credentials.
It is not just about making work easier; it is also fundamentally about security for your Shopify store. Sharing your personal login details is risky and can expose your business to potential threats. Creating separate admin users with specific user permissions helps you control what each person can see and do within your Shopify admin panel. This way, you protect sensitive business information and financial data while empowering your team. It really makes a difference in maintaining a secure and organized operational environment.
When everyone has their own access, workflows can improve a lot, allowing your team to complete tasks effectively. Tasks get done faster because individuals can work simultaneously without conflict. There is less chance of stepping on each other’s toes or accidentally overwriting crucial changes. Plus, Shopify keeps a detailed record of who did what, which is great for accountability and troubleshooting. This level of organization is beneficial as your team of staff members grows, ensuring that managing users becomes a streamlined process.
Adding more admin users also facilitates specialization. One staff member might focus on managing products and collections, another on customer interactions and store feedback, and a third on leveraging Shopify Apps to extend functionality. This division of labor, managed through carefully assigned roles, helps in building a more robust and scalable online store. Understanding how to manage roles properly is therefore a critical skill for any store owner.
Before You Start: Key Things to Consider
Before you jump into adding a new admin, pause for a moment and consider some important factors. There are a few things you should think about first to ensure a smooth process. Your Shopify plan actually determines the maximum number of staff accounts you can have. Different plans, like Basic Shopify, Shopify, or Advanced Shopify, come with different limits on user accounts. You can always check Shopify’s current pricing plan details on their official website to see where you stand and what options are available for adding more admin users.
Think carefully about the roles and permissions you will assign, as this forms the basis of good user management. Does this new person truly need access to everything, effectively becoming a full user administrator? Or do they just need specific permissions for areas like managing products, fulfilling orders, or handling your ecommerce marketing campaigns? It is always better to grant only the necessary permissions, adhering to the principle of least privilege. This is a good habit for keeping your Shopify store secure and ensuring staff members only access what is relevant to their job.
Security is a big deal here, especially when granting store access. Make sure everyone involved understands the importance of using strong, unique passwords for their user accounts. You should also strongly encourage, if not mandate, the use of two-factor authentication (2FA) for all admin users. These simple steps can save you a lot of trouble down the line by adding an extra layer of protection. Finally, clearly communicate the new admin’s responsibilities and the scope of their user permissions. Everyone should know what they are supposed to do, what they should not touch, and understand the permission requirements for their role to perform tasks effectively.
Also, consider if the new admin will need to interact with advanced features like Shopify Flow for automation or Shopify Scripts for checkout customization. Access to these tools might require specific permissions. If your store engages in international commerce or uses managed markets, the admin responsible for these areas will need relevant access, so plan their user roles accordingly. Preparing this beforehand will make the process of adding users much smoother.
Step-by-Step Guide: How to Add Another Admin to Shopify
Ready to give someone admin access to your Shopify store? The process to add staff members is actually pretty straightforward. Follow these steps, and you will have your new team member set up with their own user accounts in no time. It is a process you will likely repeat as your team expands and you manage users more actively, so getting familiar with it now is a good idea.
Accessing Staff Accounts in Shopify
First things first, you need to log into your Shopify admin panel. This is your main dashboard where you, as the store owner or an existing user administrator, control everything related to your online store. Use your store owner credentials or appropriate admin users login to get in.
Once you are logged in, look towards the bottom left corner of your screen. You should see an option labeled “Settings.” Click on that to open up the main settings menu for your Shopify store. From there, find and select “Users and permissions”; on some Shopify interfaces this might be called “Staff” or “Account”. This section is where you manage everyone who has store access, including existing staff members and where you can add new admin users.
Adding a New Staff Member
Inside the “Users and permissions” section, you will see a button that says “Add staff” or a similar phrase like “Add staff member”. Go ahead and click add. This action will open a form where you can enter the new admin’s details to create their Shopify admin users profile.
You will need to provide their first name, last name, and a valid email address. Make sure the email address is correct and actively used by the person. Shopify will use this email to send the invitation email and for any future login needs, such as password resets. This email address also becomes their unique username for accessing the Shopify admin.
Setting Permissions: What Can Your New Admin Do?
This is perhaps the most important step when you add users: defining their user permissions. You, as the store owner or a user administrator with sufficient rights, decide what the new admin can and cannot do within your Shopify store. Shopify gives you fine-grained control over store permissions, allowing you to tailor access precisely. You can grant “full permissions,” which is like making them a full admin, or you can select specific permissions from a detailed list. Thoughtful permissions assign is crucial for security and operational efficiency.
Think carefully about their assigned roles and responsibilities. If they are managing products, they will need access to “Products,” “Collections,” and “Inventory.” If they handle customer service, access to “Orders” and “Customers” will be vital. Shopify groups permissions logically, covering areas like Orders, Products, Customers, Marketing, Discounts, Settings, and even Shopify Apps installed from the app store. It is wise to start with fewer permissions and adhere to the principle of least privilege. You can always grant more later if their role expands or if new permission requirements arise.
Shopify details what each permission allows when you hover over them or by providing descriptive text. Take your time here to understand the implications of each selection. If you have specific apps installed from the Shopify App Store, you might also see options to grant access to those individual apps too. Some staff might only need access to a specific flow app or a reporting app and not core Shopify features, so customize permissions assign accordingly. This level of control helps manage users effectively.
Sending the Invitation
Once you have meticulously set the permissions for the new staff member, scroll down and click “Send invite” or “click save” if the interface prompts that first. Shopify will then automatically email an invitation email to the address you provided. The new admin needs to accept this invitation to activate their account and gain store access.
They will get an email with a unique link. Clicking it will let them create their password for their new user accounts and then log into the Shopify admin. It is worth noting that these invitations usually expire for security reasons. According to Shopify’s official help documents, invites are typically valid for seven days. If they miss the window, you might need to resend the invitation or, in some cases, delete the pending invitation and create it again. Ensure they check their spam folder if the invitation email doesn’t arrive promptly.
Understanding Shopify Staff Account Permissions
Getting a handle on Shopify’s permission system is super helpful for managing your online store and your team. It lets you run your store securely and efficiently by giving team members access only to what they need to perform their tasks effectively. This precision in assigning user permissions protects your business data, streamlines work, and helps prevent accidental errors. Understanding these store permissions is crucial for any store owner or administrator store manager.
Permissions are generally grouped by function within the Shopify admin. For example, “Orders” permissions let someone view, create, edit, cancel, and refund orders. “Products” access means they can add new items, edit existing ones, manage collections, and adjust inventory. There are also permissions for managing marketing campaigns, creating discount codes, viewing analytics, and handling apps shopify. Store management permissions are usually more sensitive, covering areas like store settings, app management, domain configurations, and sometimes even financial information. Always be cautious when granting these higher-level permissions.
Why is this granular control so important when you add users? Imagine giving someone full access who only needs to update product descriptions or manage a specific Shopify Flow app. If their account gets compromised through phishing or weak password practices, your whole Shopify store, including customer data and financial settings, is at risk. Limiting access through careful role assign and specific user permissions limits potential damage significantly. It is a simple but powerful way to protect your business and an essential part of managing users responsibly.
When setting permissions, think about the specific tasks for that role and the permission requirements. It is always better to start with limited access. You can add more permissions later if their role expands or if they take on new responsibilities. This proactive approach to user permissions keeps your Shopify store safe and operations smooth. Remember that some Shopify apps might also have their own internal permission settings that you may need to configure after granting access to the app itself.
| Permission Area | What it typically allows | Good for staff who… |
|---|---|---|
| Home | View the Shopify Home screen, its metrics, and store activity. | Most staff members, for an overview of store performance. |
| Orders | View, create, edit, cancel, fulfill, and refund orders. Manage draft orders. | Process orders, handle fulfillment, and manage customer service related to orders. |
| Products | Add, edit, delete products, collections, manage inventory, and handle gift cards. | Manage store inventory, update product listings, and organize collections. |
| Customers | View, create, edit, and delete customer profiles. Manage customer groups. | Handle customer support, manage customer relationships, or run targeted marketing. |
| Analytics | View store reports, sales data, and Shopify Analytics. | Need to track performance, analyze trends, and make data-driven decisions. |
| Marketing | Create and manage marketing campaigns, automations, and SEO settings. | Handle advertising, email marketing, social media promotions, and other ecommerce marketing activities. |
| Discounts | Create and manage discount codes and automatic discounts. | Manage sales promotions, special offers, and loyalty programs. |
| Apps and sales channels | Install, manage, and configure installed apps and sales channels. This includes apps from the Shopify App Store. | Integrate or manage third-party tools, customize store functionality, or manage sales on different platforms. Be careful with this one, as it can grant broad access. |
| Online Store | Manage themes (Shopify design), blog posts, pages, navigation, and domains. | Are responsible for website design, content management, and storefront appearance. |
| Settings | Manage most store settings including general, payments, checkout, shipping, taxes, locations, notifications, files, and legal. Often excludes billing and user permissions for non-owners. | Are trusted with high-level store configuration. Use sparingly and only for key personnel like a user administrator. |
The specific permissions you add depends on their responsibilities and the tasks they need to perform. For example, a staff member focused on Shopify design will need “Online Store” permissions but perhaps not “Orders.” Conversely, a fulfillment specialist needs “Orders” access but likely not “Marketing.” Always take the time to click add users with the right set of initial permissions.
What if My Shopify Plan Limits Staff Accounts?
You might run into a situation where your current Shopify plan has a limit on the maximum number of staff accounts you can create. This happens, especially as your business grows and you need more people to help manage your online store. Basic Shopify plans usually have fewer slots for admin users than more advanced plans like Shopify or Advanced Shopify. So, what can you do if you have hit that cap but need to add staff?
One straightforward option is to upgrade your Shopify plan. Moving to a higher tier often significantly increases the number of staff accounts you can have, providing more flexibility for managing users. Review Shopify’s pricing plan details and compare the features and staff account limits of each. Sometimes the benefits of having more user accounts and access to advanced features outweigh the additional monthly cost, especially if it means your team can operate more efficiently.
Before upgrading your Shopify plan, however, take a moment to review your current staff accounts. Are there any people listed who no longer work with you or for your Shopify store? Are there user accounts that have not been used in months and belong to former contractors? Removing inactive or unneeded accounts can free up valuable slots. It is good practice for security and administration to keep your user list tidy and up-to-date anyway. This simple audit might solve your immediate problem without incurring extra costs.
Shopify also distinguishes between online store admin staff and Shopify POS staff if you operate physical retail locations. Shopify POS staff accounts are designed for in-person sales and often have different limits and permission structures. If your needs relate primarily to in-person sales through Shopify POS, this might be something to explore further. However, for online admin tasks and managing your ecommerce operations, you will need those specific online store staff accounts. You may also consider using collaborator accounts for external partners, as these typically do not count against your staff account limit.
Best Practices for Managing Shopify Admin Access
Keeping your Shopify store secure involves more than just knowing how to add another admin to Shopify; it is about managing users and their store access thoughtfully over time. There are several best practices you should adopt as a store owner or user administrator. These will help protect your business from unauthorized access, data breaches, and potential operational issues, ensuring your ecommerce marketing efforts and customer data remain safe.
Make it a habit to regularly review who has access to your Shopify store and what their permission levels are. At least quarterly, or whenever there is a change in team structure, audit your list of admin users. Do they still need that much access for their current role? People’s roles change, team members may leave, or project scopes might narrow; their store permissions should reflect these changes. This periodic check-up is vital for maintaining a secure environment and ensuring effective role assign.
Password hygiene is critical for all user accounts. Encourage everyone on your team to use strong, unique passwords for their Shopify admin accounts—passwords that are not reused across other websites or services. A password manager can really help with creating and storing complex passwords. Also, strongly push for, and ideally enforce, two-factor authentication (2FA) for all staff members. Shopify supports 2FA, and it adds a huge layer of security, meaning even if a password is stolen, the account remains protected without the second factor. You can often see 2FA status in the Users and permissions section.
When someone leaves your team, whether an employee or a contractor, remove their access immediately. Do not wait. This prevents any potential misuse of their old account, intentional or accidental. Clearly define an offboarding process that includes revoking Shopify store access. Finally, educate your team about security best practices. Things like recognizing phishing scams, understanding malware risks, and knowing how to report inappropriate content or suspicious activity can trick people into giving away access. A little awareness training goes a long way. And never, ever share login credentials; always create individual user accounts for each person requiring access. If you need further guidance, resources like Shopify Academy or the Shopify Community forums can offer valuable insights into managing users securely.
Regularly monitor admin activity logs if available or through app integrations. Understanding who is doing what can help identify unusual behavior or potential security breaches early. If your Shopify plan or installed Shopify apps offer detailed logging, make use of it. This proactive approach to monitoring, combined with clear guidelines on acceptable use of admin privileges, can prevent many problems. Consider creating internal documentation outlining user roles, responsibilities, and security protocols for all admin users. This can be particularly helpful for onboarding new staff members.
Beyond Adding Admins: Collaborator Accounts
Sometimes, you might need help from people outside your immediate team. This could be a web developer from a developers partners agency working on your Shopify design, a marketing agency managing your ecommerce marketing campaigns, or a freelance consultant helping to implement Shopify Flow automations. For these situations, Shopify offers something called collaborator accounts, which function slightly differently than regular staff accounts and offer a great way to add collaborator support.
A significant benefit is that collaborator accounts generally do not count towards your staff account limit on most Shopify plans. This is a big plus, especially for single stores or businesses on plans with a lower maximum number of staff accounts. Instead of you, the store owner, manually adding them and setting up their profile, collaborators typically request access to your store through their Shopify Partner Dashboard. They can specify the exact permissions they need to do their job, allowing you to review these permission requirements before granting access. You, as the store owner or an administrator store manager, then review and approve (or deny) their request, ensuring you maintain control over who accesses your store and what they can do. Shopify’s information on how to add collaborator accounts explains this process clearly.
This system of collaborator accounts is great for temporary projects, specialized tasks, or ongoing work with external agencies or freelancers. It’s particularly useful when working with developers partners on projects like a checkout extensibility upgrade or other custom Shopify scripts development. Once their work is done, or if your engagement with them ends, you can easily remove their access with a few clicks. This keeps your user list clean, enhances security by limiting prolonged access, and ensures you do not have to use up one of your valuable staff account slots for short-term or project-based help. Using collaborator accounts is a smart way to manage external partnerships and get specialized assistance for your Shopify store without compromising your staff account limits. These accounts can also be useful for experts helping with international commerce setup or managed markets configurations.
When a collaborator requests access, they will choose the specific store permissions they need. Review these requests carefully. Only approve the permissions absolutely necessary for them to complete their tasks. For instance, a designer working on your Shopify design might need access to “Online Store” and “Themes,” but not “Orders” or “Customers.” This careful vetting of permissions for collaborator accounts is just as important as it is for internal staff members.
Conclusion
Understanding how to add another admin to Shopify is a key skill as your e-commerce business grows and you need to manage users more effectively. It allows you to delegate work, distribute responsibilities among your team, and empower individuals to perform their tasks effectively. More importantly, when done correctly, it also helps maintain the security and integrity of your Shopify store and customer data. The process itself to add staff members is quite simple, involving navigating to the “Users and permissions” section, providing basic details, and sending an invitation email, but managing user permissions wisely is crucial for long-term success and security.
By following the steps outlined and adhering to best practices for managing user accounts and store access, you can scale your team with confidence. Remember to consider your Shopify plan limits, always assign roles with the principle of least privilege, and regularly review who has access. Leveraging features like collaborator accounts for external help can also provide flexibility. Knowing how to add another admin to Shopify is just the first step; continuous and diligent management of these admin users and their store permissions underpins a secure and efficient operation of your online store.
For further learning and support on managing your Shopify admin users, explore resources like Shopify Academy for structured courses or join Shopify Community discussions to connect with other store owners and experts. These platforms offer a wealth of information on everything from basic setup to advanced user management strategies. Taking advantage of these resources can help you refine your approach to managing users and ensure your Shopify store thrives as it grows.
