Shopify Private App Setup
🛍️ Shopify Private App Setup
Follow these steps to create a private app in your Shopify store and get the API credentials needed for the referral system.
1. Access Private Apps in Shopify Admin
- Log into your Shopify Admin dashboard
- Go to Settings (bottom left)
- Click on Apps and sales channels
- Click Develop apps at the bottom
- If this is your first time, click Allow custom app development
Note: You must be the store owner or have the “Develop apps” permission to create private apps.
2. Create Your Private App
- Click Create an app
- Enter an app name:
referal app - Enter your email as the App developer
- Click Create app
3. Configure API Permissions
Click on Configure Admin API scopes and enable these permissions:
✅ Required Permissions
| Scope | Description |
|---|---|
read_discounts | View discount codes |
write_discounts | Create discount codes |
read_orders | Track referral purchases |
read_products | Access product information |
⚙️ Optional (for advanced features)
| Scope | Description |
|---|---|
read_customers | Customer analytics |
write_script_tags | Tracking scripts |
Important: Only grant the minimum permissions needed. You can always add more later if required.
4. Install App and Get API Credentials
- Click Save to save your API permissions
- Click Install app (top right)
- Review the permissions and click Install
- You’ll now see the Admin API access token
- Click Reveal token once and copy it immediately
The API token will only be shown once.
Store it securely and never share it publicly.
If you lose it, you’ll need to uninstall and reinstall the app.
5. Configure in Referral System
- Return to your Referral System Admin Panel
- Go to Shopify Configuration
- Enter your store URL (e.g.
your-store.myshopify.com) - Paste the Admin API access token
- Test the connection to verify everything works
🎉 You’re all set! Your referral system can now create discount codes and track purchases.
Troubleshooting
Can't find "Develop apps"?
You need to be the store owner or have developer permissions. Contact your store owner to enable custom app development.
API calls failing?
Check that you've granted the correct permissions and that your store URL is in the format your-store.myshopify.com (without https://).
Lost your API token?
You'll need to uninstall the app and reinstall it to generate a new token. The old token will be invalidated.