How to Transfer Your Domain to Shopify (2023)

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Transferring a domain from one registrar to another always seems so complicated. It shouldnโ€™t be. In this guide, we break down the necessary steps on how to transfer a domain to Shopify, without any of the complications you might find elsewhere.

We provide an in-depth tutorial on how to transfer a domain to Shopify from most domain registrars, hosting companies, and website builders. Then, we go into specifics, like how to transfer a domain from Squarespace, Wix, and GoDaddy.

Continue reading to learn all about it!

Why Transfer your Domain to Shopify?

At this point, you either already know you want to transfer your domain to Shopify, or youโ€™re wondering about the benefits of doing so.

If youโ€™re on the fence, here are some advantages to moving a current domain name to the Shopify admin:

  1. It allows you to maintain everythingโ€”from hosting to domains, and products to ordersโ€”in one Shopify store dashboard.
  2. Itโ€™s easier to handle elements like subdomains email domain connections when working through your online storeโ€™s interface.
  3. You may save some money; this isnโ€™t guaranteed, but Shopify offers some of the lowest rates available on domains.
  4. Shopify provides top-notch information security, so you wonโ€™t have to worry about your domain ownership data being leaked.
  5. You can always contact the Shopify support team if you experience any issues, instead of having to turn to a completely different company.

With that said, keep reading to see the step-by-step guide on how to transfer your domain to Shopify.

How to Transfer Your Domain to Shopify

Instead of reading, you can watch this video version of our article.

YouTube video

Step-by-Step Guide on How to Transfer Your Domain to Shopify

The process of moving your domain to Shopify depends on where you acquired the domain in the first place. In the sections after this, weโ€™ll outline more detailed steps for transferring from domain provider accounts like Wix, Squarespace, and GoDaddy.

In this section, we outline the general steps to transfer a domain to Shopify. This means that you can use this tutorial for guidance regardless of where you bought the domain.

Itโ€™s best to start in the Shopify dashboard, since they help you decide the best course of action when moving a domain. If you havenโ€™t already, sign up for Shopify, and create a online business within 15 minutes.

Once logged into your Shopify dashboard, click on the Settings button at the very bottom left of the page.

clicking the settings button to transfer domain to Shopify

Scroll through the list of options to locate and click on the Domain tab.

clicking the domains button

The next page prompts you to either buy or connect a domain. Shopify offers the option to purchase a domain directly through its platform. For those who would like to transfer their domain to Shopify from another provider like GoDaddy or Google Domains, you would simply click on the Connect Existing Domain button.

connect existing domain

Keep in mind however, that when Shopify refers to โ€œconnecting a domain,โ€ theyโ€™re talking about simply linking the domain to your Shopify site, but still managing it from your third-party provider (where it currently resides). The actual goal is to transfer the domain name entirely to Shopify, so you can manage the domain and make payments to Shopify instead of having to open up a third-party domain registrarโ€™s dashboard.

So, you should skip the Domain field and instead click on the Transfer It To Shopify link toward the bottom.

transfer domain to Shopify link

Paste or type in the domain youโ€™d like to transfer over to Shopify. Click the Next button to continue.

transfer domain to Shopify

The following page provides steps required to transfer your domain name completely over from a third-party domain provider to Shopify.

We recommend clicking the Verify Domain button to see if youโ€™ve already walked through the steps for transferring a domain. If so, youโ€™ll see a success window telling you that the domain transfer process to Shopify has begun.

clicking the Verify Domain button

If you still need to walk through the steps to prepare your domain for transfer, walk through these actions:

  1. Log into the third-party domain providerโ€™s dashboard. Look for the domain provider’s transfer policy (potentially ask their customer service) to see if there are any requirements before transferring to another registrar. Most major domain registrars have few restrictions for transferring away from their platform. Sometimes you have to provide contact information in the domains section, or find a domain authorization code in the domain management area.
  2. Confirm that your admin email account is up to date with the current third-party domain registrar. You often have to send a verification email to the admin email, so you want to ensure that you receive that message. Itโ€™s important that the admin domain isnโ€™t associated with the domain youโ€™re trying to transfer, as that could cause issues receiving any verification emails.
  3. This is optional, but if there are any domain records or domain settings youโ€™d like to save, be sure to make a copy. This is equally true for DNS settings you may need to remember.
  4. Unlock the domain inside the third-party registrarโ€™s dashboard. This process varies from provider to provider, so itโ€™s best to look up instructions in their support center, or speak to a customer support representative. At the end of the process, the domain should be unlocked, and ready for transfer, in the providerโ€™s dashboard. Some domain registrars include a quick button to Unlock the domain. Others require you to speak with a customer support representative.
  5. Ask for an authorization code from the provider. Sometimes, this isnโ€™t necessary, but itโ€™s wise to at least ask the customer support rep (from the third-party provider) for an authorization code. Many domain registrars have a simple button to Transfer This Domain or Transfer Out, which provides an authorization code after pressed.

Keep in mind that upon the transfer of a domain name, Shopify will take over as its domain registrar. This means that you must pay for another year of registration. However, the remaining period that you have with your current registrar does transfer over to Shopify, so youโ€™re not losing any money. The section below explains when the domain will renew with Shopify as your domain registrar, and for how much.

information on payment terms for Shopify domain

After clicking the Verify Domain button, you may see a popup window explaining that you still need to prepare your domain for transfer. Is thatโ€™s the case, walk through the steps outlined above. Shopify also has a link on How to unlock my domain with additional information on the matter.

To retry the domain transfer, click on the Verify Again button.

clicking how to unlock my domain link

It may take several hours for the domain to completely transfer over to Shopify (this depends on the previous domain registrar). Shopify displays a message explaining that the domain is in transfer, and youโ€™ll receive an email once the domain is moved to Shopify.

Some things to remember about how to transfer a domain to a Shopify website:

  • Once transferred, you may have to activate the domain on your Shopify dashboard, to remove the current Shopify subdomain and publish the real domain.
  • All future billing for the domain is sent through Shopify. The Shopify platform delivers a monthly invoice for its platform subscription, so youโ€™ll see the domain registration fee (usually around $15) every year (on the 12th month of your billing cycle).
  • Any previous email addresses you made with that domain name will be paused. If you had the email addresses through the original registrar, you may have to configure entirely new email addresses. If, however, the email addresses were hosted through a different email hosting provider, you will simply have to change some of the MX records, DNS records, CNAME records, or A records.
  • Shopify doesnโ€™t host email addresses. So, regardless of your situation, youโ€™ll have to sign up for a third-party email host to manage email addresses with Shopify as your domain registrar.

In the following sections, weโ€™ll explore how to transfer domains from specific domain registrars, website builders, and hosting companies, in particular: Squarespace, Wix, and GoDaddy.

Transfer Domain From Squarespace To Shopify

Squarespace and Shopify are both website builders/ecommerce platforms, so you may be transferring the domain from Squarespace to Shopify with the intent to completely move your website. On the other hand, you might have websites on both platforms, and simply want to move a domain that you previously purchased on Squarespace.

Here are the steps to move a domain from Squarespace to Shopify:

  1. Log into your Squarespace account.
  2. Navigate to Home > Settings > Domains.
  3. Find the domain in question and click on it.
  4. Choose the Unlock option next to the domain. It should switch from Domain Locked to Unlocked.
  5. Select the Send Transfer Authorization Code button.
  6. Go to your email inbox and copy the authorization key.
  7. Log into your Shopify dashboard and go to Settings > Domains.
  8. Choose to Connect Existing Domain, then Transfer It To Shopify.
  9. Type in the domain youโ€™d like to transfer.
  10. Go to the Next page, and select to Verify Domain.
  11. Paste the verification code when prompted. Click the Next button.
  12. Click on the Buy and Transfer button.
  13. Go back to the email inbox of the email associated with your Squarespace account. Youโ€™ll see a verification email. Click on the button to Approve the transfer.

It may take a few hours for the domain transfer to occur. Shopify will send you an email to let you know when the domain is ready in your Shopify dashboard.

Transfer Domain From Wix To Shopify

Wix is also a website builder with domain registrar offerings. So, you may be keeping another website on Wix and transferring a separate domain, or maybe youโ€™re moving an entire site over to Shopify. Either way, you can follow these steps on how to transfer domain to Shopify website from Wix:

  1. In your Wix dashboard, go to Wix > My Domains.
  2. Pick the domain youโ€™d like to transfer.
  3. Click on Advanced.
  4. Click Transfer Domain Away from Wix.
  5. Click the EPP Code option. This sends an authorization code to the email associated with your Wix account. Copy that code from the email message.
  6. Navigate back to Shopify, and click on Settings > Domains.
  7. Choose to Connect Existing Domain, then Transfer It To Shopify.
  8. Type in the domain name youโ€™d like to move over.
  9. Click to Verify Domain, then paste in the authorization code from Wix.
  10. Click Next, then Buy and Transfer.
  11. Go back to the email inbox associated with your Wix account. Click to authorize the transfer.

The transfer of a custom domain from Wix to Shopify should only take a few minutes to a few hours, but can occasionally take more than 24 hours. Shopify will eventually send you an email once the domain is transferred and registered with Shopify. After that, you can attach it to your Shopify website.

Transfer Domain From GoDaddy To Shopify

GoDaddy is a hosting company, domain registrar, and website builder, so itโ€™s more likely youโ€™ve only purchased a domain name through GoDaddy. However, itโ€™s also possible youโ€™d like to transfer an entire site as well.

For how to transfer domain to Shopify website from GoDaddy:

  1. Open your GoDaddy dashboard, and navigate to the Domains page.
  2. Pick the domain in question and choose the option to unlock the domain.
  3. Click to send an authorization code.
  4. Go to the email inbox associated with your GoDaddy account. Copy the authorization code you received.
  5. Log into your Shopify account and click on Settings > Domains.
  6. Choose to Connect Existing Domain, then Transfer It To Shopify.
  7. Type in the domain name, and click to Verify.
  8. Paste in the authorization code you received from the Wix email.
  9. Proceed through the steps to purchase the remaining subscription for the domain and move it to Shopify.

It should only take a few hours for the domain to move to Shopify. Occasionally it takes a few minutes, other times it takes more than 24 hours. Shopify will send you an email (to the inbox associated with your Shopify account) confirming when the domain is completely moved over to your Shopify account. You can then attach the domain name to any ecommerce store you have within your Shopify account.

Our Summary on How to Transfer Domain to Shopify

Learning how to transfer a domain to Shopify shouldnโ€™t be a hassle. We covered how to complete the process from any host or domain registrar, while also touching on transferring domains from specific solutions like Squarespace, Wix, and GoDaddy.

You can also use many of these steps for moving new domains from platforms like WordPress. If you have any further questions about how to transfer domain to Shopify, leave us a comment below!

Joe Warnimont

Joe Warnimont is a Chicago-based writer who focuses on eCommerce tools, WordPress, and social media. When not fishing or practicing yoga, he's collecting stamps at national parks (even though that's mainly for children). Check out Joe's portfolio to contact him and view past work.

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