Set up PayPal Express Checkout on your store

When you create your Shopify store, a PayPal Express Checkout account is automatically generated using the email address that you use to sign in. This account allows you to receive payments from PayPal orders. If you already have a PayPal account associated with the email that you use for your store, then you can start receiving payments immediately. However, for full functionality, including issuing refunds and capturing payments manually, you need to complete the setup of your PayPal account. If you choose not to use PayPal, then you can deactivate it in your Shopify admin.

If you don't have a PayPal professional business account linked to the email that you use for your store, then you can either add your email to an existing PayPal account or sign up for a new PayPal business account using the same email address you use to sign into your store.

For security, only the store owner can edit your store's PayPal Express information.

Finish setting up your PayPal account

If you've used another PayPal account recently, then the email for that account might already be filled in. Make sure you're using the email for the account that you want to connect to your store. To find your PayPal account email address, go to Settings > General, and then find your Store email in the Store details section.

If you receive an error indicating payment is pending, then it suggests that the payment was sent to an unverified PayPal account at the time of order creation. You need to verify your account email address, after which it could take up to two business days for the payment to be deposited. Before you mark the order as paid, you should confirm that you've received payment. Refer to the instructions provided on the PayPal help center for more information on how to confirm your email address.

Steps:

Desktop
  1. From your Shopify admin, go to Settings > Payments.

  2. In the Additional payment methods section, click Setup incomplete next to PayPal.

  3. Click Complete setup.

  4. Enter the email address for your PayPal account, and then click Next.

  5. Enter the password for your PayPal account, and then click Next.

  6. On the Tell us about your business page, enter your business details.

  7. Review and select the policy and permissions statements, and then click Agree and Create Account.

  8. On the Describe your business page, do the following:

    1. Select your business type from the drop-down menu.
    2. Enter your business details.
    3. Click Next.
  9. On the Tell us more about you page, enter your details, and then click Submit.

  10. On the confirmation page, click Go back to Shopify.

  11. Make a test transaction to confirm that everything is set up properly.

iPhone
  1. From the Shopify app, tap the button, and then tap Settings.
  2. In the Store settings section, tap Payments.
  3. In the Additional payment methods section, tap Setup incomplete next to PayPal.
  4. Tap Complete setup.
  5. Enter the email address for your PayPal account, and then tap Next.
  6. Enter the password for your PayPal account, and then tap Next.
  7. On the Tell us about your business page, enter your business details.
  8. Review and select the policy and permissions statements, and then tap Agree and Create Account.
  9. On the Describe your business page, do the following:
    1. Select your business type from the drop-down menu.
    2. Enter your business details.
    3. Tap Next.
  10. On the Tell us more about you page, enter your details, and then tap Submit.
  11. On the confirmation page, tap Go back to Shopify.
  12. Make a test transaction to confirm that everything is set up properly.
Android
  1. From the Shopify app, tap the button, and then tap Settings.
  2. In the Store settings section, tap Payments.
  3. In the Additional payment methods section, tap Setup incomplete next to PayPal.
  4. Tap Complete setup.
  5. Enter the email address for your PayPal account, and then tap Next.
  6. Enter the password for your PayPal account, and then tap Next.
  7. On the Tell us about your business page, enter your business details.
  8. Review and select the policy and permissions statements, and then tap Agree and Create Account.
  9. On the Describe your business page, do the following:
    1. Select your business type from the drop-down menu.
    2. Enter your business details.
    3. Tap Next.
  10. On the Tell us more about you page, enter your details, and then tap Submit.
  11. On the confirmation page, tap Go back to Shopify.
  12. Make a test transaction to confirm that everything is set up properly.

Checkout language configuration

Shopify shares with PayPal Express Checkout which language to use during checkout based on your store's checkout language settings. If your checkout language is set to English, then Shopify attempts to detect the customer's location to inform PayPal about the preferred language for display.

Shopify considers the customer's shipping address and their location based on the IP address to set the language preference. In cases where customer details are unavailable before checkout, PayPal uses your store address from the Settings > General page under Store details to determine the language displayed during checkout.

Address handling in PayPal Express Checkout

PayPal Express Checkout automatically fills the billing address fields with the customer's shipping address during checkout. Customers can edit this information by clicking Change....

Shopify sends only one address to PayPal, typically the shipping address. This setup is unchangeable because there's no way for Shopify to know ahead of time whether the customer has a PayPal account. As a result, Shopify can't send the billing address, such as when the customer is paying with a credit card instead.

When using PayPal Express Checkout as an accelerated checkout payment solution, your customers billing address might be missing when they select pickup in store.

Testing PayPal Express Checkout integration

If your store is on a trial plan, then you need select a paid plan to activate your checkout and make a test transaction. The trial end date remains unchanged.

To test credit card processing, create a test product and make a purchase from your store using a different PayPal account than the one designated to receive payments on your store.

Deactivate PayPal Express Checkout

If you don't want to use PayPal Express Checkout, then you can deactivate it in your Shopify admin. Your account details will be saved and you can reactivate PayPal Express Checkout at any time.

Steps:

Desktop
  1. From your Shopify admin, go to Settings > Payments.

  2. In the Additional payment methods section, click PayPal.

  3. Click Deactivate.

iPhone
  1. From the Shopify app, tap the button, and then tap Settings.
  2. In the Store settings section, tap Payments.
  3. In the Additional payment methods section, tap PayPal.
  4. Tap Deactivate.
Android
  1. From the Shopify app, tap the button, and then tap Settings.
  2. In the Store settings section, tap Payments.
  3. In the Additional payment methods section, tap PayPal.
  4. Tap Deactivate.
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