February 28, 2026

Shopify Deprecates Legacy Customer Accounts. Here’s What It Means for Your Store.

Shopify has officially marked Legacy Customer Accounts as deprecated. This means the older account system is no longer available for new stores, and Shopify will stop delivering feature updates and technical support for it. A final sunset date is expected to be announced later this year.

For merchants, this is not just a technical update. It is a structural shift in how customer identity, login, and post purchase experiences are managed inside Shopify.

At Absolute Web, we see this as an opportunity. Moving to the new Customer Accounts system is not just about staying compliant. It is about modernizing the customer experience and unlocking more scalable features.

Let’s break it down.

What Is Changing

Legacy Customer Accounts relied on traditional email and password logins. They were theme based, customizable via Liquid, and tightly connected to your storefront design.

The new Shopify Customer Accounts experience introduces several key changes:

• Passwordless login using a one time 6 digit verification code
• Built in support for store credit, returns, subscriptions, and saved payment methods
• App block based customization instead of Liquid code edits
• Account pages that are managed separately from your storefront theme

This last point is important. Customer Accounts are no longer tied to theme files. This means theme updates will not break your account pages.

All future Shopify improvements in this area will be built exclusively for the new Customer Accounts system.

Why This Matters for Merchants

Many stores have been running on legacy accounts for years without issue. So why prioritize this now?

1. Better Security and Lower Friction

Passwordless authentication removes the need for customers to remember passwords. That reduces login friction and support tickets while improving security.

2. More Built In Functionality

The new experience natively supports:

• Store credit visibility
• Self serve returns
• Subscription management
• Saved payment methods

In the past, these required custom development or third party workarounds.

3. App Driven Customization

Instead of hard coding account templates, merchants now use app blocks inside the checkout and accounts editor. This creates a more modular and scalable approach to customization.

4. Future Proof Infrastructure

Shopify’s roadmap is clearly focused on the new Customer Accounts model. Staying on legacy accounts means missing future improvements and eventually being forced into a rushed migration.

Upgrading now allows you to control the timeline and strategy.

How to Upgrade to Customer Accounts

Here is a simplified upgrade path we recommend to clients at Absolute Web.

Step 1. Audit Your Current Setup

Review your current account pages and identify:

• Custom features
• Loyalty integrations
• Subscription workflows
• Automations tied to login behavior

Anything built directly into your theme will not automatically transfer.

Step 2. Duplicate Your Checkout and Accounts Configuration

Create a duplicate configuration so you can safely configure and test the new experience before publishing.

Step 3. Install and Configure Supporting Apps

If you rely on loyalty, wishlist, subscription tools, or custom dashboards, make sure those apps support the new Customer Accounts framework. Add their blocks inside the accounts editor.

Step 4. Review Branding and Email Settings

Confirm that authentication emails are properly branded and that your sender email is correct. The login experience now depends on one time codes sent via email.

Step 5. Test Thoroughly

Test login flows, subscription management, store credit visibility, and return flows. Make sure nothing in your CRM or automation stack breaks.

Step 6. Publish and Switch

Once everything is validated, publish your updated checkout and accounts configuration and officially switch from legacy to Customer Accounts in Shopify settings.

Common Concerns We Hear

“Will I lose my custom account design?”

Yes, theme based customizations will not migrate automatically. However, most functionality can be rebuilt using app blocks or custom extensions.

“Will this impact my customer data?”

No. Customer data remains intact. The change affects how customers authenticate and interact with their account pages.

“What about SSO or Multipass?”

Advanced identity use cases may require custom solutions. This should be reviewed before upgrading if you rely on complex login flows.

Strategic Recommendation

Do not treat this as a checkbox task.

This is a smart moment to rethink your post purchase and retention experience:

• Can you surface loyalty points better?
• Can you make subscription management easier?
• Can you reduce support tickets with better self service tools?
• Can you create a more premium logged in experience?

The migration is mandatory. The optimization is optional. The smart brands will do both.

How Absolute Web Can Help

At Absolute Web, we are helping Shopify brands:

• Audit legacy account customizations
• Plan feature parity before migration
• Rebuild account functionality using app blocks and extensions
• Improve login conversion and customer retention metrics
• Ensure CRM, ERP, and subscription integrations continue to function properly

If your store is still running on Legacy Customer Accounts, now is the time to proactively plan the transition instead of waiting for the forced cutoff.

Upgrading is not just about staying current. It is about building a better customer experience for the long term. Contact us today.