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Test on a live store safely

Testing mode hides Account Editor from everyone except a short list of customers you choose. Turn it on under Settings → General. You can then place real orders and try the whole flow on your live store, while ordinary customers see nothing.

What this does

Most Shopify stores have no staging copy. Testing a post-purchase flow properly means placing a real order, and that usually means doing it in public.

Testing mode gives you a private trial run on the real store.

Turn it on

Go to Settings → General.
Find Testing mode and turn it on.
Search for the customers who should see the app, by name or email.
Add yourself and anyone testing with you.
Select Save.

You must select at least one customer. Testing mode will not save with an empty list — with nobody selected, the app would be hidden from everyone including you.

What it covers

While testing mode is on, only your selected customers see Account Editor on:

The checkout page
The Thank you page
The Order status page
Post-purchase offers

Everyone else sees a normal Shopify order, exactly as before.

Turn it off when you go live

This is the step people forget.

Testing mode looks like a broken installation. Every setting is right, the app blocks are placed, and no customer can see anything — because they are not on the list.

If customers say the app is not working, check testing mode first.

Good to know

It is a save-bar setting. Flipping the toggle is not enough. You have to select Save.

Use it before every big change. Turning on a new feature, or changing what customers may edit, is worth a trial run first.

It is not a substitute for preview. Preview shows the page instantly, with no order needed. Testing mode is for the full flow — real order, real hold, real refund.

Add every tester. Anyone not on the list sees nothing, including colleagues.

Troubleshooting

Nobody can see the app — Why: Testing mode is on and they are not listed — Fix: Add them, or turn it off
Testing mode will not save — Why: No customers selected — Fix: Add at least one
You cannot see it yourself — Why: You are not on the list — Fix: Add your own customer record
It works for you, not for a colleague — Why: They are not on the list — Fix: Add them
Customers report it stopped working — Why: Testing mode was left on — Fix: Turn it off
Changes did not take effect — Why: The save bar was not used — Fix: Select Save

FAQ

Does testing mode stop orders being processed?

No. Orders go through normally. It only controls who sees Account Editor's options.

Can I test with a real customer?

Yes, if they agree. Add their customer record to the list.

What happens to customers not on the list?

They see a normal Shopify order page, as if the app were not installed.

Is this the same as preview?

No. Preview shows the page without an order. Testing mode lets you run the whole flow for real, privately.

I turned it off and customers still cannot see anything. Why?

Check the app block is on the page. That is the other common cause — see Customers can't see the edit option.

Updated on: 21/08/2026

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