- Short answer
- Yes, up to 15 MB in UTF-8; yes/no consent columns set opt-in, so mark only customers who agreed.
- Template
- Download a sample CSV in Customers › Import, or use the Help Center template
- Existing customers
- With Overwrite checked, matches by email or phone have all their data replaced, import tags included
- Not imported
- Passwords, order history, Total Spent and Total Orders
- Fixing consent later
- Bulk editing and a customer's profile both cover email, SMS and WhatsApp consent
How do you import customers with the Shopify CSV template?
Start from Download a sample CSV in the import dialog, or the customer CSV template in Shopify's Help Center; left unchanged, the template adds two demo profiles, so replace them with your list. The file must meet four rules:
- An Email column is present, though a row's email can be blank.
- It is 15 MB or smaller; split a bigger list.
- It is saved as UTF-8.
- Countries, states and provinces use ISO 3166-1 codes (see Shopify's customer CSV error guide).
- In your Shopify admin, go to Customers and click Import.
- Click Add files and select your CSV.
- Optional: check Overwrite existing customers to update matches by email or phone. It replaces all of their customer data, import tags included.
- Optional: check Add tags to customers in this csv to build a segment from the list.
- Click Import customers.
- Customers
- Import
Which columns set email, SMS and WhatsApp consent?
Three template columns record marketing consent, and each accepts only yes or no:
- Accepts Email Marketing — email marketing, such as a newsletter.
- Accepts SMS Marketing — SMS marketing, such as discount offers.
- Accepts WhatsApp Marketing — WhatsApp marketing.
To fix a value later, bulk-edit Accepts email marketing, Accepts SMS marketing or Accepts WhatsApp marketing, or change the marketing settings on a customer's profile.
What stays behind when you import customers?
- Passwords. They are encrypted outside Shopify, so a CSV can't move them. Shopify says to invite customers to create new passwords; with sign-in links on, they use their email and a one-time 6-digit code, as our customer accounts guide explains.
- Order history. Orders, the Total Spent and Total Orders columns, and spending on other stores or platforms don't import with a customer CSV.
Moving a whole store? Shopify's order is products, then customers, then historical orders; our migration guide lists what moves by which route.
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