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Get Shopify Access Token in 2026: A Comprehensive Guide

A step-by-step guide on how to obtain a Shopify access token in 2026 using OAuth and the Developer Platform.

2026-03-09
By Jake Alberio
shopifyaccess tokenoauthdeveloper platform

Getting Started with Shopify Access Tokens in 2026

Shopify access tokens are essential for making API calls to the Admin API and creating apps. In this guide, we'll walk you through the process of obtaining an access token using OAuth and the Developer Platform.

Creating an App in the Developer Platform

To start, create an app in the Developer Platform by following these steps:

  1. Go to your Shopify store and click on Settings.
  2. Click on Apps and then Developer Apps.
  3. Click on Build apps in dev dashboard.

Shopify Developer PlatformShopify Developer Platform

Obtaining an Access Token

Once you've created an app, you can obtain an access token by following these steps:

  1. Go to the Dev Dashboard and click on Start from Dev Dashboard.
  2. Click on Admin API Access Token.
  3. Select the scopes you need for your app.
  4. Click on Get token.

Using the OAuth Flow

Alternatively, you can use the OAuth flow to obtain an access token. Here's a step-by-step guide:

  1. Redirect the user to the Shopify authorization URL:
language
1https://your-shopify-store.shopify.com/admin/oauth/authorize? 2 client_id=YOUR_CLIENT_ID& 3 scope=YOUR_SCOPES& 4 redirect_uri=YOUR_REDIRECT_URI& 5 state=YOUR_STATE
  1. The user will be prompted to grant access to your app.
  2. Once the user has granted access, Shopify will redirect the user back to your redirect URI with an authorization code.
  3. Use the authorization code to obtain an access token:
language
1const response = await fetch('https://your-shopify-store.shopify.com/admin/oauth/access_token', 2 { 3 method: 'POST', 4 headers: { 'Content-Type': 'application/json' }, 5 body: JSON.stringify({ 6 client_id: YOUR_CLIENT_ID, 7 client_secret: YOUR_CLIENT_SECRET, 8 code: AUTHORIZATION_CODE, 9 grant_type: 'authorization_code', 10 }), 11 });
  1. The response will contain the access token, scope, and expiration time.

Using Client Credentials Flow

You can also use the client credentials flow to obtain an access token without user interaction. Here's a step-by-step guide:

  1. Use the fetchClientCredentialsToken function to obtain an access token:
language
1async function fetchClientCredentialsToken(shopDomain, clientId, clientSecret) { 2 const response = await fetch(`https://${shopDomain}/admin/oauth/access_token`, 3 { 4 method: 'POST', 5 headers: { 'Content-Type': 'application/x-www-form-urlencoded' }, 6 body: new URLSearchParams({ 7 grant_type: 'client_credentials', 8 client_id: clientId, 9 client_secret: clientSecret, 10 }).toString(), 11 }); 12 // ... 13}
  1. The response will contain the access token, scope, and expiration time.

Troubleshooting

If you encounter any issues while obtaining an access token, you can refer to the Shopify documentation or seek help from the Shopify community.

Conclusion

In this guide, we've walked you through the process of obtaining a Shopify access token in 2026 using OAuth and the Developer Platform. Whether you're building a custom app or using the client credentials flow, we've provided you with the necessary steps to get started.

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