When your Shopify store suddenly stops loading, shows a security warning, or the domain redirects incorrectly, the panic sets in fast. But before assuming Shopify is down, you need to ask a critical question:
Is Shopify actually experiencing an outage, or is your domain facing a DNS issue?
The difference is huge — and knowing which one you’re dealing with can save your revenue, your ads budget, and your customer trust.
This quick guide gives you a fast, accurate way to diagnose the problem within minutes.
🛑 First: Understand the Difference (It Really Matters)
If Shopify is down:
-
ALL stores may be affected
-
Storefronts, checkout, admin, or apps may stop working
-
The engineers fix it — you cannot
If DNS is the issue:
-
It’s ONLY your store that’s affected
-
Your domain may not resolve correctly
-
You must fix domain settings with your DNS provider (GoDaddy, Namecheap, Cloudflare, etc.)
Knowing which problem you’re facing determines whether you wait — or take action immediately.
🚦 Step 1: Check Shopify’s Official Status Page
Visit: https://www.shopifystatus.com/
If any of the following show outages or degraded performance, Shopify may be the problem:
-
Storefront services
-
Checkout
-
Payments
-
Admin dashboard
If everything is green, move to DNS diagnostics.
🌐 Step 2: Test Your Store Using the myshopify.com Domain
Every Shopify store has a backup URL:
yourstorename.myshopify.com
Try loading this version of your site.
-
If the myshopify.com URL works but your custom domain does NOT → DNS problem.
-
If both don’t load → Likely a Shopify outage.
This is one of the fastest ways to confirm the issue.
🧪 Step 3: Use DNS Lookup Tools
Visit any DNS checker tool like:
-
dnschecker.org
-
whatsmydns.net
-
MXToolbox DNS Lookup
Enter your domain and check:
-
A record points to Shopify’s IP:
23.227.38.65 -
CNAME (www) points to:
shops.myshopify.com
If these are missing, incorrect, or still “propagating,” your DNS is causing the outage.
🔄 Step 4: Try Accessing the Store on Multiple Devices
Check your store on:
-
Desktop vs. mobile
-
WiFi vs. mobile data
-
Different browsers or incognito mode
If it loads for you but not for others (or vice versa), DNS propagation may be incomplete.
🛠️ Step 5: Review Recent Domain or DNS Changes
Did you recently:
-
Change your domain registrar?
-
Update DNS settings?
-
Move from GoDaddy to Cloudflare?
-
Add or remove A or CNAME records?
DNS changes take time to propagate (from 5 minutes to 48 hours). Even a minor mistake in records can bring your store down.
🚫 Step 6: Check for SSL Certificate Issues
If you see errors like:
-
“Your connection is not private”
-
“SSL certificate missing”
-
“Site not secure”
This is almost always a DNS or domain configuration problem — not a Shopify outage.
Shopify automatically handles SSL, but incorrect DNS breaks the certificate.
🎯 Quick Summary: How to Tell Instantly
| Sign | Likely Cause |
|---|---|
| All Shopify stores seem affected | Shopify outage |
| myshopify.com URL works but your domain doesn’t | DNS issue |
| SSL/security warnings appear | DNS or domain misconfiguration |
| DNS records not pointing to Shopify | DNS issue |
| Checkout/admin down everywhere | Shopify outage |
🔍 FAQs
1. How long does DNS propagation take?
Anywhere from 5 minutes to 48 hours, depending on your DNS host.
2. Can DNS issues affect only some customers?
Yes. DNS changes propagate region-by-region, so some visitors may see your site while others cannot.
3. Should I contact Shopify support for DNS problems?
Shopify can guide you, but DNS must be corrected at your domain provider.
4. If Shopify is down, what should I do?
Pause ads, notify customers, and wait for Shopify to restore service.
✅ Conclusion: Diagnose Smarter, Fix Faster
When your store goes offline, identifying whether it’s a Shopify outage or a DNS error helps you take the right action immediately.
If it’s Shopify, stay calm — engineers are fixing it.
If it’s DNS, act quickly — misconfigurations can cost you sales and credibility.
With the steps above, you can pinpoint the problem in minutes and stay ahead of potential revenue loss.
Want the most reliable eCommerce platform with industry-leading uptime?
Even with occasional issues, Shopify remains the top choice for building, scaling, and securing online stores.
