Changing app access scopes without requesting network access

Shopify Discussion

Topic summary

A developer is trying to update their app’s access scopes (write_products, read_orders, customer_read_orders) for a test development store without triggering the full deployment and network access approval process.

Current Challenge:

  • The previous method (npm run shopify app config push) is now deprecated
  • The new process requires creating and deploying a new version, which involves:
    • Requesting and getting approved for network access
    • Going through Shopify’s review process

Developer’s Concern:
They’re still in active development and not ready for review/publishing, making the new workflow seem overly complex for a simple scope change during testing.

Proposed Solution:
Another user suggests enabling network access directly through the Partner Dashboard by navigating to: Apps > {Your App} > API Access section.

Note: The developer also questions whether customer_read_orders is needed alongside read_orders to receive complete customer data in order webhooks.

Summarized with AI on November 6. AI used: claude-sonnet-4-5-20250929.
1

I’m building an app that requires access scopes:

“write_products,read_orders,customer_read_orders” (as a side note I’m including customer_read_orders in addition to read_orders because I’m not sure if I’ll get all customer data in the orders_create webhooks if I just have read_orders).
I’ve got a test development store for development purposes, and want to update the access scopes to those listed above.
When I changed access scopes before I remember using “npm run shopify app config push”, which is now depreciated.
The new process is to create a new version and deploy it (https://shopify.dev/docs/apps/tools/cli/configuration#migrate-from-config-push).
To deploy I need to request and have approved Network access, which from what I understand involves a review process from Shopify to register the app. I’m still very much in middle of the development process, and not ready to have anything reviewed for publishing at this time.
So my question is: How can I change access scopes without deploying my app?
*I’m new to Shopify development, so it may just be the case that I’m misunderstanding something basic. It seems weird to have so many hurdles to make a simple change while still in development.

2

In your app’s configuration page (Partner Dashboard > Apps > {Your App}) you can go to the “API Access” section and enable network access there:

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