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How to Set up Your PayPal Express Checkout With Shopify

Shopify sellers can set up and integrate PayPal Express Checkout on their Shopify store in minutes by following a few simple steps.

By Brody Hall

Edited by Davor Štefanović

Updated April 27, 2023

PayPal is a default Shopify payment gateway. When you sign up for and create a Shopify account, a PayPal Express Checkout will automatically be created using the email address provided when creating your Shopify account. 
Although many people choose to use this PayPal Express Checkout option, you also have the choice of creating a new PayPal account, or simply adding your Shopify email address to an existing PayPal account. 
Setting up your PayPal Express Checkout to accept payments on your Shopify store is easy and can be completed in just a few minutes by following these steps:
Log in to your Shopify admin panel.
Click on the "Settings Tog" in the far left corner.
Click on the "Payments" button.
Go to the PayPal section.
Click on the PayPal Express Checkout within the PayPal module.
Select the "Activate" button.
You will then be directed to a PayPal login page, where you will need to log in to your PayPal account and click the "I Give Permission" button.
Click the "Back to Shopify" option to return to your Shopify admin panel.
Under the "Payment Authorization" section, select the "Automatically capture payments for orders (Immediate Sale)" and "Manually capture payment for orders (Authorize only)" options.
You can then click "Save" to complete the process.
» For PayPal alternatives, check out this list of the best buy now pay later apps﻿
Using your personal PayPal account to collect payments on your Shopify storeFor regulatory reasons, you can only integrate a Business PayPal account with your Shopify store in order to collect payments. Since your Shopify store is a business, it would create complications if Shopify or PayPal allowed you to use a personal account to receive business-related transactions. 
However, you can upgrade your personal account to a business account, so you don't necessarily need to open a new PayPal account.