Title here
Summary here
Lucas RollinInstalling Google Tag Manager on Shopify lets you centralize the management of your marketing tags and track what happens in your store: a product view, an add to cart, a checkout start or a purchase.
In short
You are going to learn how to install GTM on your Shopify site, how to set up the dataLayer and how to collect events from both the theme and the checkout funnel with the Addingwell GTM & DataLayer app.
Why install Google Tag Manager on Shopify?
Google Tag Manager lets you centralize the marketing and analytics tags installed on your Shopify store. Instead of adding each tracking snippet separately in the theme, you can configure and run a large part of your tracking from a single GTM container.
Once Google Tag Manager is properly installed on your Shopify site, you can notably:
- Set up tracking for your store with Google Analytics 4,
- Measure the conversions generated by your Google Ads campaigns,
- Install and manage various marketing tags,
- Fire tags based on what visitors actually do,
- Collect data about products, the cart and purchases,
- Evolve your tracking without editing the theme code every time.
The value of GTM is therefore not limited to making it easier to install measurement tools. It also helps you structure data collection and get a clearer picture of each step in the purchase journey.
On Shopify, this installation does require a specific setup. Since Checkout Extensibility rolled out, the store theme and the checkout pages no longer run in the same environment.
Before moving on to installing Google Tag Manager, it is therefore worth understanding what Shopify has changed!
What you need to know before installing GTM on Shopify
Before getting to the GTM setup, let’s go back over the changes that reshaped tracking management and page customization on Shopify.
The changes brought by Checkout Extensibility
The migration to Checkout Extensibility brought significant changes to the way tracking is done on Shopify. This shift mainly affects data collection on the checkout and thank you pages.
The most important change is the introduction of a sandboxed JavaScript environment for the checkout page and the thank you page. In practice, scripts running in your Shopify store theme do not automatically have access to those pages. This isolated environment restricts certain JavaScript capabilities in order to strengthen security, stability and user data protection.
To get tracking working, you now have to listen to customer events to know what happens on the pages inside the sandboxed environment. Those events let you track, among other things, the start of the checkout, the submission of payment information and the completion of a purchase. The data collected can then be pushed to the dataLayer and used by the tags configured in Google Tag Manager.
The migration to Checkout Extensibility also changes how the pages inside the sandboxed environment can be customized.
The GTM setup therefore depends on which part of the store you are dealing with: the code can be embedded in the theme for the regular pages of the site, while tracking the checkout requires going through customer events and a custom pixel.
Before Checkout Extensibility: the old customization options
Before the migration to Checkout Extensibility, customization options already depended on the Shopify plan in use. Shopify Plus stores could edit the checkout.liquid file, while the other plans had more limited access to the checkout pages:
| Feature | Standard Shopify | Shopify Plus |
|---|---|---|
| Customize the theme | ✅ through theme.liquid | ✅ through theme.liquid |
| Customize the checkout page | ❌ | ✅ through checkout.liquid |
| Customize the thank you page | ✅ through the additional scripts section. | ✅ through the additional scripts section. |
Today: how to customize the Shopify theme and checkout?
Those options have changed. The additional scripts section can no longer be edited, and the thank you page is now customized from the checkout editor, including outside Shopify Plus:
| Feature | Standard Shopify | Shopify Plus |
|---|---|---|
| Customize the theme | ✅ through theme.liquid | ✅ through theme.liquid |
| Customize the checkout page | ❌ | ✅ through Checkout Extensibility |
| Customize the thank you page | ✅ through Checkout Extensibility | ✅ through Checkout Extensibility |
Customizing the Information, Shipping and Payment steps of the checkout is still reserved for Shopify Plus stores. The Thank you and Order status pages, on the other hand, can be customized on every plan, using blocks and web pixels added in the checkout and accounts editor.
Good to know
Since 28 August 2025, the additional scripts section is read-only: it can no longer be edited. Non-Plus stores also had to migrate their old Thank you and Order status pages to the new version before 26 August 2026. If your store still shows an upgrade notice under Settings > Checkout, your old tracking customizations are most likely no longer running.
How to install Google Tag Manager on Shopify step by step?
Installing GTM on Shopify means setting up the Google Tag Manager container, the Addingwell GTM & DataLayer app and a custom pixel. Here is the process to connect those pieces to your store.
Step 1: create or retrieve your Google Tag Manager container
Before starting the installation, you need a Google Tag Manager account and a Web container associated with your Shopify site.
Head over to Google Tag Manager, sign in with your Google account and select your store’s container. If you don’t have one yet, create a GTM account and add a new container, choosing Web as the target platform.
You then get an identifier in the GTM-XXXXXXX format. Keep this GTM ID at hand: you will need it when configuring the Addingwell app.
Step 2: install the GTM & DataLayer app on Shopify
Click here to download the app that installs GTM and the DataLayer on your Shopify store.
Check that you are connected to the right store, then click Install.
The app adds Google Tag Manager to your Shopify site pages and generates a dataLayer built for the main e-commerce events.
Once the app is installed you land on this page. Click Continue to start configuring it.
Step 3: enable the dataLayer and add your GTM ID
On the next step, tick the Enable GA4 DataLayer with Standard eCommerce Events box.
This feature generates a dataLayer containing the standard e-commerce events needed to track your Shopify store. That information can then be used in Google Analytics 4 or by the other tags configured in GTM.
Then tick the Include GTM.js on Site Pages box and enter the ID of your GTM Web container (GTM-XXXXXXX).
Double-check that the ID you entered matches the Web container created for this store. Otherwise, the tags and triggers configured in your Google Tag Manager workspace will not run on the right site.
The Alternative Path section lets you get around ad-blockers; you can use this feature if you have an Addingwell account.
This option loads the GTM file from an alternative path rather than from the domain Google normally uses. It requires an Addingwell setup compatible with server-side tracking.
Step 4: enable the app in your Shopify theme
You now have to enable the Shopify app in your store’s theme. To do so, click the Enable Addingwell Script button. This activation is what loads the GTM code and the dataLayer on the regular pages of your Shopify site.
Then enable the Addingwell GTM app in the theme editor. Save, then go back to the Addingwell app configuration.
A message appears in the app confirming it has been activated in the theme. Make sure this confirmation shows up before going any further. Without this activation, Google Tag Manager will not be able to collect events coming from the theme pages.
Step 5: create a custom pixel for the Shopify checkout
Now we add a custom pixel by copying the code shown in the app.
This pixel is what runs the tracking inside Shopify’s sandboxed environment and collects the events generated during the checkout and on the thank you page.
Then go to Settings > Customer events and click Add custom pixel. The Customer events section is where Shopify centralizes the pixels used to track what visitors do on your store.
Give your custom pixel whatever name you like.
My advice
Pick a name explicit enough, such as Addingwell GTM, so that you can easily find this pixel again if you ever need to change your setup!
In the Customer privacy section, tick the boxes as shown in the screenshot below.
The idea here is to remove the dependency between the custom pixel and Shopify’s Customer Privacy API. That way your custom pixel always fires. If you need to handle user consent, you can do it in Google Tag Manager afterwards.
Warning
This setup does not exempt you from collecting and respecting user consent. Google Analytics, Google Ads and other marketing tags must stay blocked as long as the required consent has not been obtained, for instance through a CMP properly wired to Google Tag Manager.
Then paste the code you copied from the Addingwell app and click Save. Check that the whole snippet has been pasted into the right section before saving the pixel.
Then click Connect to connect the custom pixel to the sandbox. The pixel status should switch to Connected. This connection is what allows it to listen to the customer events generated inside Shopify’s sandboxed environment.
Congratulations, you have finished configuring the Addingwell GTM & DataLayer app. The dataLayer is now available in your theme and in the sandbox pages too (checkout + thank you page)!
Step 6: finalize and check your GTM setup
Before configuring your Google Analytics 4 tags, Google Ads or your other marketing tools, check the following:
- The Addingwell GTM app is enabled in the Shopify theme,
- The right GTM Web container ID has been entered,
- The custom pixel shows up with the Connected status,
- The most recent version of your Google Tag Manager container is published.
Installing GTM on Shopify is now done. The next step is checking that events actually show up in the dataLayer, both in the theme and in the sandbox.
You now have every step needed to install Google Tag Manager on Shopify. The setup can still get technical once you have to connect the theme, the checkout, the dataLayer, custom pixels and consent management.
Which Shopify events can you track with GTM?
Once Google Tag Manager is installed, the Addingwell app feeds the dataLayer with the events generated on your Shopify store.
You can then use that data to fire your tags and analyze each step of the purchase journey.
The app converts Shopify’s standard events into GA4-formatted dataLayer events. So what you find directly in the dataLayer is:
- A page view with
page_view, - A product list or collection view with
view_item_list, - A click on a product in a list with
select_item, - A product page view with
view_item, - A search on the store with
search, - An add to cart with
add_to_cart, - A cart view with
view_cart, - A product removed from the cart with
remove_from_cart, - The start of the checkout with
begin_checkout, - Contact details submitted with
add_contact_info, - Shipping address submitted with
add_address_info, - Shipping method selected with
add_shipping_info, - Payment information submitted with
add_payment_info, - A completed purchase with
purchase.
Good to know
add_contact_info and add_address_info are not part of Google Analytics 4’s recommended events: they are added by the app to cover the intermediate steps of the Shopify checkout. Every other event in this list follows the standard GA4 naming convention.
Those events can carry extra information about products, variants, quantities, prices or the order itself. You can use them in GTM variables and triggers to configure your Google Analytics 4 tags, Google Ads tags or other marketing tools.
Which events you actually configure then depends on your goals and on the data that matters to your business. To build a coherent tracking plan, have a look at which Google Analytics events to track depending on your business.
Before using this data in your analyses, you need to check that the expected events show up correctly in the theme and in Shopify’s sandboxed environment.
How to check and debug GTM on Shopify?
Checking your setup is how you make sure the dataLayer is available, that Shopify events fire at the right moment and that the tags configured in Google Tag Manager receive the data you expect.
Test the pixel with Shopify Pixel Helper
Shopify Pixel Helper is the recommended tool for checking that a custom pixel works inside the sandboxed environment. It shows, in real time, the events the pixel receives along with the associated data.
To run a test:
- Go to Settings > Customer events,
- Select the custom pixel you created earlier,
- Check that its status is Connected,
- Click Test,
- Browse your store and perform the actions you want to verify.
You can, for instance, view a product, add it to the cart and then start an order. Shopify Pixel Helper should display the matching events as you go. Note that this tool shows Shopify event names (checkout_started, payment_info_submitted, checkout_completed) rather than the GA4 names pushed to the dataLayer. Shopify recommends this tool for testing custom GTM pixels.
Check the dataLayer in the Shopify theme
To debug dataLayer events in the theme you can type dataLayer in your web console or use a browser extension.
The console should display an array containing the information and events pushed to the dataLayer. Perform several actions on your Shopify site to check that the expected events appear at the right moment and that they carry the data your tracking needs.
Check the dataLayer in the checkout, inside the sandbox
To view the dataLayer inside the sandbox, you have to open the web console within the custom pixel you created. To do so, click top in your web console.
A dropdown appears; select the frame named web-pixel-sandbox-CUSTOM-{id}-LAX and type dataLayer in the console. You then get access to the dataLayer specific to the sandboxed environment. Check that the checkout events, such as begin_checkout, add_payment_info or purchase, appear when you perform the matching actions.
Check that your tools actually receive the data
An event showing up in the dataLayer confirms that Shopify is sending the information, but it does not guarantee that the GTM tag fired, nor that the destination platform received the data.
To wrap up your checks:
- Verify tag firing on theme pages with Google Tag Manager’s Preview mode,
- Use Shopify Pixel Helper for the events running inside the custom pixel,
- Check that events are received in the relevant tools, such as DebugView for Google Analytics 4,
- Make sure no native integration or old tag is generating duplicate events.
Good to know
Google Tag Assistant does not detect tags loaded inside a Shopify custom pixel. For the checkout and the sandbox, you therefore have to rely on Shopify Pixel Helper and on the verification tools offered by the platforms receiving the data.
Your setup is now live and verified across the whole Shopify journey!
FAQ - Installing Google Tag Manager on Shopify
Does the new_customer field exist in the dataLayer?
Yes. The
Its availability depends on the event you are looking at and on the information Shopify sends. Check that it is present, and what value it holds, in the dataLayer at the time of the purchase event before relying on it in your setup.
new_customer field tells you whether the purchase was made by a new customer or by someone who had already ordered from the store. You can pick this information up in a GTM variable and use it to analyze acquisition performance or to fire tags based on customer status.Its availability depends on the event you are looking at and on the information Shopify sends. Check that it is present, and what value it holds, in the dataLayer at the time of the purchase event before relying on it in your setup.
Does the user data (email, phone number) exist in the dataLayer?
Yes, as soon as this information is available. It is therefore not necessarily present the moment a visitor lands on the store: it can appear once a logged-in customer is identified, or as the buyer fills in their details during checkout.
Email addresses and phone numbers are personal data. Collecting and sending them must respect user consent and the applicable regulation. In particular, they must not be sent directly to Google Analytics 4. For some advertising features, such as enhanced conversions for Google Ads, this data has to be used in the format and under the rules set by the platform.
Email addresses and phone numbers are personal data. Collecting and sending them must respect user consent and the applicable regulation. In particular, they must not be sent directly to Google Analytics 4. For some advertising features, such as enhanced conversions for Google Ads, this data has to be used in the format and under the rules set by the platform.
Can Google Tag Manager be installed on every Shopify plan?
Yes, Google Tag Manager can be installed on Shopify Basic, Grow, Advanced and Plus stores using a custom pixel. Installing it on the theme pages and tracking the checkout do not rely on the same setup, though.
The regular pages of the site can load GTM from the theme or from an app. The checkout and thank you page events, on the other hand, have to be collected from inside Shopify's sandboxed environment.
The regular pages of the site can load GTM from the theme or from an app. The checkout and thank you page events, on the other hand, have to be collected from inside Shopify's sandboxed environment.
Can Google Tag Manager be installed on Shopify without an app?
Yes, you can add the GTM code to your Shopify theme and create a custom pixel manually to listen to customer events. This approach does mean editing code, building the dataLayer yourself and maintaining the setup whenever Shopify changes its checkout.
An app such as Addingwell GTM & DataLayer simplifies the process by generating the e-commerce events and handling the GTM installation in both the theme and the sandbox.
An app such as Addingwell GTM & DataLayer simplifies the process by generating the e-commerce events and handling the GTM installation in both the theme and the sandbox.
Does Google Tag Manager replace Google Analytics 4?
No. Google Tag Manager is there to manage and fire your tracking tags, while Google Analytics 4 receives the events and turns them into the reports you use to analyze store performance.
The two tools are complementary. To understand how their roles differ, have a look at our dedicated article: the difference between Google Tag Manager and Google Analytics 4.
The two tools are complementary. To understand how their roles differ, have a look at our dedicated article: the difference between Google Tag Manager and Google Analytics 4.
How can I get help installing GTM on Shopify?
The setup gets technical quickly once you have to juggle the Shopify theme, the checkout, the dataLayer, your Google Analytics 4 or Google Ads tags and user consent.
If you need a hand, I can help as a freelance Google Tag Manager consultant to install, audit or improve your Shopify tracking. I check your setup and put in place tracking that fits your needs and the tools you use. Get in touch to talk about your store and your tracking needs!
If you need a hand, I can help as a freelance Google Tag Manager consultant to install, audit or improve your Shopify tracking. I check your setup and put in place tracking that fits your needs and the tools you use. Get in touch to talk about your store and your tracking needs!
Let's talk about your tracking
A question about this article, need an audit of your setup or server-side migration? Drop me a line, I reply within 24h.
