Metafield definitions for owner type SHOP not accessible in admin

Retired Boards Appdev Metafields

Topic summary

Shop-level metafield definitions (ownerType: SHOP) created via Admin GraphQL (metafieldDefinitionCreate) with admin.MERCHANT_READ_WRITE do not appear in the Admin UI. A screenshot was shared showing no Shop metafield definitions visible.

Official status: A Shopify staff member confirmed this is a known limitation—there is currently no Admin UI for SHOP metafields and no timeline for adding one. SHOP metafields are safe to use via the API; the limitation is strictly the lack of merchant-facing UI.

Impact/related reports: Another participant reports that SHOP metafields queried via the Storefront API (shop.metafield by namespace/key) return null. The thread does not determine the cause or provide a fix.

Open questions:

  • No timeline update for UI support.
  • How to set SHOP metafield values via metafieldsSet and what to use for ownerId remains unanswered.

Current guidance: Create and manage SHOP metafields via API only; merchants cannot view/edit them in Admin. If exposing to Storefront requires definitions, create those via API. The attached image is central to illustrating the missing Admin UI.

Summarized with AI on December 24. AI used: gpt-5.
1

When creating metafield definitions using metafieldDefinitionCreate we can select different ownerType arguments like SHOP. Furthermore, we can describe the access mode, to let merchants see and modify these metafield values using admin.MERCHANT_READ_WRITE. When creating a metafield definition though using the API and owner type SHOP the admin does not show any Shop metafield definitions as seen here:

ocastx_0-1709190294977.png
ocastx_0-1709190294977.png1528Ă—1532 129 KB

For other owner types this works as expected, though not for Shop metafield definitions. Is this a known limitation?

1 Like
2

Hi Ocastx,

I’ve asked the custom data team about this and will report back what I hear.

1 Like
3

To piggy back off of this, I’m trying to access SHOP metafields via the Storefront API; however, the metafield namespace and key are returning null.

https://shopify.dev/docs/api/storefront/2024-01/queries/shop

4

To piggyback off of this, I’m trying to access SHOP metafields via the Storefront API; however, the metafield namespace and key are returning null.

https://shopify.dev/docs/api/storefront/2024-01/queries/shop

5

Hi Ocastx - that lack of a UI on the admin for SHOP metafields is a known limitation, unfortunately there’s no timeline for implementing this at the moment.

6

Hey Liam, thanks for the quick update – appreciate it!

Just so that I understand it right: SHOP metafields are still safe to use though, there is just no UI for the merchant to edit those in admin. Is that correct?

7

Exactly - there’s no risk in using them via the API, there’s just no UI for them for merchants to interact with.

8

Hi Liam, would you happen to have an update on this yet? A timeline perhaps? I have built multiple websites using the functionality of shop level metafields and since the obligatory creation of definitions to expose them to the front API and no way to do that for SHOP level metafields using the AI, this is truly a pain in the ass, pardon my language.

9

Hi @Liam & @ocastx ,

Can you please explain , how to set Values to metafields with ownertype : SHOP

mutation MetafieldsSet($metafields: [MetafieldsSetInput!]!) {
metafieldsSet(metafields: $metafields) {
metafields {
key
namespace
value
ownerType
createdAt
updatedAt
}
userErrors {
field
message
code
}
}
}

{
“metafields”:
{
“key”: “haSsubscripn”,
“namespace”: “supscriptionstat”,
“ownerId”: “”
“ownerType”: “SHOP”,
“type”: “boolean”,
“value”: “true”
}

}

What is the ownerId we have to pass.? Please explain

10

*using the UI i meant :slightly_smiling_face: