How to Remove Phone Number from Shopify: A Complete Step-by-Step Guide
Table of Contents
- Introduction
- Why Remove Phone Number from Shopify?
- Where Shopify Displays Phone Numbers
- Methods to Remove Phone Number from Shopify
- Step-by-Step Guide
- Alternative Options Instead of a Phone Number
- Pros and Cons of Removing Phone Numbers
- Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Best Practices for Customer Communication Without a Phone Number
- FAQs
- Final Thoughts
Introduction
If you’re running a Shopify store, you may have noticed that Shopify often asks for or displays your phone number in various places — such as checkout pages, store details, and customer notifications. While this can be helpful for communication, not every store owner wants to display their phone number publicly.
Many merchants prefer to remove their phone number from Shopify for privacy reasons, reduced spam calls, and a cleaner customer experience.
In this guide, we’ll walk you through everything you need to know about how to remove phone number from Shopify, step-by-step. You’ll also learn where phone numbers typically appear, how to hide them, and what alternatives you can use to still provide excellent customer support.
Why Remove Phone Number from Shopify?
Before jumping into the steps, let’s understand why so many merchants want to hide or remove their phone numbers.
Privacy Concerns
If you’re a small business owner or dropshipper, you might not want your personal number displayed publicly. Customers, bots, or spam callers could misuse it.
Reducing Spam Calls
Publishing your phone number online increases the risk of receiving unwanted telemarketing or spam calls.
Professional Storefront Appearance
Some Shopify stores, especially online-only stores, don’t rely on phone communication. They prefer using professional support channels like email, live chat, or helpdesk tools.
Streamlined Checkout Experience
The fewer distractions at checkout, the better. If a phone number field is optional or unnecessary, removing it can speed up the purchase process and reduce cart abandonment.
Where Shopify Displays Phone Numbers
Before removing your phone number, it’s important to know where it shows up on Shopify:
- Contact Information in Shopify Settings: By default, Shopify asks for a phone number as part of your store details.
- Storefront Header/Footer: Some themes display phone numbers as part of contact info in the header or footer.
- Checkout Page: Shopify often asks for a customer’s phone number during checkout.
- Order Notifications & Emails: Some order confirmation emails and notifications may contain your phone number.
Methods to Remove Phone Number from Shopify
There are multiple ways to remove or hide your phone number in Shopify. Let’s go through them:
Method 1: Remove Store Phone Number from Shopify Admin Settings
Go to Shopify Admin > Settings > Store Details. Find your phone number in the "Contact Information" section. Remove it or replace it with a business email.
Method 2: Hide Phone Number from Online Store Theme
Navigate to Online Store > Themes > Customize. Check the Header and Footer sections for phone numbers. Delete or disable the phone number field. If the theme doesn’t allow editing, you can go to Edit Code and remove it manually.
Method 3: Disable Phone Number Field in Shopify Checkout
Go to Settings > Checkout > Customer Information. Under Phone number, select whether it is Optional or Hidden. Shopify doesn’t allow full removal in all plans, but you can make it optional instead of required.
Method 4: Edit Customer Notifications (Email/SMS)
Navigate to Settings > Notifications. Check order confirmation, shipping, and other templates. Remove the phone number placeholder (usually coded as {{ shop.phone }}).
Method 5: Use Shopify Apps or Custom Code
If your theme hardcodes phone numbers, you may need: Custom Code Edits (Liquid templates). Shopify Apps that customize checkout or notifications.
Step-by-Step Guide
Here’s a more detailed step-by-step walkthrough:
Removing Phone Number from Shopify Admin
- Log in to Shopify Admin.
- Go to Settings > Store Details.
- Under Contact Information, delete the phone number.
- Save changes.
Editing Your Theme to Hide Phone Numbers
- Go to Online Store > Themes > Customize.
- Check Header/Footer sections for contact info.
- Delete the phone number.
- If not editable, click Actions > Edit Code.
- Search in header.liquid or footer.liquid for phone number code and remove it.
Disabling Phone Number at Checkout
- Go to Settings > Checkout.
- Find Customer Contact Method.
- Choose Email only instead of Phone or Email.
- Save changes.
Customizing Notifications
- Go to Settings > Notifications.
- Select each template (order confirmation, shipping updates, etc.).
- Look for code like {{ shop.phone }} and remove it.
- Save templates.
Alternative Options Instead of a Phone Number
Removing your phone number doesn’t mean cutting off customer support. Here are some alternatives:
1. Using Live Chat
Install a live chat app like Tidio, Zendesk, or Gorgias to engage customers instantly.
2. Using Contact Forms
Add a Contact Us page with a simple form instead of exposing your phone number.
3. Providing Email Support
Emails are more professional and scalable for customer queries.
4. Adding Social Media Buttons
Let customers contact you via Facebook Messenger, Instagram DMs, or WhatsApp (business account only).
Pros and Cons of Removing Phone Numbers
Advantages
- Improved privacy.
- Reduced spam calls.
- Clean, modern storefront.
- Faster checkout.
Disadvantages
- Customers who prefer phone support may feel limited.
- Some high-ticket product stores may lose credibility.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Only deleting the phone number from Admin — but leaving it in themes or notifications.
- Making checkout too restrictive by removing all contact options.
- Not providing alternatives like email or live chat.
Best Practices for Customer Communication Without a Phone Number
- Always offer at least one responsive support channel (email or live chat).
- Use automated responses to acknowledge customer inquiries.
- Create a FAQ page to reduce support requests.
- Keep response times under 24 hours.
FAQs
1. Can I completely remove the phone number field in Shopify checkout?
Not always. Shopify only allows making it optional unless you use custom coding or checkout customization (Shopify Plus).
2. Will removing my phone number affect customer trust?
Not necessarily. Many professional eCommerce brands don’t show phone numbers, but they provide live chat or email as alternatives.
3. Can I use a virtual number instead?
Yes! Services like Google Voice, Skype, or virtual call centers can provide a business number if you want to appear more professional.
4. How do I remove the phone number from my email notifications?
Go to Settings > Notifications, edit templates, and delete the line with {{ shop.phone }}.
5. Is there an app to manage this easily?
Yes, apps like Gorgias, Tidio, or Shopify Email customization apps can replace your phone number with other support methods.
Final Thoughts
Removing your phone number from Shopify is easy and can be done in multiple ways — from admin settings and theme edits to checkout customization and notifications.
Whether you’re removing it for privacy, professionalism, or a smoother customer experience, always make sure you provide alternative contact methods like email, chat, or social media.
By following this guide, you’ll have a cleaner storefront, reduce spam, and still keep your customers connected to your brand.