A Shopify partner (collaborator) code is the 4-digit code in the Collaborators section under Settings → Users & permissions → Security in your Shopify admin. With it, your agency or developer can request access without your store password; you approve the request and choose which areas they can use. Generating a new code makes the old one invalid.
When a client decides to hand their store over to us, the first thing they usually ask is: "Do I have to give you my password?" The answer is no. Shopify's collaborator system lets you give an outside agency, developer or consultant controlled access without ever sharing your store password. The key to that access is the 4-digit collaborator request code. In this guide we explain step by step where to find the code, how to renew it, how a partner uses it to request access and which permissions you should grant.
What Is the Shopify Partner Access Code and Why Do You Need It?
The partner access code is a 4-digit verification code that an outside agency, expert or developer needs before they can send an access request to your Shopify store. Nobody who doesn't know the code can request access to your store; only the people you share it with can send a request.
The code does not grant access on its own. When a partner sends an access request with the code, you see the request in your store admin and approve it, choosing one by one which areas (orders, products, themes, apps, settings) you want to give access to. This two-step setup (code + approval) is a far more controlled access model than sharing a password.
Where Do You Find Your Shopify Partner Code?
You can reach the partner code easily from your Shopify admin. If you are already logged in to Shopify, you can go straight to the right page by clicking this link.
Follow these steps in order:
- Log in to your Shopify admin.
- Go to Settings in the bottom-left menu.
- Click the Users & permissions tab. If your Shopify account belongs to an organization, this tab may simply appear as Users.
- On the page that opens, click the Security tab.
- You will see your 4-digit partner access code in the Collaborators section.
Copy the code and share it with the person who will send the access request.
Generating a New Partner Code or Changing Your Current Code
You can change your current partner code for security or access management reasons. Go to Settings → Users & permissions → Security, then click "Generate new code" in the Collaborators section. Shopify automatically creates a new 4-digit code.
Critical note: As soon as a new code is generated, the old code stops working. If you previously shared the old code with an agency or developer you no longer actively work with, generating a new code automatically prevents that person from sending a new access request. This is safer than forgetting about the old code and leaving it in circulation.
Collaborator Access or Staff Account? Choosing the Right Access Type
The partner access code is only for people who work with you from outside, temporarily or on a project basis; for a permanent team member, a Staff Account is the better choice. Skipping this distinction creates both unnecessary security risk and management overhead.
If you work with an agency on a project basis, collaborator access is the right choice; when the agency finishes the work, you remove its access with a single click. Deciding which agency to trust before granting access is a separate topic: our Shopify consulting and technical support guide covers what to look out for when you bring in outside help.
If Your Shopify Admin Is in English: Menu Names
If your Shopify admin is set to English, you can follow the same steps using these menu names: Settings → Users & permissions (or Users, if you use an organization account) → Security, where you will see your 4-digit code in the Collaborators section. To create a new code, use the Generate new code option; once a new code is generated, the old one becomes invalid.
How Do You Request Access to a Client's Store as a Partner?
This section explains how to request collaborator access to your client's store through a Shopify Partner account. To do this, you need the 4-digit partner access code from your client.
Requesting Access Step by Step
- Log in to the Shopify Partner Dashboard: sign in through the Dev Dashboard or partners.shopify.com.
- Go to the Stores page: click Stores in the left-hand menu.
- Start an access request: on the Stores page, click Request store access (in older interfaces this may appear as Add store → Request access).
- Enter the store details: the Store URL (the myshopify.com address) and the 4-digit partner access code your client gave you.
- Select the permissions you need: tick only the access you actually require (Orders, Products, Themes, Apps, Settings, etc.). Asking for broad permissions slows down approval.
- Add a message or note: briefly state which task you need access for, along with the estimated scope and duration.
- Send the request: submit it with Submit request. The client sees the incoming request in their Shopify admin and approves it.
- Use your access once approved: after approval, the store appears in the Stores list of your Partner Dashboard as a Collaborator store, and you can log in to it from there with one click.
Which Permissions Should You Grant? A Task-Based Guide
The permissions requested should match the work being done. Granting broader permissions than necessary both slows down the approval process and increases the security risk.
If you can't define the scope in advance, ask the team taking on the project to explain in writing which permissions they need from you and why. In our Shopify technical support and maintenance service, we agree the required permission scope with the client before every project. This speeds up approval and also makes it clear what needs to be removed once the collaboration ends.
Security Risks and Cleaning Up Access
If collaborator access isn't removed when the work is done, it becomes a security gap. Shopify automatically ends access for a collaborator account that hasn't logged in for 90 days. However, an agency that logs in regularly keeps its access until you remove it; the project being finished does not end that access.
A risk to avoid: An agency you gave access to years ago for a one-off project may still hold that access. Review all active collaborator accounts regularly (for example, quarterly) under Settings → Users & permissions → Collaborators, and don't leave any account there that you no longer work with.
When granting access for a custom development or integration project, a common mistake is requesting broader permissions than necessary when the scope of the work isn't clear. In our Shopify integration solutions and custom app development service, we request only the API and admin permissions the development scope requires. This principle is also a signal of how trustworthy the party taking on the project is.
Partner Account Management: A Related Topic
The partner access code manages access to a single store. For agencies working with several client stores, switching between Partner accounts is a separate operational matter. The Shopify CLI 3.85.0 update reduced switching between multiple Partner accounts to a single command; we walk through the steps in our guide covering this update.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the 4-digit partner access code for?
This code is the verification an outside agency or developer needs in order to request collaborator access to your store. The code does not grant access on its own; you see the request and separately approve which areas you allow.
If I change my partner code, what happens to existing access?
When you generate a new code, the old code becomes invalid immediately, but collaborator access that has already been approved and is active is not affected. Changing the code only blocks new access requests; to remove existing access, you also need to delete the relevant account from the Collaborators list.
What is the difference between collaborator access and a Staff Account?
Collaborator access is designed for agencies or developers who work with you temporarily from outside, and it requires a Partner account. A Staff Account is for permanent in-house staff; it is set up with an email invitation and does not require a Partner account.
Which permissions should I give an agency?
Grant only the permissions directly related to the work. For theme optimization, for example, Themes and the Online Store editor are enough; Orders or Customers aren't needed. A request for broad permissions means either the scope of the work is unclear or more access than necessary is being requested.
When should I remove collaborator access?
As soon as the project or collaboration is finished. Shopify only ends access automatically if nobody has logged in for 90 days; when the work is done, you need to remove the account manually under Settings → Users & permissions → Collaborators.
Conclusion: The Code Is Easy, Management Takes Discipline
Finding and sharing the 4-digit partner access code is a simple task that takes a few minutes. What really matters is choosing deliberately which permissions you grant and not forgetting to remove access when the work is done. If you'd like to know what to watch out for before entrusting your store to an agency or developer, take a look at our Shopify consulting and technical support guide.
Whenever your store needs technical support, maintenance or a custom integration, we explain clearly and in advance which permissions we actually need: get in touch with Nodus Works.
