Short answer: as a starting point, yes - as a final document, no. Since October 8, 2026 Shopify can generate five store policies and keep them updated as your store settings change. But the templates are provided in English only, and responsibility for legal compliance stays with the merchant.
Here is what Shopify actually generates, how to turn it on, and what a store selling in a local EU language still has to do itself.
What are Shopify automated policies?
Shopify automated policies are a setting, available since October 8, 2026, that generates the text of a store policy and then keeps it updated according to your store settings. You enable it in the Shopify admin under Settings > Policies.
Until now policies were either written from scratch or inserted once as a template that you had to update by hand. The new setting makes that link live: change your shipping settings, for example, and the matching policy rewrites itself.
"Your automated policies stay up to date as your store settings change and in sync with Shopify's recommendations." - Shopify changelog, 2026-10-08
The same entry also states the limit clearly: "You remain responsible for your policies and your store's compliance with applicable laws." That is not a formality - this is exactly where the work for an EU merchant begins.
Which five policies does Shopify generate?
Shopify generates five policies: return and refund, contact information, terms of service, shipping, and legal notice. The privacy policy is handled by a separate mechanism that is on by default for new stores.
- Return and refund policy
- Contact information
- Terms of service
- Shipping policy
- Legal notice
The privacy policy, cookie banner and data sharing opt-out page are handled by automated privacy settings. New stores have them on from the start, older stores can switch them on, and every change is recorded in the store activity log.
How do you turn on an automated policy in the Shopify admin?
An automated policy is enabled under Settings > Policies: select the policy, turn on "Use automated policy" and save. A saved policy appears in the checkout footer on its own.
- In the Shopify admin, go to Settings > Policies.
- Select the policy you want to automate.
- Turn on "Use automated policy" and click Save.
- Add the policies to your store menu or footer - they appear in checkout automatically, but not on your storefront pages.
Each policy also has a direct address, for example /policies/refund-policy, so you can link to it from a product description or social media.
Which languages does Shopify provide policy text in?
Shopify policy templates are provided in English only, and only when checkout is set to English. Additional generators exist for French, Italian and Spanish. Most other EU languages, including Lithuanian, are not among them.
In its own documentation Shopify recommends writing your own policies for other languages and consulting a local legal expert. In practice this means a store selling in a local language can use the automated policy as a structure and content baseline, but still writes and registers the local text itself - through Translate & Adapt, or simply as the main policy text.
What an automated policy does not replace in the EU
An automated template follows Shopify's recommendations, not the requirements of a specific country. Policies written for an EU consumer have to reflect things a generic template does not know:
- The 14-day right of withdrawal. An EU consumer can return an item bought online without giving a reason, and the scope, exceptions and procedure have to be described precisely. We covered this in our article on the EU right of withdrawal in a Shopify store.
- Information in the local language. Consumers must receive information about products and sales terms in their own language, so an English template on its own does not meet the requirement.
- Merchant details. A legal notice has to include the company name, registration number and address, not just an email address.
- Dispute resolution. In Lithuania out-of-court consumer disputes are handled by the State Consumer Rights Protection Authority, and that information has to be available to the buyer.
What to do in an EU store
- Save your current text before switching anything on. If your policies have already been written and reviewed by a lawyer, copy them into a separate file first.
- Turn automated policies on where you have none yet. For a new store, or a store opening in a new market, this saves several days - you get a full structure instead of an empty field.
- Write or adapt the local text yourself and check the return windows, shipping times and company details against what the store actually does.
- Check each market's requirements separately when you expand. This is part of the work we do in market expansion projects.
Frequently asked questions
Since when have Shopify automated policies been available?
Shopify announced them on October 8, 2026. The setting is in the Shopify admin under Settings > Policies, separately for each policy.
Will turning the setting on overwrite my current policy text?
Once "Use automated policy" is on, Shopify manages that policy's content. Save your edited text separately first, and only then experiment with the setting.
Can Sidekick fill in the policies for me?
Sidekick can insert a policy template and fill in its placeholders, but it does not change your privacy policy or any policy that has "Use automated policy" turned on.
Can automated policies be translated into another language?
Shopify generates the text in English and does not translate it for you. The local version has to be written and registered through Translate & Adapt, or kept as the main policy text.
If you are expanding into a new market and want policies, shipping terms and return rules to match local requirements from day one - get in touch and we will review your store settings together.
