Why did someone change my store access without permission?

Store Feedback

Topic summary

Main issue: Storefront password protection was disabled on an in-development store without the owner’s consent. The owner reports multiple Shopify Support agents accessed their admin and shared screenshots/videos of the Files page while issues remained unresolved.

Timeline and evidence:

  • Sep 19: Owner contacted Chat Support about bulk product template upload; a ticket was opened. Multiple agents later demonstrated processes using screenshots of the store’s Files page.
  • Oct 2, 7:28 PM AEDT: Activity log shows the storefront password was disabled. The owner attached a screenshot of this timestamp.

Concerns raised:

  • Four support agents accessed the store without explicit permission or credentials.
  • No corresponding entries for these agents appear in the store’s activity log.

Shopify response and context:

  • Check the Store activity log for who made changes; staff generally do not change merchant settings like password protection.
  • Account review requires contacting Support via the Help Center (authentication required).
  • Multiple advisors on a ticket is normal; Support can view admin pages once the merchant authenticates, without needing the merchant’s login. Shopify staff actions typically do not appear in the store’s activity log; some rare actions may show as “Shopify.”

Status: Unresolved. Key question—who disabled the password—remains open pending authenticated support investigation. Attachments (screenshots/video) are central to the claim.

Summarized with AI on January 16. AI used: gpt-5.
4

Hi, @cc28 . Thank you for sharing all of that context! To clarify, did you have a chance to review your activity log to see who made this change? When you review the activity log it should list which staff account created for your store made the change.

Shopify staff don’t make changes like this to merchant’s stores so it’s unlikely this setting change was done by us, but I’d definitely want someone to take a look into this to make sure. In order for us to review your account with you, you’d need to speak with our support team through this page. We can’t authenticate your account here over the Shopify Community so we wouldn’t be able to see or share any information about your account here. That being said, if you contact us through the page I shared we can see more information to help you out.

For context, when you reach out to support through the Shopify Help Center it is standard for us to review your account with you by looking at the area of your store or admin you are reaching out about. We only ever do this when we have authenticated your account and are working on your open ticket. Also, when a ticket has back and forth responses like you described it is also standard to sometimes have multiple Support Advisors working on your ticket. This is to ensure you get help as quickly as possible.

Happy to help if you have more questions!