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Shopify Winter ’26 Edition: New Features & Updates

Anurag Pandey
Last updated on December 31, 2025
Shopify, Shopify Plus
12 minutes read

Table of Contents

After working with many growing and enterprise Shopify brands, it’s rare to see an update that changes how merchants actually work. Shopify Winter ’26 Edition is one of those moments.

The Shopify Renaissance Edition introduces 150+ updates that don’t just add features; they rethink the entire commerce workflow. With Sidekick AI guiding decisions, agentic commerce opening sales inside AI chats, stronger online and marketing tools, expanded B2B capabilities, and smarter analytics and operations, Shopify now feels more like an intelligent growth partner than a platform.

Known as Shopify Editions Winter 2026 or Shopify Winter Editions 26, this release touches everything, from storefronts and checkout to marketing, POS, B2B, and developer tools. The direction is clear: AI-first, global-ready, and built for scale.

Below is a practical breakdown of what’s new in Shopify Winter 26, how these updates work in real businesses, and the impact they’ll have on modern eCommerce brands

Shopify winter ’26: key updates redefining eCommerce

1. Sidekick AI: The smartest upgrade in Shopify winter ’26

Shopify winter editions 2026 features list

The biggest highlight of Shopify Winter 26 Edition is how Sidekick has evolved, from a helpful assistant into a true AI-powered commerce partner. With Sidekick AI Shopify Winter 26, Shopify now actively helps merchants think, plan, and execute faster across daily operations, marketing, design, analytics, and B2B.

Powered by Shopify Sidekick Pulse Winter 26, Sidekick delivers proactive insights using your store data and market trends, so you’re no longer guessing what to do next.

What Sidekick can do in Shopify winter ’26

Smart suggestions (Sidekick Pulse): Get personalized recommendations on growth opportunities, optimizations, and next steps based on real-time store performance.

https://www.controlf5.in/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Shopify-editions-winter-2026.webp

Custom app generation: Describe your requirement, and Sidekick builds custom Shopify apps tailored to your business, no manual setup needed.
Workflow automations: Explain the workflow you want, and Sidekick creates it directly inside Shopify Flow.

Custom analytics & reports: Instantly generate reports and visual dashboards using the ShopifyQL editor.

Advanced segmentation support: Build customer segments from scratch or refine existing ones using natural language.

Instant theme edits: Request design changes, and Sidekick updates your theme in real time, across any Shopify theme.
Studio-quality image editing: Edit backgrounds, remove elements, expand canvas size, and enhance product visuals, on desktop and mobile.

Email editing inside Shopify Messaging: Improve email copy, structure, and clarity directly within the email editor.
Shortcuts & multi-step tasks: Save prompts as reusable Skills and let Sidekick plan and complete complex tasks step by step.
Voice-powered mobile chat: Talk to Sidekick inside the Shopify mobile app while managing your store on the go.
B2B & finance support: Create B2B companies instantly, check Shopify Balance, approve transfers, and manage operations faster.
Custom block generation: Generate custom theme blocks for any theme in the Shopify Theme Store.

Overall, Shopify Winter 26 AI features make Sidekick the central command layer of Shopify. Instead of navigating tools and dashboards, Shopify merchants now collaborate with AI, making Sidekick one of the most powerful updates in what’s new in Shopify Winter 26.

2. Shopify agentic commerce: sell where AI conversations happen

A standout feature in Shopify Winter 26 Edition is Shopify Agentic commerce, which lets merchants sell directly inside AI chats, no storefront visit required.

With Shopify agentic storefronts 2026, your products become discoverable in platforms like ChatGPT, Copilot, and Perplexity, with more AI channels coming soon. You set up your product data once, and Shopify automatically syndicates it across supported AI platforms.

Why it matters

Products appear at the exact moment shoppers ask buying questions
One-time setup with multi-platform AI reach
Full control over how your brand shows up in AI chats

As AI-driven discovery becomes mainstream, Shopify Agentic commerce positions brands to capture high-intent shoppers where decisions are already being made, making it one of the most forward-looking Shopify Winter 26 updates.

3. Online Store Updates: faster launches, smarter storefronts

The online updates in Shopify Winter ’26 Edition focus on helping merchants make better decisions, faster, without risking Shopify store performance.

Confident launches with AI testing: Shopify store changes can now be scheduled, tested, and validated using built-in A/B testing and AI simulations that mimic real shopper behavior.
Stronger Shopify themes and better speed: Horizon Shopify themes receive 250+ improvements, delivering smoother animations, more interactive sections, and faster load times.
More control over products and collection: Support for up to 2048 variants, smarter collection logic, and unlisted products make managing complex catalogs easier.

Smarter promotions and store creation: Automatic discounts for specific customers and AI-generated themes, available even on mobile, reduce setup time and manual effort.

Faster customer sign-ins: One-tap login with Shop, social sign-ins, and iOS autofill create a smoother checkout experience.

These Shopify Winter 26 updates make online stores easier to optimize, safer to experiment with, and ready to scale.

“What stands out to me is how deeply AI is embedded across the stack—from testing and analytics to storefront discovery. Shopify Winter 26 isn’t about automation alone; it’s about making smarter decisions at scale.”

Sachin Dhanotiya – Ai Trillion

4. Marketing Updates: wider reach, better targeting

The marketing updates in Shopify Winter ’26 Edition focus on helping Shopify brands grow sales while keeping campaigns simple and connected.

Shopify product network: Shopify merchants can feature products from other Shopify brands across search, collections, emails, and post-purchase pages, and earn commission on each sale. This makes Shopify Product Network Winter 26 a new revenue-driven discovery channel (US only).
Expanded shop campaigns: Products can now be promoted inside other Shopify stores and across more ad channels, with payment only when conversions happen.
Built-in SMS marketing: Create and manage SMS campaigns directly inside the Shopify Messaging app, no extra tools needed.
Smarter segmentation and emails: Improved segmentation, category-based targeting, and dynamic product sections help deliver more relevant email campaigns.
Global-ready forms and better tracking: Auto-translated forms, flexible marketing consent, and web pixels on customer accounts improve reach and post-purchase insights.

These Shopify Winter 26 marketing updates make customer acquisition and retention more efficient, without adding operational complexity.

Learn how to develop a marketing plan for your Shopify store that scales with these updates

5. Checkout Updates: smoother payments, stronger conversions

The checkout updates in Shopify Winter ’26 Edition focus on making every payment step faster, more personal, and globally accessible, so fewer customers drop off before completing a purchase.

More personalized and localized checkout: Shop Pay now feels more familiar by showing saved card details, while checkout and customer account pages can be customized by market or B2B buyer type.
Expanded flexible payment options: With Shop Pay Installments UK Winter 26, Apple Pay inside Shop Pay, and broader Klarna availability across Europe, shoppers have more ways to pay on their terms.
Simpler global payments with less friction: Shop Pay works smoothly across international markets using Global-e, while merchants can switch to Shopify Payments with zero downtime and faster, AI-assisted onboarding.
Smarter subscription and payment reliability: Automatic reminders help prevent failed subscription payments, improving retention and recurring revenue.

Overall, these Shopify Winter 26 checkout improvements help eCommerce brands convert more shoppers, support international growth, and deliver a checkout experience that feels both modern and trustworthy.

6. Operations Updates: simpler workflows, smarter insights

The operations updates in Shopify Winter ’26 Edition focus on making day-to-day store management faster, safer, and more data-driven.

Flexible inventory and faster selling: Improved inventory transfers, multi-location flash sales, and quick in-person sales from the mobile app help merchants manage real-world inventory scenarios without overselling.
Cleaner analytics and trend visibility: Heatmaps, minute-level reporting, bot filtering, and multi-store views provide clearer insights into peak selling times and performance across locations.
Stronger automation and order control: A redesigned Shopify Flow editor, workflow previews, and safer bulk inventory updates make automations easier to build and manage, while improved order filtering and bin locations speed up fulfillment.
Secure access and global operations: Password-free logins improve security, and enhanced Managed Markets support smoother international selling with faster payouts and compliance checks.

These Shopify Winter 26 operations updates help brands operate more efficiently, spot trends earlier, and scale with confidence.

7. Shop App Updates: smarter discovery, higher intent

The Shop app updates in Shopify Winter ’26 Edition help brands reach millions of shoppers through personalized, high-conversion experiences.

Personalized storefronts: Products are automatically tailored for each shopper, improving relevance and engagement.
Deals feed visibility: Discounts, price drops, and Shop Campaigns appear in a dedicated feed designed for deal-seeking buyers.
Shoppable videos powered by AI: Videos become direct shopping experiences, with AI optimizing where and how they’re shown.
Branded product pages: Custom sections, videos, and previews let brands control how products appear in the Shop app.
Immersive product discovery: Items surface in experiences like virtual try-ons and outfit tracking through Shop Minis.
Expanded global order tracking: Customers can now track orders across 21 more countries.

These Shopify Winter 26 Shop app updates turn discovery into a streamlined path to purchase for high-intent shoppers.

“The checkout and payment upgrades in Winter ’26 are a big win for subscriptions and retention. Better payment flexibility, reminders, and global options directly reduce churn and improve lifetime value.”

Sweta Mohanty – Co-Founder at Recurpay

8. B2B Updates: global wholesale without friction

The B2B updates in Shopify Winter ’26 Edition make it easier for brands to scale wholesale operations globally while simplifying payments, partners, and fulfillment.

Shopify collective at global scale: Shopify brands can source, sell, and discover retail partners directly from the Shopify admin, with Shopify Collective now available in 35+ more countries.
Flexible B2B payments and fulfillment: Support for ACH payments, store credit, pickup in store, and split payment requests per shipment gives wholesalers more control over how and when they get paid.
Smarter wholesale rules and automation: Dynamic payment terms, deposit rules, and automated order reviews help manage larger orders with less manual oversight (Plus).
Faster onboarding and system integrations: Retailers can instantly import products, while built-in ERP and EDI integrations keep orders, payments, and inventory in sync.
B2B-ready themes by default: Horizon themes now include volume pricing, quantity rules, and quick order lists out of the box.

These Shopify Winter 26 B2B updates remove complexity from wholesale growth, helping brands expand faster and operate more efficiently.

Explore the complete breakdown of Shopify Winter ’26 Edition updates for merchants and B2B brands to see how these changes translate into real operational impact.

https://www.controlf5.in/15-b2b-ecommerce-trends-and-statistics-to-follow/

9. Shipping Updates: faster delivery, easier fulfillment

The shipping updates in Shopify Winter ’26 Edition focus on speed, accuracy, and global reach, without complicating daily operations.

Smarter labels and returns: Create and track FedEx return labels, set default packaging per variant for accurate rates, and customize sender names to protect privacy and branding.

Expanded carriers and logistics partners: Access more global carriers and fulfillment partners directly from the Shopify admin, including improved cross-border shipping options for the US and Canada.
Clearer fulfillment tracking: Redesigned fulfillment statuses make it easier to manage in-progress shipments, add notes, and run bulk actions.

These Shopify Winter 26 shipping updates help Shopify merchants ship faster, reduce errors, and scale delivery across markets with confidence.

10. Developer Updates: AI-first building for modern commerce

The developer updates in Shopify Winter ’26 Edition introduce a faster, AI-native way to build, customize, and scale commerce experiences across storefronts, checkout, POS, and B2B.

Agentic commerce and AI discovery: Developers can build commerce agents that sell directly inside AI conversations using the Shopify Catalog API and Checkout MCP. Headless stores automatically become discoverable in AI chats, unlocking new acquisition paths through Shopify Agentic commerce.
Shopify developer tools Winter 26 with Dev MCP: Shopify Dev MCP validates API calls in real time, catches errors early, and generates production-ready code, speeding up development for Hydrogen, Storefront API, Liquid, and POS extensions.
Flexible checkout and storefront extensions: Checkout Kit enables Shopify checkout in web, mobile, and agentic flows, while native wallet buttons, nested cart lines, and subscription updates support richer buying journeys.
Stronger apps, themes, and extensions ecosystem: Built for Shopify apps and themes are easier to discover, get clearer requirements, and benefit from a 60-day grace period. Developers can also build Sidekick extensions and Shop Minis for immersive shopping.
More powerful APIs and secure tooling: Faster bulk operations, improved metafields, expanded Shopify Functions (replacing Scripts in 2026), enhanced security with token expiry, and a cleaner Dev Console make large-scale builds easier to manage.

All these Shopify Winter 26 developer tools position Shopify as a leading platform for AI-driven, agentic commerce, helping developers ship faster, build smarter, and stay future-ready.

“Shopify Winter ’26 feels like a long-term play, not a feature drop. With Sidekick AI and agentic commerce, Shopify is clearly moving toward a future where merchants focus on strategy while the platform handles execution.”

Anurag Pandey – ControlF5

Final thoughts: why Shopify winter ’26 matters

The Shopify Winter 26 Edition is more than an update; it’s a shift in how commerce is built. With Shopify Agentic commerce, Sidekick AI, Shopify Winter 26, advanced analytics, and scalable storefront features, Shopify is clearly designing for the future of eCommerce stores.

If you’re exploring what’s new in Shopify Winter 26, this release shows a strong focus on automation, global growth, and merchant-first innovation. For brands planning to scale in 2026 and beyond, Shopify Winter Editions 2026 is foundational, not optional.

To get the most out of these updates, consider hiring a Shopify expert who knows how to implement them the right way.

Book a free Shopify consultation and turn Winter ’26 features into measurable growth.

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Anurag Pandey

I lead ControlF5, a Top Rated Plus agency specializing in WordPress, Shopify, and GoHighLevel development. With over 4,000+ successful projects on Upwork, 150+ verified reviews on Clutch, and 300+ completed projects on Freelancer, my team and I help global brands grow through strategic design, automation, and SEO excellence. Holding a B.E. in Computer Science, I’m passionate about combining AI-driven workflows and GoHighLevel automations to simplify marketing, boost organic SEO, and scale customer engagement. I actively share insights across web development and AI communities to help others navigate the evolving digital landscape. For me, web design isn’t just about aesthetics, it’s about building SEO-optimized, conversion-ready experiences that create measurable business growth in the AI-powered era.