The short answer
Shopify generates robots.txt for every store. To change it, add a robots.txt.liquid template in your theme's code editor and keep Shopify's default rules in it. Then add groups for the AI crawlers you want to allow or block. Shopify has no built-in llms.txt setting, so stores use an app for that.
- Shopify builds robots.txt for you; customise it with a robots.txt.liquid theme template.
- Keep the Liquid loop that outputs Shopify's default rules, and add your own groups after it.
- Shopify Support does not help with robots.txt.liquid edits, so save a copy before you change it.
- There is no native llms.txt setting; check any app's file loads at your-store.com/llms.txt.
How do you check your store's robots.txt?
Open your-store.com/robots.txt. Shopify's default file blocks pages like cart and checkout for all crawlers.
Run the free AI crawler checker on your store domain to see which AI crawlers your rules allow. If your store sits behind Cloudflare, check its AI bot settings too.
How do you edit robots.txt on Shopify?
Shopify's help center calls this an unsupported customization. Shopify Support cannot help with it, so keep a copy of your current file first.
- 1
Save your current file
Copy the text at your-store.com/robots.txt into a document, so you can compare and restore it.
- 2
Open the code editor
In Shopify admin, go to Online Store, then Themes. On your theme, open the menu and choose Edit code.
- 3
Add the template
In the templates folder, add a new template and choose the robots type. This creates robots.txt.liquid.
- 4
Keep the default rules
Leave the Liquid loop that outputs robots.default_groups in place. It keeps Shopify's rules up to date.
- 5
Add your groups after it
Below the loop, add a group for each AI crawler you want to allow or block, then save.
- 6
Compare and test
Reload your-store.com/robots.txt, compare it with your saved copy, and run the crawler checker.
{% for group in robots.default_groups %}
{{- group.user_agent }}
{%- for rule in group.rules -%}
{{ rule }}
{%- endfor -%}
{%- if group.sitemap != blank -%}
{{ group.sitemap }}
{%- endif -%}
{% endfor %}
User-agent: OAI-SearchBot
Allow: /A named group replaces the general rules for that crawler. Copy any Disallow lines you still want, such as cart or account pages, into each group.
How do you add llms.txt to a Shopify store?
Shopify's documentation does not include an llms.txt setting. Store owners use llms.txt apps from the Shopify App Store instead.
Whichever app you choose, open your-store.com/llms.txt afterwards. The file should load at that exact address as plain text, and list your key collections, products and policy pages.
How do you undo a robots.txt change?
Delete the robots.txt.liquid template from your theme. Shopify then goes back to its default robots.txt.
Questions people ask
Does Shopify block AI crawlers by default?
Shopify's default rules mainly keep crawlers out of pages like cart and checkout. Check your live robots.txt to see what applies to your store, as apps and Cloudflare can add more.
Can I edit robots.txt without touching code?
No. Shopify's supported method is the robots.txt.liquid template in the theme code editor.
Will an llms.txt make AI recommend my products?
There is no proof that llms.txt changes rankings or recommendations. It gives AI tools a clear map of your key pages, which can help them describe your store accurately.