App pixels
App pixels are scripts that are installed as part of a third-party app or sales channel. These pixels are created by the app owner, and are set up to use a strict, isolated environment on your store. The isolated environment (called a sandbox) uses Shopify-controlled APIs to collect or retrieve data, reducing the overall impact to the performance, security, and privacy of your website.
Shopify adds only apps to the Customer events page that use the Shopify Web Pixels API. Shopify Web Pixels API is the officially supported way to integrate web pixels. Apps that use the Shopify Web Pixels API offer the most secure, reliable, and performant pixels. An app needs to be installed, and then set up to configure a pixel.
On this page
App pixel permissions and customer privacy settings
When you install an app that has app pixels, it's your responsibility to ensure you're following applicable laws and to set up the appropriate privacy configuration, including consent and data sale opt-out options, to the extent that's required. Learn more about customer privacy.
View permissions and customer privacy settings
You can view a full list of the permissions and customer privacy settings that an app or sales channel has access to. The permissions and customer privacy settings for each app pixel are determined by the third-party app partner, and can't be changed.
Steps:
From your Shopify admin, go to Settings > Customer events.
Click the App pixels tab to view the app pixels installed on your store.
Click the
button for the app pixel that you want to view permissions for, and then do either of the following:- To view the full list of permissions the app or sales channel has access to, click View permissions.
- To view the customer privacy settings for the app pixel, select View customer privacy.
Transmitting app pixels data
App pixels data can be transmitted using web and server pixels.
Web pixels transfer customer events through the browser to the app owner. This is the standard way most pixels transfer information.
Server pixels transfer customer events through a server to the app owner. Certain app owners have access to server pixels. You can check with the app owner, if they have access to server pixels.
Server pixels have the following benefits:
- Server pixels can increase the amount of customer events, including checkout events, that are transferred to app owners through a server instead of an intermediary, such as an internet browser.
- Server pixels can increase the number of events that have attached identification from your store, such as an email address.
When you pair server pixels with web pixels this ensures the maximum amount of customer events to arrive to their destination.
Test an app pixel
After you install an app pixel, you can test it using the Shopify Pixel Helper to make sure the pixel is receiving data correctly when events occur on your site.
You can use the Shopify Pixel Helper to test whether your pixel events fire. The Shopify Pixel Helper lets you test your app pixel on your online store to view the events being received in real-time, alongside the data for those events.
Steps:
From your Shopify admin, go to Settings > Customer events.
Click
next to the app pixel that you want to test.Click Test to open the Shopify Pixel Helper on your store.
Optional: Depending on your store's consent settings and the app pixel's customer privacy settings, the Shopify Pixel Helper dialog might display “Pixel is awaiting consent”. Do any of the following to continue testing:
- Accept tracking on your store's cookie banner or preferences.
- Click Give consent to continue test.
- If your pixel still doesn't load, then contact the third-party developer.
To confirm which events are loading, visit each page that you want to test the pixel for.
- To test the pixel on the Thank you page, place a test order.
- Learn more about reviewing events received in the Shopify Pixel Helper.
Optional: To review the complete event data received, click
to expand the Shopify Pixel Helper dialog.
Reviewing events received
When you use the Shopify Pixel Helper to test which events are loading, one of the following statuses displays in the Events received section of the Shopify Pixel Helper dialog:
- A green dot indicates that the event was subscribed to and the callback function was successful.
- A red dot indicates an error occurred.
The Shopify Pixel Helper displays uncaught errors that occur at the top level, or in the callback function. Top-level errors display when the Shopify Pixel Helper loads. Callback error messages display when you click to expand an event with a red dot. If errors occur, then contact the third-party developer about fixing them.
Troubleshooting an app pixel
If your app pixel doesn't load or fire during testing, and you've already reviewed the Pixel Helper for errors, then try the following troubleshooting measures.
Review your customer privacy settings
If your pixel doesn't load or fire during testing, then there could be customer privacy settings preventing it from loading.
From your Shopify admin, go to Settings > Customer privacy to search for customer privacy settings in your Shopify admin that might apply to your session. Depending on your customer privacy settings, take the following steps:
- If you have customer privacy settings that require consent in your region, then ensure that you've provided consent through your cookie banner.
- If you don't have any customer privacy settings that block the pixel from loading, then clear your browser's cookies to reset your cookie banner and provide consent.
If you use a third-party tool to manage consent, then contact your third-party provider for support.
Additional troubleshooting
Ensure that the app is installed and configured correctly according to the third-party documentation. If you’re still experiencing issues when testing the app pixel, then reach out to the third-party developers.