Checkout / Changed Admin

The checkout footer now
consolidates into a single "Terms and policies" link

The separate links for each policy are now combined into one, and clicking it opens a modal where customers can choose each policy. Policy content is unchanged, and no action is required from merchants.

What's on this page
  1. What's changing? (30-second overview)
  2. Explainer: How customers reach your policies
  3. What changes / what stays the same
  4. Before vs. after comparison
  5. Customization on Shopify Plus
  6. What the announcement doesn't cover
  7. 5 key points for developers
  8. 3 practical use cases
  9. One-line summary for proposals

1What's changing?

Until now, the checkout footer showed a separate link for each policy .
Now, these are replaced by a single "Terms and policies" link , which opens a modal where customers can select any policy.

Before: one link per policy

The footer displayed a separate link for each policy.

After: one link + a modal

Just one "Terms and policies" link. Clicking it opens a modal where customers choose the policy they want to view.

2Explainer: How customers reach your policies

Customer During checkout Footer Terms and policies Only one link Click Modal Store policy 1 Store policy 2 Store policy 3 ... Choose from all policies Policy text Content unchanged
What changed is only how the entry point is presented. Customers need one extra click, but the footer is cleaner, and every store policy is accessible from within the modal.

3What changes / what doesn't

Changes

Footer link display

Individual links per policy → a single "Terms and policies" link.

Unchanged

Policy content

Your existing policy text stays as is. Nothing is rewritten.

No action needed

Merchant action

The changelog explicitly states that no action is required.

4Before vs. after

ItemBeforeAfter
Footer links Multiple One per policy One "Terms and policies"
How policies open Individually from each link Selected from a list in a modal
Policy text — No change
Merchant work — None
Replacing with custom links Not mentioned Plus only Possible with Checkout UI extensions

5Customization on Shopify Plus

Default footer Terms and policies ① Hide the default footer Checkout UI extensions ② Implement with extensions Custom policy links ③ Add your own links
Hiding the default footer and adding custom links is available only to merchants on the Shopify Plus plan. Merchants on other plans will see the new "Terms and policies" link.

6What the article doesn't cover

Not specified

Types and order of policies shown in the modal

It only says "any policy can be selected"; there is no specific list or explanation of the order.

Not specified

How to opt out (revert to the previous display)

Apart from replacing it with Plus UI extensions, there is no mention of a setting to revert to the previous display.

Not specified

Link text language and customization

It doesn't say whether "Terms and policies" is localized or whether the link text can be changed.

Not specified

Specific extension targets / API names

It only says "possible with Checkout UI extensions." The target names and where to configure them aren't specified.

75 key points for developers

1. Only the presentation layer changes

Policy data is unchanged; only the structure of the footer UI has changed. No changes to the policy content are needed.

2. No action required

The article explicitly says merchants don't need to do anything. Stores using the default footer switch to the new display automatically.

UI ext

3. Need individual links? Use Plus + UI extensions

The official workaround is to hide the default footer and add your own policy links with Checkout UI extensions.

4. Review runbooks and tests that rely on individual links

Note that operational manuals and E2E tests with steps like "click the XX link in the footer" now need to go through the modal.

?

5. Details aren't documented, so check the live UI

The article doesn't cover the order in the modal, link text localization, or extension target names. If your project needs them, check the actual display on a development store.

83 practical use cases

USE CASE 1

Quickly report "no impact" for stores you maintain

Challenge
When the checkout looks different, clients ask, "Did something break?"
Action
Proactively share that this is a display-only change: policy content is unchanged and no action is needed.
Outcome
Fewer support inquiries, and your maintenance team keeps the client's trust.
Technical notes
For Plus stores that have already replaced the default footer with UI extensions, include that setup in your report as well.
USE CASE 2

Meeting Plus store requests to show policies directly

Challenge
Clients want specific policies to be viewable in one click at checkout.
Approach
On Shopify Plus, hide the default footer and add custom policy links with Checkout UI extensions.
Impact
Build a footer that fits your requirements without customizing the checkout theme.
Technical notes
Plus-only feature. The article doesn't name the extension target to use, so check the official docs before development.
USE CASE 3

Updating runbooks and E2E tests

Challenge
Support runbooks and automated tests are written around individual policy links in the footer.
Approach
Rewrite procedures and test scenarios for the new flow: "Terms and policies" link → modal → each policy.
Impact
Keeps customer guidance accurate and eliminates false test failures (such as links not being found).
Technical notes
The article doesn't describe the modal's element structure or ordering. Confirm selectors on the live screen before locking them in.

9One-line summary for proposals

"The checkout footer now consolidates policies into a single 'Terms and policies' link plus a modal.
Policy content is unchanged, and no merchant action is required.
If you want to show individual links, you can replace the footer using Shopify Plus + Checkout UI extensions."