What is the _shopify_d cookie?
_shopify_d is an HTTP cookie set by Shopify, the e-commerce platform powering tens of thousands of online stores worldwide. It appears automatically on any Shopify-built store as soon as a visitor loads a page, generated by Shopify's own platform code rather than a script added manually by the site owner.
It is a session cookie: it is created on the first page load and normally expires once the visitor closes the browser.
What data it stores
The cookie stores an identifier generated by Shopify, used to recognize that particular device/browser during the current session on the store. The exact value format may vary and is not publicly documented in detail by Shopify.
The data is read by Shopify scripts loaded on the page and sent to Shopify's infrastructure, which hosts and processes the online store.
What it is used for
_shopify_d belongs to Shopify's family of technical and analytics cookies, alongside others like _shopify_s or _shopify_y. Its general role is to help the platform distinguish visitor devices and sessions, supporting proper store functionality and usage statistics collection.
For the store owner, this data can contribute to understanding traffic and visitor behavior through the analytics tools Shopify provides.
Does it require consent?
CookieFix classifies _shopify_d under the statistics category. Under the GDPR (Regulation 2016/679) and the ePrivacy Directive (2002/58/EC, transposed in Romania via Law 506/2004), statistics/analytics cookies are not strictly necessary for the site's basic operation, so they require the visitor's prior consent.
- The Shopify store owner should declare it in the cookie policy under the correct category.
- Setting it should be conditioned on consent obtained through a compliant consent banner.
- Without proper implementation, the store risks non-compliance with data protection authority requirements.
How to block or delete _shopify_d
Visitors can delete or block this cookie anytime from browser settings (Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Safari – cookie and site data management sections), and private/incognito browsing prevents it from persisting between sessions.
Since it is generated directly by Shopify's scripts embedded in the store theme, Shopify store owners have limited control over the exact moment it is set through their own code. A CMP like CookieFix can automatically block scripts in the statistics category, including Shopify ones that trigger such cookies, until the visitor gives consent.
Frequently asked questions
No, it's a technical/analytics cookie used by the Shopify platform to recognize a device during a session; it doesn't contain sensitive data or payment information.
It's a session cookie, meaning it typically expires when the visitor closes the browser rather than being stored long-term.
Yes, since it's classified as a statistics cookie, it requires the visitor's prior consent under the GDPR and ePrivacy rules.
It's set automatically by Shopify's technical infrastructure on all stores hosted on the platform, and store owners don't have direct control over the code that generates it.