If you are wondering how to add llms.txt to Shopify, the good news is that Shopify has already made a start for you. It now generates a default llms.txt file for every store, viewable at yourdomain.com/llms.txt. Open it, though, and you will quickly see the catch. The file leans heavily on Shopify’s own ecosystem and gives little weight to what actually makes your store worth recommending. It ends up reading like Shopify’s pitch rather than yours.
As more shoppers turn to AI tools like ChatGPT and Perplexity to discover products, customizing that llms.txt file, or building your own, becomes essential. This is because only a detailed, well-structured llms.txt gives these tools a clear picture of what you sell and a reason to recommend you.
And to help you out with the entire llms.txt generation process and adding it to your store, we have put together this blog.
Table of Contents
What Is an LLMs.txt File?
An llms.txt file is a markdown document that sits at the root of your domain and tells AI tools what your store sells and where to find the pages that matter. It works the way robots.txt works for search engines, except it is built for large language models like ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, and Perplexity.
These tools check for the file during their crawl cycles. A clean, curated file gives them a clear map of your store, which raises the chance they cite your products and recommend your pages instead of skipping past them.
Why the Default Shopify LLMs.txt File Falls Short
The auto-generated file is functional, but it is built to serve Shopify more than your store. A few things hold it back:
- It leads with Shopify, not you. The file recommends the Shop app, points to Shopify’s developer tools, and links out to pages for starting a new Shopify store. In some cases, this appears before your products do, so an AI tool meets Shopify’s pitch first and your catalog second.
- It wastes space on developer links. The block of links aimed at agents and developers carries no value for a merchant trying to win AI visibility, and it takes up room that your actual products could occupy.
- It skips your most important pages. The default does not prioritize your top collections, key product pages, FAQ page, or policy pages.
- It lacks context. The file rarely includes the short descriptions that tell an AI tool what each page is actually about.
The result is a thin map that points more toward the platform than your storefront. Replacing the file lets you decide which pages AI tools read first, in what order, and with what context.
One thing to know before you start. Older guides suggest customizing the file through a Cloudflare Worker or a Files Plus redirect setup. Those proxy and redirect workarounds no longer work because Shopify now serves this route natively at the platform level.
The theme template method below is the current way to override the content.
How to Add a Custom LLMs.txt File to Your Shopify Store
Customizing the file takes two parts. First, you generate the content, then you add it to your theme as a Liquid template.
Step 1: Generate Your LLMs.txt Content
Start with the AdNabu free LLMs.txt Generator. Paste your store URL into the input field and click Generate llms.txt.
The tool detects your platform, pulls products, collections, pages, and blog posts directly from Shopify’s APIs, and outputs a clean markdown file in seconds. No signup is required.
Open the downloaded file and trim it to taste. Delete any lines you do not want surfaced, such as out-of-stock products or thank-you pages. Then copy the content you want to publish.
Step 2: Open Your Theme and Go to Edit Code
In your Shopify admin, head to Online Store, then Edit Theme.
Click the three dots next to your live theme and select Edit code. Wait for the code editor to load all your theme files.
Step 3: Create a New Template File
In the Templates folder, click Add a new template and choose to create a template file. Name it llms.txt.liquid.
| Important: The .liquid extension is essential. If you save the file as plain llms.txt, it will not work. The name must end in .liquid for Shopify to serve it correctly. |
Step 4: Paste Your Content and Save
Paste the content you copied from the generator into the new file. Click Save. Your custom llms.txt is now live.
Step 5: Verify the File Is Live
Visit yourdomain.com/llms.txt in your browser. The page should now display your custom content instead of the Shopify default.
Bonus: Prefer to follow along and learn how to add LLMs.txt to your Shopify store? Watch our YouTube video.
What to Include in Your LLMs.txt File
A strong file is curated, not exhaustive. Here is what to put in it:
- Lead with a brand description. Start with a short summary of who you are and what you sell, so AI tools understand your store at a glance.
- Group entries into clear sections. Organize the file under headings such as Products, Collections, Pages, and Blog Posts.
- Add a one-line summary to each item. List every entry as a linked title with a short description, since AI tools rely on these to match user queries to your pages.
- Keep it focused. For large catalogs, point to your top collections and recent posts rather than every SKU.
- Refresh it regularly. Update the file after major catalog changes so AI tools stay current with your inventory.
You have just made your Shopify store discoverable and readable to AI LLM models and tools. Now make it unmissable for search engines too.
AdNabu's XML and HTML Sitemap app automatically generates sitemaps for Google and Bing for free!
Conclusion
A custom llms.txt file turns a generic Shopify default into a curated entry point built around your store. With AI search shaping how shoppers discover products, that control is worth claiming early. Generate your file, add it through your theme, and confirm it is live.
Good luck.
FAQs
1. What is the URL of my Shopify llms.txt file?
Your file is available at yourdomain.com/llms.txt. Replace yourdomain.com with your actual store URL.
2. Is editing the default llms.txt file officially supported by Shopify?
Not yet. Currently, Shopify has not published documentation for editing the file, and the feature appears to still be in testing. The Liquid template method works, but behavior may change as Shopify finalizes the rollout, so check your file periodically.
3. Will AI tools read my llms.txt file once it is live?
ChatGPT, Claude, and Perplexity check for the file during their crawl cycles. Adoption is still rolling out, so expect citations to build over time rather than overnight.
4. Do I need a separate llms.txt file for international or subdomain stores?
Yes. Each subdomain and regional storefront needs its own file at its own root, since URLs, currency, and inventory differ between them.
