Testing Shopify Payments

To test your Shopify Payments setup, activate test mode and use test credit cards to simulate payments.

You can test Shopify Payments only if you've chosen a paid plan. Depending on your region, you might need to submit information about your business before you can activate test mode.

Test mode isn't supported for merchants in France. Instead, merchants in France can place a test order by using the Shopify Bogus Gateway.

Test mode

Test mode is a feature of Shopify Payments. You can use it to test how your customers pay for their orders, and to test how you and your staff process those orders. While test mode is activated, you can't use real credit cards to pay for orders. Some local payment methods, such as Sofort and iDEAL, aren't available in the checkout when test mode is activated. For these reasons, you shouldn't activate test mode on a store that's in production.

Test mode isn't available to test payments with Shopify POS card readers, Shop Pay, Shop Pay Installments or PayPal Wallet.

After you are finished testing Shopify Payments, deactivate test mode so that your customers can pay for their orders using their real credit cards.

If you're not using Shopify Payments and you want to test the checkout process, then you can place a test order by using the Shopify Bogus Gateway.

Activate test mode for Shopify Payments

Before you can create test orders, you need to activate test mode for Shopify Payments.

Steps:

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

  2. In the Shopify Payments section, click Manage.

  3. In the Test mode section, select Enable test mode.

  4. Click Save.

iPhone
  1. From the Shopify app, tap the button, and then tap Settings.
  2. In the Store settings section, tap Payments.
  3. In the Shopify Payments section, tap Manage.
  4. In the Test mode section, select Enable test mode.
  5. Tap Save.
Android
  1. From the Shopify app, tap the button, and then tap Settings.
  2. In the Store settings section, tap Payments.
  3. In the Shopify Payments section, tap Manage.
  4. In the Test mode section, select Enable test mode.
  5. Tap Save.

Next steps:

You can create orders and then simulate transactions by using a test credit card number. There are test numbers to create successful transactions, failed transactions, and transactions in different currencies.

Simulate successful transactions

To simulate a successful transaction, use the following information when you are asked for credit card details at checkout:

  • Name on card: Enter at least two words.
  • Expiry date: Enter any date in the future.
  • Security code: Enter any four digits to test American Express, and enter any three digits to test all other cards.
  • Card number: Use any of the following numbers:
Use these test card numbers to verify Shopify Payments setup by simulating successful transactions
Card typeTest card number
Visa4242424242424242
Mastercard5555555555554444
American Express378282246310005
Discover6011111111111117
Diners Club30569309025904
JCB3566002020360505
BCcard and DinaCard6555900000604105
UnionPay6200000000000005
Cartes Bancaires/Visa4000002500001001
Cartes Bancaires/Mastercard5555552500001001
eftpos Australia/Visa4000050360000001
eftpos Australia/Mastercard5555050360000080

Simulate failed transactions

If you want to view the credit card error messages that might display to a customer during checkout, then use the following test credit card numbers to simulate different failed transactions:

  • Use credit card number 4000000000000002 to generate a generic card declined message.
  • Use credit card number 4000000000009995 to generate an insufficient funds decline message.
  • Use credit card number 4000000000009987 to generate a lost card decline message.
  • Use credit card number 4000000000009979 to generate a stolen card decline message.
  • Use credit card number 4000000000000069 to generate an expired card message.
  • Use credit card number 4000000000000127 to generate an incorrect CVC message.
  • Use credit card number 4000000000000119 to generate a processing error message.
  • Use credit card number 4242424242424241 to generate an incorrect number message.
  • Use credit card number 4000000000000259 to simulate a disputed transaction.
  • Use an invalid expiry month, such as 13, to generate an invalid expiry month message.
  • Use an expiry year in the past to generate an invalid expiry year message.
  • Use a two-digit security code number to generate an invalid security code message.

Learn more

Troubleshooting test mode order confirmation emails

If you're not receiving order confirmation emails from Shopify Payments test mode transactions, then try the following troubleshooting steps:

  1. Check email templates: Go to the Notifications setting in your Shopify admin. Click the Order confirmation email template. If you've customized this template, then it might not include the necessary links or information. You can revert to the default template by clicking the Revert to default button at the bottom of the template page.
  2. Verify email settings: Ensure that your email settings are correctly configured. If you've customized your email templates, then you might need to manually add the order status URL to your templates to ensure customers receive the correct information.
  3. Test functionality: After making any changes, place a test order to see if the confirmation email sends correctly. This helps you verify that your settings are functioning as expected.
  4. Check spam/junk folder: Emails might get sent to your spam or junk folder.
  5. Contact your email provider: Your email provider can check for errors on their end.
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