Last Updated on by Dan S
Originally Published July 8, 2021.
As a Shopify merchant, you’re always looking for ways to streamline your online store, making it both appealing and functional for your customers. But what happens when certain product variants are temporarily unavailable, or you want to test the waters with a new item without fully committing?
Deleting these variants might seem like a drastic step, especially when you anticipate bringing them back or adjusting their visibility based on customer feedback.
In this guide, we’ll show you the process of hiding product variants in your Shopify store without the need to delete them.
Whether you’re dealing with seasonal items, exclusive releases, or simply want to clean up your store’s look, we’ve got you covered.
Let’s dive in and discover how to keep your Shopify store versatile and customer-friendly.
Hiding selective product variants from a lineup instead of deleting them
This scenario prompts a need for flexibility in how products are displayed. Rather than permanently removing variants that are temporarily unavailable, savvy merchants are seeking methods to hide these items—effectively putting them in the background until they can be restocked.
The goal is clear: maintain an efficient, user-friendly shopping experience without the hassle of deleting and later reinstating products.
Here are three effective ways to hide selective product variants:
Method 1: Using Shopify Natively
Go to the Admin of your store and follow these steps:
- Go to Products > Edit. Open the variant edit page
- Scroll down to the Variants section and click on the variant you want to hide
- Select “Track Quantity” in the Inventory Section
- Uncheck the “Continue selling when out of stock” tab
- Set “Available” to 0 under Quantity (appears after Tracking quantity)
- Click Save
This method is straightforward and doesn’t require any coding knowledge. However, it only works for hiding out-of-stock variants and is theme-dependent—some themes may disable these options instead of hiding them completely.
Method 2: Use Shopify Flow (for Advanced Plans)
Shopify Flow is now available to all Shopify merchants on Basic, Shopify, Advanced, and Plus plans. This automation tool lets you automatically hide and unhide variants based on inventory levels.
To use Shopify Flow:
- Install Shopify Flow from the Shopify App Store (if not already available)
- Browse the template library and select “Publish and unpublish products based on inventory level”
- Customize the workflow to match your inventory needs
- Activate the workflow
The main advantage is automation and customization. However, one downside is that if you hide a product, visitors may encounter 404 errors if they try to access the product page directly.
Method 3: Use a Third-Party App
There are several third-party applications that provide you with the opportunity to hide products and variants that are out of stock. These apps offer more flexibility, automation, and theme compatibility compared to native methods.
Popular options in 2025 include:
- Nada: Sort & Hide Out-of-Stock – Automatically hides sold-out products and creates SEO-friendly redirects
- Push Down & Hide Out of Stock – Moves out-of-stock items to the bottom of collections or hides them completely
- Out-of-Stock Police (StockIQ) – Pushes down or hides out-of-stock products with customizable visibility rules
- Camouflage: Hide Sold Variants – Specifically designed for hiding product variants based on various conditions
These apps typically offer features like real-time inventory tracking, automatic republishing when items are back in stock, bulk editing capabilities, and email alerts for low-stock items. Many offer free plans for stores with limited products and paid plans starting around $4.99-$6.99 per month.
Important Considerations
When hiding variants, keep in mind:
- Hidden variants remain in your admin – You can still manage inventory, edit details, or make them visible again at any time
- SEO implications – Hidden variants won’t be indexed by search engines, but they remain in your store’s database for future reactivation
- Theme compatibility – Some themes may handle hidden variants differently, so always test before implementing
- Customer experience – Hiding unavailable options creates a cleaner, more intuitive shopping interface and can improve conversion rates
