Shopify App Store / Policy change

Sidekick app extensions'
2 new App Store requirements

Starting today, every Sidekick app extension must follow two rules: it must operate within the scope of the app's own core functionality, and it must not promote, advertise, cross-sell, or request reviews within Sidekick. This measure protects platform health, merchant transparency, and trust.

On this page
  1. What's actually changing (understand it in 30 seconds)
  2. New rule ① 2.2.8: Alignment with app functionality
  3. New rule ② 2.2.9: No promotion or advertising
  4. 3 areas developers should review
  5. OK / NG quick reference
  6. 5 points engineers should keep in mind
  7. 3 use cases you can apply to your work
  8. A one-line summary you can use in proposals

1What's actually changing

Two App Store requirements have been addedto Sidekick app extensions (the extension that lets merchants find and operate your app from Sidekick),as of today.
The goal is to maintain platform health, merchant transparency, and trust. All Sidekick app extensions are affected.

2.2.8: Operate within the scope of functionality

The tools, intents, and actions you expose to Sidekick must be a logical representation of the app's own core functionality. The configuration, the App Store listing, and the actual execution must "substantially match."

2.2.9: No promotion or advertising

Do not use a Sidekick app extension to promote your own or related apps, or to request reviews. Do not use it for advertising or cross-selling.

2New rule ① 2.2.8: Alignment with app functionality

"A Sidekick app extension must operate within the scope of the app's core functionality." To ensure platform health and merchant transparency,3 areas must substantially match.

Extension configuration (TOML) Declaration of the exposed tools / intents / actions Actual execution (runtime) Actual behavior within Sidekick App Store listing On the public listing App description = = The three aspects must be materially consistent
Key points from the original: Tools, intents, and actions exposed to Sidekick must be a logical representation of what your app does for the merchant on its own surface.
The guideline: features surfaced in Sidekick should be a "logical reflection" of what the app already does for merchants on its own screens.

3New rule #2 — 2.2.9: No promotion or advertising

A Sidekick app extension must not be used for promotion, advertising, or cross-selling other services. Specifically, the following three are explicitly prohibited.

Prohibited

Promoting your own app

Using the extension to promote your own app.

Prohibited

Promoting related apps

Directing merchants to or cross-selling other related apps.

Prohibited

Requesting reviews

Encouraging merchants to post reviews.

Sidekick is a conversational surface that helps merchants get their work done. Because mixing in advertising or promotion would undermine trust,the extension is kept as a place that provides only "helpful actions"— that's how it's positioned.

4Three areas developers should review

If you already build a Sidekick app extension, or plan to, the original asks you to review the following three points.

1

Check your TOML configuration

Whether the tools / intents / actions exposed in the extension's TOML configuration fall within your core functionality.

2

Check runtime behavior

Whether the runtime behavior within Sidekick contradicts your declarations or descriptions.

3

Check your App Store listing

Whether your app description on the public listing matches the extension's configuration and behavior.

Three conditions to meet: (1) the tools/intents/actions you expose stay within your core functionality, (2) configuration and behavior match your App Store description, (3) no promotion, advertising, cross-selling, or review requests.

5OK / Not OK quick reference

AspectOK (meets the requirements)Not OK (could be a violation)
Exposed features OK A logical reflection of the app's core functionality NG Tools unrelated to the app's actual functionality
Configuration and description OK TOML, behavior, and App Store listing all match NG The listing description and the actual behavior diverge
Promotion and advertising OK Provides only actions that help merchants NG Promoting/advertising your own or affiliated apps
Cross-selling OK Natural actions within the feature's scope NG Driving cross-sells to other services
Reviews OK Don't mention NG Asking for a review

65 points every developer should know

1. The TOML is the primary review target

The tools / intents / actions you declare in the extension's TOML config are the starting point of the review. Start by auditing whether you've declared anything outside your core functionality.

2. Three-way consistency is required

Your config (TOML), runtime behavior, and App Store listing must be materially consistent. Fixing just one of them isn't enough—if it diverges from the others, it can still be a violation.

3. Runtime behavior is examined too

It's not just your declarations—actual execution within Sidekick (runtime execution) is in scope too. Even if the config looks harmless, behavior at runtime that goes beyond what's described is a consistency violation.

4. Remove promotional wording from your implementation

Don't mix promotion of your own/affiliated apps or review requests into response text, action labels, or supplementary messages. You'll need to revisit your conversation output templates.

Starting today

5. Enforcement starts "today (2026-06-17)" and applies to existing extensions too

It says "Starting today, all Sidekick app extensions must comply," so it applies immediately to existing extensions, not just new ones. The body providesno detailson any migration grace period or the specific measures for violations. For details, see the App Store requirements and the Sidekick app extensions documentation on shopify.dev.

73 use cases you can put to work

USE CASE 1

Turn the "three-way consistency" pre-launch self-audit into a checklist

Challenge
When releasing a Sidekick app extension, teams verify the consistency of TOML config, runtime behavior, and App Store listing by hand, and oversights lead to review rejections.
Approach
Build an internal checklist for meeting 2.2.8 / 2.2.9 (is the exposed functionality within core features? does it match the listing description? is any promotion or review request mixed in?) and make it a pre-release gate.
Impact
Fewer review rejections and shorter review times. It also ensures transparency for merchants.
Tech note
Build a diff review that cross-checks the TOML tools/intents/actions against the App Store listing copy, and run it just before CI.
USE CASE 2

Auditing and removing "promotional wording" from existing extensions

Challenge
Already-published Sidekick app extensions include wording in their responses that pushes higher-tier plans, promotes affiliated apps, or requests reviews, posing a risk of 2.2.9 violations.
Approach
Extract all messages and action labels the extension returns, identify wording that counts as promotion/advertising/cross-selling/review requests, and delete or replace it.
Impact
Ensures compliance with the immediately-effective new requirement and reduces risk to the app's App Store rating.
Tech note
If you manage response templates and copy centrally, bulk replacement is easy. If it's hardcoded, you'll need to review the runtime output.
app A app B
USE CASE 3

Designing the "feature boundary" for vendors that ship multiple apps

Problem
A vendor that publishes several apps on the App Store may want to drive users from one extension toward features in another app, but under 2.2.8/2.2.9 this can be treated as "promoting related apps" or "out of feature scope."
Solution
Design each extension so that the tools/intents/actions it exposes are strictly confined to the core functionality of that single app. Cross-app integration should be designed separately as a legitimate integration feature, not as promotion via the extension.
Impact
Improves each app's chances of passing review while avoiding listing risk from requirement violations.
Technical notes
Draw the line on a per-extension basis, asking whether it is a logical mirror of "what my own app does on its own screens." The specific criteria for judging violations are not stated in the body—refer to the documentation.

8One-line summary for proposals

"As of today, a Sidekick app extension must meet two requirements:① It operates within the scope of the app's core functionality (settings, behavior, and App Store listing all match),
② It does not promote, advertise, cross-sell, or request reviews. Both are now mandatory.
Existing extensions are immediately subject to this. You should audit all three fronts—TOML, runtime, and listing—right away."