Set a return window in Shopify
The return window is the number of days after delivery during which a customer can ask for a return. This tutorial sets a 30-day window and works out the last day for three delivery dates.
Written · Shopify admin, desktop steps · 5 minutes read
The worked example
| Window | 30 days |
| Delivered 12 November, 30 days | Last day 12 December 2026 |
| Delivered 12 November, 14 days | Last day 26 November 2026 |
| Delivered 12 November, 90 days | Last day 10 February 2027 |
Download the calendar: return-window-calendar.csv (106 bytes).
A calendar of last return days for three windows, all from a 12 November 2026 delivery. It is a record, not an import file.
1Open your return rules
From your Shopify admin, go to Settings, then Policies. In the Return rules section, click Manage.
2Set the window
In the Return window section, select a preset return window, or enter a custom number of days. This tutorial uses 30 days.
3Work out the last day
The window counts calendar days from delivery. A parcel delivered 12 November 2026 has its last return day on 12 December 2026, which is 30 days later.
4Set a different window per market when needed
You can set a default set of return and cancellation rules for your store, and you can also create additional rules that apply to specific markets, so that customers in different markets can have different return conditions.
5Save and check it on an order
Save the rules. Open a delivered order and confirm the return is offered inside the window: customers can submit requests only for items that are eligible under the rules you set up.
The arithmetic
The last day is the delivery date plus the window. All three rows start from the same delivery date, 12 November 2026.
| Window | Delivered | Last day |
|---|---|---|
| 14 days | 12 November 2026 | 26 November 2026 |
| 30 days | 12 November 2026 | 12 December 2026 |
| 90 days | 12 November 2026 | 10 February 2027 |
12 November plus 14 days is 26 November. 12 November plus 30 days is 12 December. 12 November plus 90 days is 10 February 2027.
Held at the counter
The window counts from delivery, not from the order date. An order placed 1 November and delivered 12 November has its window from 12 November. Quoting the order date gives the customer the wrong deadline.
Presets are a starting point, not the only choices. You can select a preset return window or enter a custom number of days. A 21-day or 45-day window is allowed if it fits your store.
Market rules can override the default window. Additional rules for specific markets can set different conditions, so check the market rule before you tell an international customer their deadline.
Sources
- Setting up return and cancellation rules — Shopify's help pages: the return window, the return shipping costs choice, the restocking fee, and the self-serve switch (consulted via the help pages' search results on 11 November 2026).