Last Updated on by Dan S
Originally Published January 26, 2022.

If the tracking number on your Shopify site does not redirect the customer to the tracking page, they’ll get no information about where their order is or how they can track it. With this, you might want to change the tracking link so that the customer gets live updates from the shipping carrier. This can help reduce customer service inquiries and improve customer satisfaction.

Add tracking number before fulfilling an order

When you add a tracking number before the order is fulfilled, the customer will find it in the shipping confirmation email they receive from your online store. Here’s how you can add it:

  • Go to Orders in your Shopify admin
  • Select Orders and choose the order you want to add the tracking number for. The status should be unfulfilled or partially fulfilled
  • Go to Unfulfilled and select Fulfill item(s)
  • Go to Tracking Information and enter the tracking number given to you by the shipment carrier
  • Shopify will automatically recognize many tracking number formats and select the shipping carrier for you
  • If your shipping carrier is not supported by Shopify, use the Custom Carrier option and enter the complete tracking URL in the Tracking URL field
  • Select Fulfill item(s) to complete the process

Post-fulfillment updates

Shopify allows you to add or edit tracking numbers even after an order has been fulfilled. Follow these steps to make changes post-fulfillment:

  • Go to the order in the Orders section of Shopify admin
  • Click on the fulfillment card and choose Edit Tracking
  • Update the tracking number or carrier, then check the option to notify the customer and click Save

Better carrier integration

Shopify now supports automated carrier recognition for over 1,100 global shipping providers. If your carrier is supported, Shopify will automatically detect it when you add the tracking number. For unsupported carriers, Shopify has introduced a Custom Carrier field. In the tracking entry screen, simply paste in the direct tracking URL from your shipping provider. For example: https://www.yourstorename.com/pages/tracking-order

Bulk tracking number management

Managing a high volume of orders? Shopify offers bulk tracking updates via CSV import. Here’s how to use this feature:

  • Go to Orders > Import in your Shopify admin
  • Download the CSV template and fill in the necessary order and tracking details
  • Upload the completed file and confirm import

You can also automate this process using third-party tools like the Firebear Import & Export Tool to sync tracking numbers from your fulfillment provider.

How to include a link to tracking information in your Shopify notification email

No tracking information included in your email at all? Read on. Perhaps you have outdated or customized transactional emails which don’t include tracking information. If this is the case, you can use Shopify’s email editor to update your templates.

Use the email editor to add tracking info

You can customize your shipping confirmation template through Shopify’s notification settings. Here’s how:

  1. From your Shopify admin, go to Settings > Notifications
  2. Search for the ‘Shipping confirmation’ or ‘Shipping Update’ template and click to edit it
  3. Click Edit code to customize the template
  4. Important: Preserve any {{ liquid_variables }} like {{ tracking_url }} in the editor to ensure proper function
  5. Click Save when you’re done with your changes

The code

You can include the tracking link manually using this code snippet in your notification templates:

{% for tracking_url in fulfillment.tracking_urls %}

<a href="{{ tracking_url | escape }}" class="button__text">Track Your Package</a>

{% endfor %}

Pro tip: Send yourself a test email

As far as the vast majority of merchants are concerned, they want their services to be flawless from the very first delivery. Therefore, it is a wise decision to test out the newly updated transactional email first. You can:

  • Click “Preview” in the Notifications editor to see your changes
  • Click Send test email to send it to your admin email address
  • Test the tracking links to ensure they work properly

Third-Party App Integration

To take tracking to the next level, Shopify merchants are increasingly using third-party apps that offer automation and visibility. Here are the top tools for 2025:

  • AfterShip – Automated tracking and branded tracking pages with support for 1,100+ carriers

  • ParcelPanel – Real-time tracking with smart dropshipping integrations and support for 900+ carriers

  • Tracktor – Self-serve order lookup portal and webhook automation

You can create automations using Shopify Flow to trigger tracking updates based on fulfillment or carrier status changes.

Best Practices for Order Tracking

  • Always add tracking numbers as soon as they become available to keep customers informed
  • Use Shopify’s automatic carrier recognition to ensure tracking links work properly
  • Customize your notification emails to match your brand identity
  • Consider using third-party tracking apps for enhanced features like branded tracking pages and proactive delivery notifications
  • Test your tracking emails regularly to ensure all links and variables are working correctly