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Disable Automatic Domain Renewal

Last updated: October 07 2024

Written and researched by experts at Avada Learn more about our methodology

Managing your domain is the basic step in running a Shopify store. But, automatic renewals can sometimes lead to unexpected charges. If you want to avoid surprises and have full control over your domain settings, you’re in the right place.

This tutorial will show you how to easily disable automatic domain renewal for Shopify-managed domains.

Let’s get started!

Important Considerations Before Disabling Automatic Domain Renewal

Before disabling automatic domain renewal on Shopify, consider the following important points:

  • Domain Expiration: If you forget to renew manually, your website could go offline, disrupting your business and potentially losing customers.
  • Loss of Ownership: An expired domain could be bought by someone else, harming your brand identity if it’s closely linked to your domain name.
  • SEO & Branding Impact: Losing your domain can hurt your search rankings and overall brand reputation. Rebranding or getting a new domain is expensive and time-consuming.
  • Email Disruption: Emails associated with your domain will stop working, impacting communication with customers and partners.
  • Backup Plans: Ensure you have a reliable system or reminder in place to manually renew your domain on time if you choose to disable automatic renewal. This could be setting calendar reminders or opting for a third-party service to manage renewals.

Disabling automatic renewal gives you more control but requires extra vigilance to avoid potential problems.

Step-by-step Guide To Disable Automatic Renewal For Shopify-managed Domains

If you’re still determined to disable automatic renewal, here’s a step-by-step guide to disable automatic renewal for Shopify-managed domains

For Desktop:

  • Step 1. Log in to Your Shopify Admin disable automatic domain renewal Shopify 1

  • Step 2. From your Shopify settings, select Domains. disable automatic domain renewal Shopify 2

  • Step 3. Find the domain you want to disable auto-renewal in the Shopify-managed domains section and click on it. disable automatic domain renewal Shopify 3

  • Step 4. In the Auto-renew section, deselect Auto-renew this domain every year. disable automatic domain renewal Shopify 4

  • Step 5. Confirm your choice to disable automatic renewal.

For Android:

  • Step 1. Install the Shopify app on your Android device and log in to your account.
  • Step 2. Tap the Store icon at the bottom of the screen. Scroll down and select Settings, then tap on Domains.
  • Step 3. Tap the domain you want to manage from the list.
  • Step 4. Find the Auto-renew option within the domain settings. Slide the switch to turn off automatic renewal.
  • Step 5. Confirm your selection to ensure the automatic renewal is disabled.

For iPhone:

  • Step 1. Open the Shopify app on your iPhone and sign in to your account.
  • Step 2. Tap on the Store icon located at the bottom of the app. Scroll down and select Settings, tap on Domains.
  • Step 4. Look for the Auto-renew toggle in the domain settings. Slide the toggle to the off position to disable automatic renewal.
  • Step 5. A prompt may appear asking you to confirm your decision. Confirm to finalize disabling automatic renewal.

After you deactivate automatic renewal, your domain will expire at the end of the registration period. If you want to continue using this domain, you can activate automation renewal or manually renew your domain before the expiration date.

Deactivate automatic renewal for .de and .at domains

Deactivating automatic renewal for .de and .at domains involves a few specific steps due to regulations in Germany and Austria.

Unlike other domain extensions, .de and .at domains purchased through Shopify cannot have their automatic renewal disabled directly from your Shopify admin. These domains will continue to renew automatically unless you take action to cancel them.

To cancel a .de or .at domain, you need to complete a Domain Termination/Deletion or Cancellation form and then contact Shopify Support. It’s crucial that the form is filled out accurately and matches the contact information associated with your domain to avoid any delays in the cancellation process. You can locate your domain’s contact details by navigating to the domain settings in your Shopify admin.

Once the form is complete, Shopify’s support team will handle the submission on your behalf. After cancellation, your domain is immediately removed from the registry and becomes available for anyone to purchase.

Canceling a .de Domain

If you need to cancel a .de domain, make sure to contact Shopify Support at least five days before the domain’s renewal date. Provide the following information:

Canceling a .at Domain

For .at domains, contact Shopify Support at least three days before the renewal date. You’ll need to provide:

  • A completed Cancellation form for .at domains.
  • Specify if you want the domain canceled immediately or after the registration period ends.

Bottom Line

This guide has demonstrated how to disable domain renewal on Shopify, both on your laptop and smartphone. The process is straightforward, involving just a few simple steps. You can easily take control of your domain settings and avoid unexpected charges in no time.

FAQs

No, Shopify does not send an email notification specifically when you disable domain auto-renewal. However, you can always check your domain settings in your Shopify admin to confirm that auto-renewal has been disabled.

Yes, even if you disable auto-renewal, Shopify will still send you reminders as your domain's expiration date approaches. These reminders ensure you have the opportunity to renew the domain manually if you choose to keep it.

Yes, you can easily re-enable auto-renewal at any time. Simply go back to your domain settings in your Shopify admin and toggle the auto-renew switch back on.

If you encounter any issues disabling auto-renewal or have additional questions, you can reach out to Shopify Support for assistance. They can guide you through the process and address any concerns you may have.
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Sam Nguyen is the CEO and founder of Avada Commerce, an e-commerce solution provider headquartered in Singapore. He is an expert on the Shopify e-commerce platform for online stores and retail point-of-sale systems. Sam loves talking about e-commerce and he aims to help over a million online businesses grow and thrive.