Rules let you set up and schedule different “vacations” for your store. Each one can have its own settings for what happens on the storefront and which message shoppers see.
- In the app, open Rules from the navigation menu.
- Select Create rule.
- Give the rule a clear name and choose the settings you need.
- Click Save.
That’s it. You’ve added a rule.
If you’d like to see a walkthrough, you can watch the quick video below:
Vacation mode only blocks the online store
Vacation mode only disables the Add to Cart button on your online store theme. Orders can still come through via Apple Pay, Shop Pay, Google Pay, Shop app, PayPal Express, saved cart links, and other sales channels. The app hides the button via frontend injection on your theme — it cannot block checkout at the API level. If you need to fully prevent orders, also pause inventory or disable sales channels directly in Shopify. This is the biggest misunderstanding about vacation mode: it does not make it impossible to place orders, only harder for customers using the standard store flow.
Originally from our Help Center