Export emails for product data now arrive with a non-clickable download link (empty HTML anchor) and a filename change from products_export_1.csv to products_export_1.zip. Issue began recently and is widely reported.
Likely cause: Gmail’s new security measures flag Shopify export emails as unsafe, which can strip or clip links. Some users on non-Gmail clients see working links; phone results vary.
Workarounds:
Export as “Plain CSV”; retry exports multiple times until a working link appears (often after 3–4 attempts). ZIP typically contains the CSV.
In Gmail: use “Download message” (three dots) and open in Apple Mail/Windows Mail/Outlook; or choose “Show original,” find the href for products_export_1.zip, remove any “=” soft line breaks, and paste the full URL in a browser.
View clipped message; updating Chrome and adding the sender to contacts helped some, inconsistently.
Notes: CSV is a spreadsheet format; ZIP is a compressed archive. Large catalogs may produce multiple files.
Status: Shopify support is “looking into it.” No official fix yet; discussion remains open.
Summarized with AI on February 15.
AI used: gpt-5.
Hello all, I have used the product export/import to update inventory over a year now and never had any issues. Starting two days ago the download link for exported products that is sent to my email is not working, it is not clickable and has no embedded link. This has never happened before and I am unable to update my products.
Normally we select export on products page, export “All Products” and export as "CSV for Excel, Numbers, or other spreadsheet programs. Now, when we receive the email the file name is products_export_1.zip, after checking previous emails that we have received we have always had a file name as products_export_1.csv. Our old email product attachments still work but not the new ones.
I have tried using microsoft edge and originally chrome browser on multiple computers and still unable to find a solution. Any help would be appreciated. Attached screenshot of problem.
The first 2 images attached is of the zip file that is not working while the 3rd image is of the .csv file that has always been sent and has an actual download link.
Mine is doing the same thing. I thought it was me so I tried another export and same thing. I hope they figure out the fix soon or what is wrong because I don’t have time manually update my products.
I tried to download the link from phone and still doesn’t work. I did get a fix though, after clicking “EXPORT” and selecting “All Products” followed by what normally is “Export As” - > CSV For Excel, Numbers, or other spreadsheet programs, I selected Plain CSV File. The first email sent was a dead link but after doing it twice I was able to download the zip file and within that is the csv file.
After comparing the differences of this new file and previously sent versions I cannot find any differences whatsoever. Just did some testing and it took 3 export requests to get a working link. Hopefully others can still do this until there is a proper fix.
I am also having this problem. I have exported several times now and still am not getting a clickable link for the ZIP file. I am trying both CSV for Excel and plain CSV.
Download link is obviously not working for me either. My workaround is, on gmail.com with the email from Shopify open, top right, the 3 dots, clicking ‘Download message’
It will download a file, open that file which should open in your Apple Mail app. Click the link in there and it will download your export.
I tried opening the same email directly in Apple Mail and the download link still doesn’t work. No idea why the above method works.
I usually get three files if I’m downloading all products. I think it’s just depending on how many products you have. I don’t know of a way around that.
I get only 1 product export file with around 1200 different unique sku’s, I have still not found any differences the “CSV for Excel, Numbers, or other spreadsheet programs” version file and the regular csv file they have optioned in the export process though
