What is Address Autocomplete?
Address Autocomplete helps customers enter a complete shipping address during checkout. As the customer types, Order Editing suggests matching addresses and fills the shipping fields when the customer selects one.
Autocomplete is designed to reduce typing mistakes before the order is placed. It helps customers choose a structured address as they type, instead of correcting the full address afterwards.
It works alongside Address Validation, which remains the final check for missing details, deliverability risk, and your validation rules.
How it works
Address Autocomplete runs in Shopify checkout. When a customer starts typing a shipping address, Order Editing searches for matching addresses and returns up to five suggestions.
When the customer selects a suggestion, Order Editing formats the address into Shopify checkout fields. This can include street address, apartment or unit, city, province or state, postal code, and country.
Feature | What it does |
Address Autocomplete | Suggests addresses while the customer types and fills checkout fields after selection. |
Address Validation | Checks the completed address and suggests corrections if the address may be incomplete or undeliverable. |
Validation rules | Runs your custom checkout rules, such as blocked regions, missing house numbers, or special character checks. |
Use autocomplete to help customers enter an address faster. Use verifiers and validation rules to confirm the address should be accepted.
Compared with Google autocomplete
Google autocomplete is a strong general-purpose address and place prediction tool. It helps customers search while they type, then choose a predicted place or address.
If you use Google autocomplete separately, it normally fills the checkout address fields first. Then the Address Validation block checks the completed address and may show a correction, warning, or missing-detail prompt.
Order Editing Address Autocomplete moves more of that quality step earlier in checkout. It helps the customer choose a structured shipping address before they submit the address form.
Address Validation can still run afterwards, but it starts from a cleaner address.
The goal is a faster checkout flow with fewer manual corrections. Customers spend less time typing, and fewer addresses should need to be fixed after they've already been entered.
Area | Google Auto-Complete Plus Address Validation | Order Editing Address Auto-Complete |
Main job | Predicts a place or address, then fills checkout fields. | Suggests shipping addresses during checkout and fills the checkout address fields. |
When correction happens | The customer usually enters or selects an address first. The validation block then checks it and may suggest a corrected address. | The customer starts with a cleaner structured address. Validation can still check it afterwards, but it should have less to correct. |
Checkout speed | Speeds up typing, but the customer may still need to review a separate validation suggestion after the address is filled. | Speeds up typing and can reduce the chance of a second correction step. |
Checkout setup | Usually requires a separate Google Maps Platform setup and checkout implementation. | Configured in Order Editing, then activated in the Shopify checkout editor under Settings > Autocomplete. |
Address verification | The autocomplete step doesn't decide whether the final shipping address should be fixed, confirmed, or accepted. | Address Validation still checks for missing details, corrections, deliverability risk, and your validation rules. |
Country controls | Can be restricted or biased by region when implemented directly. | Controlled from the Address Validation dashboard using All shipping countries or Selected countries. |
Branding | Google usage rules can require Google branding when predictions are shown. | Managed inside Shopify's checkout autocomplete experience. |
Analytics | Measured separately through your Google Maps Platform setup or custom analytics. | Adds Autocompleted Addresses to the Address Validation dashboard when active. |
Post-purchase support | Autocomplete helps during address entry. It doesn't give customers a post-purchase correction flow by itself. | Pairs with Address Validation on the Thank You Page and Order Status Page for post-purchase address correction. |
The practical difference is where quality improves. With a separate Google autocomplete setup, the customer often selects a prediction first. Then the Address Validation block catches issues afterwards.
With Order Editing Address Autocomplete, the customer is guided toward a cleaner structured shipping address upfront. Address Validation then acts as the final check.
That matters most at checkout. The fewer address problems you leave until the validation step, the faster the customer can move through checkout.
Before you start
Address Autocomplete uses the same Address Validation usage setup in Order Editing. If you haven't accepted usage-based billing or set a usage cap yet, Order Editing will ask you to do that before activation.
You'll also need access to the Shopify checkout editor, because autocomplete must be activated there after it's enabled in Order Editing.
Set up Address Autocomplete
1. In the Order Editing app, go to Address Validation.
2. In Validation services, find the Address autocomplete card.
3. Click Set up autocomplete.
4. Choose where autocomplete should run:
Option | What it does |
All shipping countries | Shows autocomplete wherever your store ships. |
Selected countries | Shows autocomplete only for the countries you select. |
5. If you choose Selected countries, add at least one country.
6. Click Activate autocomplete.
7. In Shopify admin, go to Settings > Checkout.
8. Click Customise next to your checkout configuration.
9. In the checkout editor, open Settings > Autocomplete and activate Order Editing autocomplete.
10. Click Save.
Test Address Autocomplete
After setup, place a test checkout to confirm autocomplete appears.
1. Open your online store in a new browser window.
2. Add a product to cart and go to checkout.
3. Start typing a shipping address in the address field.
4. Confirm that address suggestions appear after the customer has entered enough address detail.
5. Select a suggestion and confirm the checkout address fields are filled correctly.
6. If you also use Address Validation, continue checkout and confirm your validation message or correction flow still appears as expected.
View autocomplete analytics
When Address Autocomplete is active, the Address Validation dashboard includes Autocompleted Addresses. This shows how many checkout addresses were filled from an autocomplete suggestion in the selected date range.
Use this alongside Total Orders Validated, Address Suggestions Shown, and Suggestions Accepted to understand how autocomplete and validation are working together.
Turn off Address Autocomplete
1. In the Order Editing app, go to Address Validation.
2. Find the Address autocomplete card.
3. Click Turn off.
4. Check the Shopify checkout editor if you also want to remove autocomplete from your checkout settings.
Troubleshooting
Suggestions don't appear in checkout
Confirm that Address Autocomplete is active in Order Editing and activated in the Shopify checkout editor under Settings > Autocomplete.
If you're using Selected countries, make sure the test checkout country is included in your autocomplete countries.
Set up autocomplete is locked
Address Autocomplete requires Address Validation usage charges before activation. Configure your usage charges or usage cap, then return to the Address Validation dashboard.
No suggestions appear after one or two characters
This is expected. Autocomplete starts searching once the customer has entered enough address detail.
Selected countries shows an error
If you choose Selected countries, you need to select at least one country before you can activate autocomplete.
Address Validation still shows a correction after autocomplete
This can happen. Autocomplete helps fill the address, but Address Validation still checks the completed address for deliverability and missing details.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is autocomplete the same as Address Validation?
No. Autocomplete helps customers choose and fill an address. Address Validation checks whether the completed address is accurate and deliverable.
Which provider powers Address Autocomplete?
Address Autocomplete is powered by Experian.
Can I limit autocomplete by country?
Yes. Choose Selected countries during setup, then select the countries where autocomplete should appear.
Does Address Autocomplete replace Google autocomplete?
For checkout address entry, yes. Address Autocomplete gives you an Order Editing-managed alternative to a separate Google autocomplete setup.
It also works with Address Validation, so customers can choose an address quickly and still have it checked before the order ships.
What if the customer logs in with Shop Pay?
If the customer logs in with Shop Pay and uses their default shipping address, that address can be filled into checkout without the customer typing it manually.
In that flow, Address Autocomplete may not need to suggest anything. The Address Validation block still validates the shipping address that was added to checkout.
If the customer edits the shipping address or starts typing a different address, Address Autocomplete can suggest matching addresses. When the customer selects a suggestion, Order Editing formats the address into the Shopify checkout fields.
Addresses filled from an Order Editing autocomplete suggestion are treated as provider-confirmed, so customers shouldn't see a duplicate validation prompt for the same address.
Does autocomplete work after purchase?
Address Autocomplete is for checkout address entry. Post-purchase address correction is handled by Address Validation on the Thank You Page and Order Status Page.
