Getting started with Sidekick

You can chat with Sidekick from your Shopify Home page to get guidance for your store and help with everyday admin tasks. From any other page in your Shopify admin, click the Sidekick icon to open Sidekick. Use plain language to ask questions, complete tasks, or get guidance. Sidekick is available on desktop and mobile devices, and you can interact through text chat or voice and screen sharing.

Sidekick uses the page you're on as context for your question. For example, if you're viewing Analytics when you ask something, Sidekick can use data from that page in its response. You can also manage what Sidekick remembers about your preferences and past conversations.

Icon of the Sidekick logo, which shows a stylized person's face wearing a domino mask.

Start a chat with Sidekick

Sidekick is accessible from your Shopify Home page and from any other page in your Shopify admin on desktop and mobile devices. To start using Sidekick in your Shopify admin:

Steps:

Desktop
  1. From your Shopify admin, go to Sidekick, or click the Sidekick icon.

  2. In the chat, type a command or question and then click the up arrow icon to send your message.

  3. Optional: You can use voice mode to speak to Sidekick instead of typing.

  4. Depending on the type of response that you receive from Sidekick, you might need to click an additional button:

    • Click the right arrow icon to navigate to the indicated page or resource.
    • Click Apply to apply the generated content to your store.
  5. Optional: To expand Sidekick into fullscreen mode, use one of the following:

    • Hold Shift and click the Sidekick icon in your admin to open fullscreen mode.
    • Click the Maximize icon in the Sidekick panel.
    • To return to the compact conversation area, click the Minimize icon.
  6. To close the Sidekick window, click the Sidekick icon or the X icon.

Mobile
  1. From the Shopify app, go to any page in your store and tap the Sidekick icon.

  2. In the chat, type a command or question and then tap the up arrow icon to send your message.

  3. Optional: You can use voice mode to speak to Sidekick instead of typing.

  4. Optional: To expand Sidekick for a larger conversation area, tap the Maximize icon to view your full message history and get more room for longer replies. When you're finished, swipe down to return to the compact conversation area.

  5. To close the Sidekick window, tap the X icon.

Using Sidekick on mobile devices

In the Shopify app on your phone, Sidekick stays on your screen as you move through your store.

The chat stays visible on Orders, Analytics, Products, and other screens. You can ask questions and get guidance without leaving the task in front of you. To ask a follow-up question, tap the chat again without leaving the page.

To start or continue a chat, follow the Mobile steps under Start a chat with Sidekick.

Sidekick on mobile can do the following mobile-specific tasks:

  • 3D scanning
  • Barcode printing
  • Tap-to-pay transactions

Limitations of Sidekick in the Shopify app

The following limitations apply when you use Sidekick in the Shopify app on an iPhone or Android phone:

  • When a dialog is open over the main screen, Sidekick isn't available. This can include the Discounts screen and certain tasks on Products or Collections pages. Close the dialog or go back to the previous screen to use Sidekick again.
  • Sidekick in the Online Store Editor isn't identical to Sidekick in the Shopify app on a phone. Layout and options can differ.
  • Sidekick isn't currently available in the Shopify app on tablet devices, including iPads.

Using Sidekick on Apple Watch

You can ask Sidekick questions from your Apple Watch using voice mode. Sidekick on Apple Watch is designed for quick answers about your store, such as checking unfulfilled orders, today's sales, or low stock products. Sidekick on Apple Watch can answer questions, but can't make changes to your store or navigate the admin.

Use Sidekick input features

Sidekick offers multiple ways to enhance your chat interactions and get personalized support. These features help you provide context, save time, and customize your experience:

  • Attach files from your Shopify admin
  • Upload files from your device
  • Enable Target mode to select specific admin elements
  • Mention specific products, orders, customers, collections, or installed apps
  • Save a prompt as a skill for reuse

Considerations for using Sidekick

There are some limitations to the capabilities currently available through Sidekick:

  • Sidekick can't talk to your customers or handle customer support conversations on your behalf.
  • Sidekick can't share private information or data from other Shopify merchants with you.
  • Sidekick is never allowed to make changes to your shop without your approval, and will only present options for you to review and approve.
  • Sidekick can't make edits to images within a store theme or your product list.
  • Sidekick isn't currently available on mobile web admin or via the Shopify app on tablet devices, including iPads.

Submit feedback on Sidekick's responses

When Sidekick generates an answer or set of instructions, you can deliver feedback about the quality of the response directly in Sidekick's chat interface. Beneath the relevant response from Sidekick, click one of the following icons to add a rating:

  • Thumbs up (๐Ÿ‘): Click to indicate that this response was helpful.
  • Thumbs down (๐Ÿ‘Ž): Click to indicate that this response was unhelpful.

If you click the wrong icon accidentally, then you can click it again to remove your rating. If you decide later that you want to change your rating of a response, then click the opposite icon to change your rating.

After clicking an icon to add a rating, you can click Add comment to open a dialog to include more detailed feedback about Sidekick's response. Including additional comments and feedback is optional, but sharing your thoughts about the conversation can help to improve Sidekick's functionality. You can include feedback about helpful and unhelpful responses from Sidekick. After you've included your detailed feedback, click Submit.