Password page

What visitors see while the store is password-protected. It uses the Password page section, which can carry a countdown to launch and an email signup, so the wait can collect an audience rather than just block one.

Turn password protection on and off under Shopify admin > Online Store > Preferences, at the bottom.

Section settings

Color scheme. Default: scheme-1.

Branding

Show logo. Uses the logo from Logo. Default: on. With no logo uploaded it falls back to the shop name.

Content

Heading. Default: Opening soon.
Message. Default: We're putting the finishing touches on something new. Enter the password below for early access. A message you write in Shopify admin > Online Store > Preferences, under the password page settings, takes precedence over this one; this text only shows while that admin field is empty.

Countdown

Launch date. Format: YYYY-MM-DD, for example 2026-06-01. Leave blank to hide the countdown.
Launch time. Format: HH:MM in 24-hour time, for example 09:00. Used together with the date and timezone. Default: 00:00.
Timezone. The timezone the launch date and time are read in. Default: UTC. The list covers major zones from Auckland (NZST/NZDT) to Los Angeles (PST/PDT), São Paulo (BRT) and Buenos Aires (ART).

Show email signup form. Default: off.
Signup prompt text. Default: Be the first to know when we launch. Shown when the signup form is on.

Background

Background image. 1920 x 1080px recommended. A gradient overlay is applied automatically.

The password itself

Set under Shopify admin > Online Store > Preferences, not in the theme. The page always shows the entry field; these settings control everything around it.

Where signups go

Addresses collected here land in Shopify admin > Customers as subscribers to email marketing, tagged password-page so you can find the pre-launch list later. It is the same place the Newsletter section sends them. A pre-launch list is usually the most valuable one a store ever builds, so it is worth turning the form on even for a short closed period.

Tips

Set the timezone. It defaults to UTC, which is the wrong local hour almost everywhere. A countdown that hits zero at the wrong time is worse than none.
Turn the countdown off unless the date is firm. A countdown that expires with the store still closed reads badly.
Check which message is live. If the admin’s password page message is filled in, it is the one visitors read, whatever the theme editor shows in Message.
Use one strong image. This page is one screen with no scrolling; it is the whole first impression.
Preview it while logged out. Signed in to your admin you bypass the password, so use a private window to see what visitors see.