Documentation

Getting Started with ShopMCP

Connect Claude to your Shopify store and start making changes just by asking. Setup takes about two minutes.

1. Setup

ShopMCP works with Claude Desktop (free download) and directly on claude.ai in your browser — no desktop app required if you prefer the web.

1

Install ShopMCP on your Shopify store

Go to the ShopMCP listing on the Shopify App Store and click Install. Approve the permissions screen — ShopMCP needs access to your theme files, pages, and navigation.

Watch the install walkthrough
2

Copy your MCP URL

After installing, open your ShopMCP dashboard → MCP Settings → click Generate MCP URL. You'll get a personal URL that looks like this:

Your MCP URL (example) https://www.shopmcp.net/mcp-shopify.ashx?key=YOUR_SECRET&aid=YOUR_ID
3

Add ShopMCP as a connector in Claude

On claude.ai (web): Go to Customize → Connectors → + → Add custom connector → paste your MCP URL → Add.

On Claude Desktop: Go to Settings → Connectors → + → paste your MCP URL → leave OAuth fields empty → Add.

Free Claude accounts can add one custom connector. Pro and Max accounts have no limit. claude.ai or Claude Desktop — both work.
4

Test the connection

Start a new conversation and type: "List my Shopify themes". Claude should respond with your theme names and IDs. If it does — you're ready to go.

Your MCP URL contains a unique secret key. Keep it private — anyone with the URL can access your store. You can regenerate it from your dashboard at any time.

2. What Claude can do

Once connected, Claude has access to tools covering every major part of your store.

WRITE

Edit theme files

Update CSS, Liquid sections, and JSON templates. Patch specific lines or append rules.

WRITE

Create & delete theme files

Add new sections and templates. Copy files between themes for backup or staging.

WRITE

Create, edit & delete pages

Publish landing pages, update content, change templates, or remove duplicates.

WRITE

Create, edit & delete articles

Write and publish blog posts with full HTML, tags, and author fields.

WRITE

Update navigation menus

Add, remove, or reorder menu items and dropdowns across any menu.

GEN

Generate AI images

Create hero backgrounds or banners with AI — uploaded directly to your Shopify files.

READ

Read everything

List themes, files, pages, blogs, articles, menus, and store info before acting.

READ

Network diagnostics

Check upload connectivity and get clear instructions if anything needs fixing.

All writes go live immediately. Before big changes, ask Claude to "duplicate my live theme as a backup first".

3. Example prompts

Copy any of these into Claude to get started.

First step

"List all my themes and tell me which one is live."

Theme editing

"Change the primary button colour to #E63946 across my live theme."

Theme editing

"Add a sticky announcement bar saying 'Free shipping on orders over $50' in white text on dark green."

Pages

"Create a summer sale landing page with a hero, 3-column product grid, and a CTA section."

Blog

"Write and publish a blog article titled '5 Ways to Style Our Summer Collection' — friendly tone, around 400 words."

Navigation

"Read my main menu and add a 'Sale' link pointing to /collections/sale at the end."

Image generation

"Generate a minimalist hero banner — dark navy, subtle gold pattern, no text, 1920×600px — and upload it to my Shopify files."

Backup & restore

"Copy sections/header.liquid from my backup theme to my live theme."

4. Troubleshooting

Claude says it can't find ShopMCP or no tools load

Check that the MCP URL is added correctly in Claude — on the web at Customize → Connectors, or in Claude Desktop at Settings → Connectors. Make sure the URL is pasted exactly with no extra spaces.

"No Shopify store connected" error

Your store isn't linked to your account yet. Go to your ShopMCP dashboard and check the connection status. If it's not connected, reinstall the app from the Shopify App Store.

Large file edits fail or uploads are blocked

Editing large files requires Claude to upload content to the ShopMCP server. If blocked, Claude will tell you and give instructions to add www.shopmcp.net to your allowlist in Claude Desktop under Settings → Network. For targeted edits on large files, ask Claude to "patch just this part" — that works without uploading.

I made a mistake and changes went live

All writes are immediate. Before big changes, ask Claude to "duplicate my live theme as a backup". If something went wrong, restore from the backup in Shopify admin → Online Store → Themes.

Image generation isn't working

AI image generation needs an OpenRouter API key set in MCP Settings → Step 2. All other tools work without it.

Still stuck? Contact support — include what you typed to Claude and the error message you received.

Ready to connect your store?

Install ShopMCP free — 30-day trial, no credit card required.

Install Free on Shopify