How to Add Vacation Mode on Shopify

Quick Answer

Shopify doesn’t have a clear path to temporarily pause your store when you need a break, and existing workarounds can confuse customers and hurt SEO.

Magical Vacation Mode solves this by letting you disable checkout, show a clear vacation message, and automatically resume sales on a schedule, all while keeping your store fully visible to customers and search engines. Setting this up before you need it gives you peace of mind and helps you avoid last-minute mistakes that can damage trust.

Watch:* How to Add Shopify Vacation Mode (37 seconds)*

https://youtu.be/km-hDr4kb8s

Why Shopify Merchants Use a Vacation Mode App

Since Shopify does not offer a true vacation mode for temporarily pausing orders, merchants are left with workarounds that either block customers completely or create confusion at checkout, making it difficult to step away with confidence.

Why Shopify’s Native Options Fall Short

Shopify’s built-in options were not designed for planned downtime. One option is to password-protect your store, but this blocks customers entirely, which can hurt SEO and make your business appear closed. The Pause and Build plan disables checkout but is inconsistent, eligibility-based, and provides no built-in messaging to explain what’s happening to shoppers.

Because neither option clearly communicates your status, merchants often worry about missed orders, confused customers, or search visibility issues. These problems usually surface only after vacation begins, when it’s already too late to fix them cleanly.

Why a Vacation Mode App Works Better

A dedicated vacation mode app provides a safer and more predictable way to pause orders. Magical Vacation Mode lets you disable checkout while keeping your store visible, display a clear vacation message, schedule automatic start and end dates, and capture customer emails for when you return.

By setting this up ahead of time, you avoid last-minute stress, protect SEO, and remove the mental load of worrying whether your store will behave correctly while you’re away. Instead of scrambling with settings mid-vacation, everything runs automatically until you’re ready to resume sales.

3 Steps to Add Vacation Mode on Shopify

1. Install Magical Vacation Mode

Install Magical Vacation Mode on your Shopify store. The free trial gives you time to configure your vacation settings and test how your store behaves before you commit.

2. Set your vacation message and schedule

In the app, create a vacation rule by writing a clear message for customers, choosing whether to hide prices or disable checkout, and setting automatic start and end dates for your time off.

3. Activate and test

Turn on vacation mode and place a test order to confirm checkout is paused and your message displays correctly. Once activated, the app will handle everything automatically until your scheduled return.

How to Add Vacation Mode Using an App

Shopify’s built-in vacation settings aren’t ideal, but there’s a better solution, using an app. A vacation mode app allows you to temporarily pause sales while keeping your store visible, ensuring customers stay informed without losing interest.

Magical Vacation Mode is the only app on Shopify with features for downtime without disruption. With this app, you can:

• Display a clear vacation message without blocking access- Hide prices and disable checkout to prevent confusion- Set automatic start and end dates for vacation mode- Continue using other sales channels like POS- Capture customer emails to notify them when you return

Unlike Shopify’s native options, Magical Vacation Mode keeps your store active while providing a seamless experience for customers. Instead of losing revenue or search rankings, you maintain engagement and set clear expectations for your return.

How to Add Vacation Mode Natively in Shopify

Shopify provides two ways to pause your store, but both come with drawbacks:

1. Password Protect Your Store

This involves enabling password protection in Shopify’s settings, which blocks public access to your store. You can display a message explaining your absence, but customers won’t be able to browse products or make purchases.

Why it falls short:

• Customers cannot access your store at all, leading to lost sales.- Password-protected stores are not indexed by search engines, affecting SEO.- There is no way to capture leads or notify customers when you return.

2. Pause and Build Plan

Shopify allows you to switch to a 'Pause and Build' plan, which lets you work on your store while restricting checkout. Customers can still browse your products, but they won’t be able to make purchases.

Why it falls short:

• Checkout is disabled, meaning you cannot generate sales while away.- Customers may be confused by a store that looks active but doesn’t allow purchases.- This plan still incurs a monthly fee, so you continue paying without generating revenue.

Shopify’s built-in vacation settings are either too restrictive or too confusing for customers. Password protection completely locks customers out, hurting SEO and sales, while the Pause and Build plan keeps your store online but removes the ability to buy.

Instead, a vacation mode app lets you pause orders without shutting down your business. It keeps customers informed, ensures they can browse, and even helps you capture leads while you’re away. When you return, you can pick up right where you left off.