Cookiesentry

Platform guide

Shopify cookies

Shopify stores rely on a mix of storefront, cart, checkout, fraud-prevention, and app-driven cookies. Some are strictly necessary, while others appear because of analytics, pixels, or installed apps.

Cookie entries

Consent required

Case-by-case review

How to audit Shopify

On Shopify, necessary cart and checkout cookies may be exempt, but analytics and advertising apps still require prior consent. Merchants need to test the live storefront, not just rely on theme or app descriptions.

Audit theme scripts, customer events, app embeds, checkout extensibility, and any app that injects tracking without surfacing it clearly in the admin UI.

Audit checklist

List built-in Shopify cookies separately from marketing and app-generated cookies.
Test product pages, cart, checkout, and thank-you pages because cookie behavior changes by step.
Review Shopify apps, customer events, and pixels after every campaign or app install.
Verify consent blocking on both the storefront and any embedded checkout or payment hand-off.

Where GDPR risk usually starts

Pixels and customer events can bypass what merchants expect from theme-level consent controls.
App marketplace installs often add scripts or web pixels that create new cookies after launch.
Payment, fraud, and checkout flows should be separated clearly from analytics and remarketing logic.

Provider mix on this platform

Shopify4 cookies

Analytics Essential

Shopify cookie reference

_shopify_yAnalyticsConsent required

Shopify long-term visitor analytics cookie used for tracking returning customers and personalising recommendations.

Expires: 1 year

Shopify International Ltd.

Shopify

_shopify_sAnalyticsConsent required

Shopify session analytics cookie used to track the current visit.

Expires: 30 minutes

Shopify International Ltd.

Shopify

cartEssentialNo consent required

Shopify shopping-cart identifier used to associate cart contents with the visitor's browser.

Expires: 2 weeks

Shopify International Ltd.

Shopify

_secure_session_idEssentialNo consent required

Shopify secure session cookie used for checkout and authenticated areas of the storefront.

Expires: 24 hours

Shopify International Ltd.

Shopify

Category breakdown

Analytics Essential

Need to verify your live Shopify setup?

Run a CookieSentry scan to see which cookies your Shopify site sets before consent and where hidden app or plugin scripts are creating exposure.

Run a free scan →

Cookiesentry

Back to all cookies

Platform guide

Shopify cookies

Shopify stores rely on a mix of storefront, cart, checkout, fraud-prevention, and app-driven cookies. Some are strictly necessary, while others appear because of analytics, pixels, or installed apps.

Cookie entries

Consent required

Case-by-case review

How to audit Shopify

Audit theme scripts, customer events, app embeds, checkout extensibility, and any app that injects tracking without surfacing it clearly in the admin UI.

Audit checklist

List built-in Shopify cookies separately from marketing and app-generated cookies.
Test product pages, cart, checkout, and thank-you pages because cookie behavior changes by step.
Review Shopify apps, customer events, and pixels after every campaign or app install.
Verify consent blocking on both the storefront and any embedded checkout or payment hand-off.

Where GDPR risk usually starts

Pixels and customer events can bypass what merchants expect from theme-level consent controls.
App marketplace installs often add scripts or web pixels that create new cookies after launch.
Payment, fraud, and checkout flows should be separated clearly from analytics and remarketing logic.