Adding .txt root file for validation

Technical Q&A
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Topic summary

Ahrefs now supports IndexNow, but adding the required validation .txt file on Shopify requires a workaround since Shopify doesn’t allow direct root file editing.

Solution Steps:

  1. Create a .txt file manually using the key name and content provided by Ahrefs (note: Ahrefs only provides the key, not the file itself)
  2. Upload via Shopify Admin → Content → Files
  3. Shopify generates a CDN URL (e.g., https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/…)
  4. Set up a redirect from the required Ahrefs URL to the Shopify CDN URL via Online Store → Navigation → Redirects

This approach mirrors the previous workaround used for robots.txt before Shopify allowed direct editing. A detailed guide is available demonstrating the complete process.

Summarized with AI on November 8. AI used: claude-sonnet-4-5-20250929.
1

Ahrefs now support IndexNow. That is great. However, if you are using Shopify adding the required validation file is not so straight forward.

So, I have made this guide that will show you how to do this.

https://elevateapps.io/indexnow-ahrefs-shopify/

1 Like
2

Great info - thanks for sharing I still need to give that feature in Ahrefs a spin.

For my sanity and so I remember (lol) steps are:

  1. In Shopify Admin
  2. Go to Content > Files
  3. Create a .txt file
  4. Upload the file created from Ahrefs key
  5. Shopify will give a weird URL like:
    https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/123456/456789/789123/files/s1srgp8p22s73cmw5rtjjyb1h3h6fgt2.txt?v=1720085085
  6. Go to Online Store > Nav > Redirects
  7. Add redirect from the Ahrefs required URL to this one.

Very similar to how you used to have to do a redirect as a workaround before Shopify allowed robots.txt editing directly.

3

Thanks :slightly_smiling_face:

Yes, except Ahrefs do not give you the file - only the key. You have to manually create the file, with the key-name.txt and the key as only content.