Adding Store Policies in Shopify — Refunds, Privacy, and Terms (Beginner Guide)

How to Add Store Policies in Shopify (Refund, Privacy, Terms of Service Setup)

Adding store policies like refund, privacy, and terms of service pages is one of those critical steps that makes your Shopify store look professional and trustworthy. In this beginner-friendly guide, I’ll walk you through exactly how to set up your policies, connect them to your footer, and make them visible on your live store.

When you first launch your Shopify store, you’ll notice there are no refund or privacy policy links visible in your footer by default. That’s because you first need to create those policy pages and then connect them manually through your navigation settings. Let’s go step-by-step.

Step 1: Locate Your Shopify Policy Templates

Go to your Shopify Admin → Settings → Policies. Here you’ll find blank spaces for your return policy, privacy policy, terms of service, and shipping policy. If you’re eligible, Shopify will offer a Create from Template button that automatically generates sample policies for you. Keep in mind that these are not legal advice, so you’ll want to review or replace them with your own content as your business grows.

Step 2: Connect Policies to Your Footer

After saving your policy templates, head back to Online Store → Navigation and click Footer Menu. Select Add menu item and name it something like “Refund Policy.” Then, under “Link,” choose Policies → Refund Policy. Add this menu item and click Save.

Step 3: Enable “Show Policy Links” in Theme Customizer

This is the step most beginners miss! Go to Online Store → Customize, scroll to your footer section, and open the footer settings sidebar. There, you’ll see a checkbox labeled Show policy links. Check that box, and your newly created policy pages will now appear live in your store footer.

Editing Your Policies

If you ever need to edit your refund or privacy policy, you won’t find it in the theme editor. You’ll need to go back to Settings → Policies and edit them directly from there. Once you hit save, those updates automatically display live on your store.

Why Store Policies Matter

Clear and visible policies give your customers peace of mind and help your store look legitimate. Beyond just the basics, these pages can also help with SEO and brand trust — two essential ingredients for long-term growth.

If you’re new to Shopify and want to follow a clear step-by-step setup process, check out the 30-Day Beginner’s Shopify Program — it’ll guide you through the entire process of setting up, customizing, and launching your Shopify store with confidence.

For more tutorials and deep dives into platform updates, visit ProfessorCommerce.com or join our community of growing entrepreneurs on Patreon.

Completing small steps like this — one policy page, one footer link, one setting at a time — compounds over time. You’ll soon look back and realize you’ve built something real, stable