How to Add a Withdrawal Button to Shopify for Free: Step-by-Step Guide

From 19 June 2026, online shops selling to consumers in the EU need a withdrawal button (Directive (EU) 2023/2673, in Germany § 356a BGB). Many store owners know this but aren't sure how to set it up technically. The setup below uses free tools from the Shopify App Store and works without a paid app or a developer.

Prerequisites & tools required

You need access to your Shopify admin and three free apps from the Shopify App Store.

The first setup takes around 30 to 45 minutes.

Step 1: Install Shopify Forms

Install Shopify Forms from the App Store

• Go to the Shopify App Store and install Shopify Forms.
• After installation, open the app and click Create form.
• Choose Inline form.
• Give it a name, e.g. Withdrawal Form

Step 2: Create the withdrawal form

Configure fields, settings and success message

• Add these required fields: First Name, Last Name, Email, Order Number
• For Order Number: single-line text field, required, hint text: "Please include the # sign"
• Don't add any further fields, such as a reason for withdrawal. § 356a BGB only allows name, contract details and an electronic contact.
• Make sure the form is not a newsletter form; marketing must be disabled
• Set a success message, e.g.: "Your withdrawal request has been submitted. We will send you a confirmation by email."
• Enable the option to receive a notification when the form is submitted
• Save and activate the form

Step 3: Create a new page for the withdrawal form

Create the page in Shopify

• Go to Online Store → Pages → Add Page
• Page title: e.g. Withdrawal Form
• URL: /pages/withdrawal-form
• Set the page to visible
• Fill in the metadata cleanly (page title + description)
• Don't assign a template yet; that happens in Step 4

Step 4: Create a custom page template in your theme

Create a template and embed the form

• Go to Online Store → Themes → Customise
• In the Theme Editor, open page templates and create a new template based on the default page, e.g. page.withdrawal-form
• Make sure you're editing the new template (not the default page)
• Add a text or rich text block and set the page heading as H1: Withdrawal Form
• Add an app block: Apps → Shopify Forms
• Enter the Form ID from Step 2
• Adjust colours, spacing and styling to match your theme
• Save the template

Then go back to the page from Step 3 and assign the new template: scroll down to Template and select the new page template, then save.

Step 5: Set up the confirmation email

Customers must receive an acknowledgement of their withdrawal without undue delay. This runs through Shopify Flow and Flow Mail.

Install Shopify Flow & Flow Mail

• Install both apps from the App Store: Shopify Flow and Flow Mail
• In Flow Mail: enable email sending, customise branding (logo, colours, sender address)

Create a workflow in Shopify Flow

• Open Shopify Flow → Create workflow
• Set the trigger: Metaobject Entry Created
• Select the metaobject type matching your withdrawal form

Shopify Forms saves submissions as metaobjects. Each submission creates a new metaobject entry, which starts your workflow automatically.

Create the confirmation email

• As the action select: Send transactional email by Flow Mail
• Recipient: insert the email address from the form using a variable; the email goes directly to the customer
• Email content: confirmation of receipt, the content of the withdrawal (name, order number), the date and time of receipt, next steps, contact option for questions
• Include your legal notice and relevant policy information
• Name the workflow, e.g.: Withdrawal Confirmation
• Activate the workflow

Step 6: Test everything

Run a full test before going live

• Fill out the withdrawal form yourself and submit it
• Does your internal notification arrive?
• Is the metaobject entry created in Shopify?
• Is the automatic confirmation email sent to the submitted address, with the content of the withdrawal and the date and time?
• Does the form page display correctly on the frontend?
• Are all required fields properly marked as required?

Only make the withdrawal button publicly visible once everything works correctly.

Step 7: Place the withdrawal button visibly in your store

Customers need to find the button easily, so a link buried in your terms won't do. Place it in at least two locations.

Create a menu item

• Go to Content → Menus
• Add a new menu item linking to /pages/withdrawal-form
• Label: for German stores Vertrag widerrufen, in English Withdraw from contract here, or an equivalent unambiguous wording. Vague labels like Right of withdrawal are not a clear call to action.
• Verify the correct wording with your legal advisor

Add to the footer

• Add the menu item to your footer navigation
• If your theme supports a button block in the footer: embed it directly as a button
• If not: add the menu item and style it as a button using CSS (clear background, clearly clickable, stands out from regular footer links)
• After saving, check the frontend: is the button visible and clickable?

Add to the customer account

• If customer accounts are enabled: go to Content → Menus and add a menu item linking to the withdrawal form page
• Customers will find the button directly after logging in

Step 8: Update your withdrawal policy

Add a note to your Shopify policies

• Go to Settings → Policies
• In your Refund/Withdrawal Policy, add a note that customers can also submit their withdrawal via the withdrawal button or form
• Include a direct link to the form page in the text

That way your legal documents point customers to the form as well.

Summary

The eight steps in short:

1. Install Shopify Forms and create the form
2. Configure fields, disable marketing, set a success message
3. Create a new page for the form
4. Create a custom template in your theme, embed the form
5. Set up Shopify Flow + Flow Mail, automate the confirmation email
6. Test the full process end-to-end
7. Place the withdrawal button visibly in footer and customer account
8. Update your withdrawal policy to reference the form

The setup has no ongoing app costs and needs no developer. If you prefer a ready-made app with a confirmation step, EasyWiderruf (widerruf.app) is one option.