Bulk Update Product Status in Shopify via Bulk Editor
Stop toggling products one by one. Set products active or draft in bulk across your entire catalog.
Explore the AppWhat this feature does
Set product status to active or draft across selected products
- Bulk publish products by setting status to active.
- Bulk unpublish products by setting status to draft.
- Run the update on any filtered or selected set of products.
- Preview changes before applying them as a one-time bulk action.
When to use it
Common situations where status changes happen in bulk
- You’re launching a new collection and need to publish a prepared set of products.
- You’re pausing products that are not ready for sale, seasonal, or temporarily unavailable.
- You imported products and want to keep them draft until copy and images are finalized.
- You need to quickly remove items from the storefront without deleting products.
STEPS
How bulk product status updates work
Select products to update
Use filters or selections to define which products should change status.
Choose the target status
Set status to active to publish, or draft to unpublish.
Preview the change
Review which products are in scope and confirm the new status is correct.
Apply the bulk update
Run the action once to update product status in Shopify for the selected set.
COMMON WORKFLOWS
Ways teams use bulk status control
Three workflows that keep product publishing aligned with your operations.
Launch control
Keep products in draft while you prepare content, then publish the full set together.
Seasonal visibility
Unpublish seasonal items after the period ends, then republish them when the season returns.
Catalog cleanup
Move outdated or incomplete products to draft without deleting anything or breaking data.
Bulk Action vs Automation Rules
Bulk Action (Manual Run)
- Run it once to publish or unpublish a defined product set.
- Preview the product list and confirm status before applying.
- Best for launches, cleanups, and planned catalog updates.
- Results stay until you change status again later.
Automation Rule (Runs When Data Changes)
- Use when you want status changes to happen based on conditions.
- Preview the rule output before enabling it in production.
- Best for ongoing governance (example: draft when inventory is zero).
- Results update again as products change later.
Frequently asked questions
Common questions about bulk updating product status in Shopify.
Can I bulk update status for only a subset of products?keyboard_arrow_down
Yes. Filter or select the products you want, then apply the status change only to that set. This keeps updates scoped and predictable.
What’s the difference between active and draft in Shopify?keyboard_arrow_down
Active products are published and can be visible on the storefront (depending on sales channel settings). Draft products are not published to the storefront.
Can I publish products in bulk after an import?keyboard_arrow_down
Yes. Many teams keep imported products in draft while they clean up data, then publish the ready set in one bulk action.
Will this affect product availability on sales channels?keyboard_arrow_down
Status controls whether a product is published. Channel availability may also depend on your Shopify channel settings. Preview and validate after applying.
Can I revert the change if I publish the wrong products?keyboard_arrow_down
Yes. Run another bulk status update to set those products back to draft (or active). For safety, always preview the scope before applying.
Does this change inventory, pricing, or other product fields?keyboard_arrow_down
No. This feature changes product status. Inventory, pricing, tags, and descriptions are separate fields and require their own edits.
How do I safely unpublish a large group of products?keyboard_arrow_down
Work in batches, preview scope carefully, and apply changes in stages if the impact is large. This reduces the risk of unpublishing unintended items.
Can I schedule status changes using this feature?keyboard_arrow_down
This feature is a user-initiated bulk action. If you need status changes to happen automatically based on conditions, use an automation rule.
Should I use a bulk action or an automation rule for status control?keyboard_arrow_down
Use a bulk action for planned changes and one-time updates. Use an automation rule when you want status to update repeatedly as product data changes.
Explore Shopify Bulk Editor
Publish or unpublish products in bulk with preview and controlled scope.