I’m working on a Shopify app and I want to automatically update the store’s email templates when merchants install my application. Basically, I need to inject some custom HTML content into their existing email templates.
I know that Shopify’s API is pretty powerful and lets you modify most things that store owners can change in their admin panel. But I’m not sure if email template modification is included in those capabilities.
Has anyone successfully done this before? I’ve been digging through the API documentation but haven’t found a clear way to programmatically edit the email templates that get sent to customers for things like order confirmations and shipping notifications.
Any guidance on whether this is possible or if there are alternative approaches would be really helpful. Thanks!
yeah, hit this same wall last year. shopify locks down email templates hard - zero api access. I’d go with liquid snippets on checkout or thank you pages instead. not email customization, but you can still get your content in front of customers post-purchase.
Yeah, this caught me off guard when I built my first Shopify app too. The email template restriction is part of their security model - templates have sensitive customer data and store branding, so they lock them down. I ended up creating a manual setup where my app generates custom HTML snippets and gives merchants step-by-step instructions to copy-paste into their email templates. Not automated, but most store owners don’t mind since they keep full control over their emails. If you’re more focused on dynamic content based on order data rather than changing template structure, check out Shopify Scripts instead.
Unfortunately, modifying email templates directly via Shopify’s API is not possible. I encountered this issue while developing my app. Email templates are integrated into the theme system but are not accessible through either REST or GraphQL APIs.
As a workaround, I utilized Shopify’s webhooks in conjunction with third-party email services. For instance, when an event occurs, such as a new order, my app listens for the webhook and then sends out customized emails using platforms like SendGrid or Mailgun. This approach offers more flexibility in design and content, but do keep in mind it requires additional initial setup and might incur extra costs for the email service.