A password page that collects emails before launch
Use Shopify’s private mode as a launch page: password, visitor message, an email sign-up tagged for launch day, the password template and how to go public.
- Turn on
- Online Store > Preferences > Private mode
- Template
- templates/password.json
- Sign-ups
- Customers tagged prospect, password page
- Go live
- Online Store access menu > Public
- Last checked
In short
Private mode hides every page of your Shopify store behind a password page, which makes it a ready-made launch page. Turn it on under Online Store > Preferences, set a password and a visitor message, then edit the Password template in the theme editor. Its email sign-up form creates customers tagged prospect and password page, so you can email that list when you switch the store to Public.
How to use it
- Online Store > Preferences: turn on Private mode, choose a shareable password (not your admin password) and add a message for visitors.
- In the theme editor, switch the template drop-down to Password and edit the header, email sign-up and footer sections.
- Share the password with your team and testers; everyone else sees the landing page.
- On launch day, set the access menu on the Online Store page to Public, then email the customers tagged password page.
Code
password-signup.liquid{%- comment -%}
A launch sign-up form for the password template (inside a section).
The customer form creates a customer with these tags, so you can email the
list on launch day. shop.password_message is the message set in Preferences.
{%- endcomment -%}
{%- unless shop.password_message == blank -%}
<p>{{ shop.password_message }}</p>
{%- endunless -%}
{% form 'customer' %}
{%- if form.posted_successfully? -%}
<p>Thanks, we'll email you when we open.</p>
{%- else -%}
{{ form.errors | default_errors }}
<input type="hidden" name="contact[tags]" value="prospect, password page">
<label for="LaunchEmail">Email</label>
<input id="LaunchEmail" type="email" name="contact[email]" required autocomplete="email">
<button type="submit">Notify me</button>
{%- endif -%}
{% endform %}
{%- comment -%} Let the team in: the storefront password form. {%- endcomment -%}
{% form 'storefront_password' %}
{{ form.errors | default_errors }}
<label for="StorePassword">Password</label>
<input id="StorePassword" type="password" name="password">
<button type="submit">Enter</button>
{% endform %}
steps.txt# Turn private mode on (password page for everyone without the password)
Online Store > Preferences > Store access > Private mode: on
Password: something you can share (not your admin password)
Message to your visitors: launch date or teaser text > Save
# Or from Online Store: access menu (Public / Private) > Private > Update
# Edit the page itself
Online Store > Edit theme > top drop-down > Password
Default sections: Password header, Email signup banner, Password footer
# Launch day
Online Store > access menu > Public > Update
(The first time the button says Launch store, and Shopify asks you to finish
the required setup steps, such as picking a plan, first.)
# Check the sign-ups afterwards
Customers list, search: tag:'password page'
Written by Lintel. MIT license: free to use in your own store and in client work.
Limits and edge cases
- Search engines can’t see your pages while private mode is on, so launch before you start SEO work that needs indexing.
- Development stores always show their own password page; the custom one is only visible after logging in at /password.
- The first switch to public is labelled Launch store and needs the required setup steps, such as choosing a plan.
- Cart permalinks don’t get past the password; test campaign links after launch.
Questions
- How do I put a password on my Shopify store?
- Online Store > Preferences: turn on Private mode and set a password. Or use the access menu on the Online Store page.
- Can I collect emails on the Shopify password page?
- Yes. The password template’s email sign-up creates customers with the tags prospect and password page.
- How do I remove the password from my Shopify store?
- On the Online Store page, open the access menu, choose Public and click Update (Launch store the first time).
- Is the password page indexed by Google?
- In private mode your store’s pages are hidden from visitors and search engines.
Shopify documentation
- Checked on a Shopify store on the date shown. Shopify changes its admin often; if a step looks different, the idea usually still works.
- Examples use placeholder IDs and your-store.myshopify.com. Replace them with your own.
- MIT license for the code snippets.
Need this built, tested and maintained for your store? See Shopify development.
