- Shopify Flow's built-in Send internal email action is for notifying staff.
- To email customers or anyone else from your own domain, with templates, attachments and delivery logs, add the FlowSend "Send email" action.
- Setup: connect SMTP → create a Liquid template → add the action to a Flow workflow.
Step by step
- Install FlowSend. Install FlowSend ‑ Flow Mail App from the Shopify App Store ($1 for your first month, 500 free lifetime email actions).
- Connect your SMTP. In FlowSend Settings, enter your SMTP host, port, username and password (Gmail, Outlook, SendGrid, Amazon SES or your own server), then verify and send a test email.
- Create an email template. Write your email in HTML with Liquid variables such as {{ order.name }} and {{ customer.firstName }}, and check the live preview.
- Build the Flow workflow. In Shopify Flow, choose a trigger (for example Order created or Order paid) and add any conditions.
- Add the FlowSend "Send email" action. Pick your template and recipients: To, CC, BCC and Reply-To. Add an attachment or a file URL from a Flow variable if needed.
- Turn it on and check the logs. Activate the workflow, trigger a test, and confirm delivery in FlowSend’s Email Delivery Logs.
What Shopify Flow's built-in email action can do
Flow ships with one email action, Send internal email. According to Shopify's documentation:
- Recipients are fixed. "You can't use variables to customize the email address to which the message is sent." You can list several staff addresses, separated by commas.
- It's meant for staff. Shopify says the action "is best used to send emails to staff" and, for customers, to "create a marketing automation" instead.
- It sends from your store's sender address. Without extra domain authentication, that address may show "via shopifyemail.com".
So the built-in action covers internal alerts. Transactional emails to the person on the order, such as an invoice, an approval request or a VIP thank-you, need an action that accepts a variable recipient.
Shopify "Send internal email" vs FlowSend
| Shopify Flow: Send internal email | FlowSend: Send email | |
|---|---|---|
| Main purpose | Notify your staff | Email anyone: customers, staff, suppliers |
| Recipients | Fixed addresses only | Fixed addresses or Liquid variables, such as the customer's email |
| Sent from | Your store's sender address (may show "via shopifyemail.com") | Your own SMTP or domain |
| Templates | Basic message | HTML + Liquid, live preview |
| Attachments | No | Yes, including file URLs from Flow |
| CC / BCC / Reply-To | Limited | Yes |
| Delivery logs | No | Yes, with success rate and SMTP health |
Built-in action details from Shopify's Send internal email reference, checked 10 October 2026. Shopify may change it.
Popular Shopify Flow email workflows
- Send B2B invoice emails when an order is paid
- Email your team about high-risk orders
- Email suppliers when stock runs low
- Send large orders for approval
- Thank customers who become VIPs
- Alert your warehouse about new orders
Which email provider should I connect?
Any SMTP account works. Guides: Gmail / Google Workspace, Outlook / Microsoft 365, SendGrid, Amazon SES, Mailgun, Resend, Postmark, Brevo, Zoho Mail or any SMTP server. For volume and deliverability, use a sending service with your domain authenticated (SPF, DKIM, DMARC).
FAQ
Can Shopify Flow send emails to customers?
Not with the built-in action. Shopify says you can’t use variables to set the recipient of "Send internal email", so it is best used for staff, and recommends marketing automations for customer emails. To send a transactional email to the customer on the order, from your own domain, add an email action app such as FlowSend.
Can I send Shopify Flow emails from my own domain?
Yes. With FlowSend, emails go out through the SMTP account you connect (Gmail, Outlook, SendGrid or your own mail server), so they come from your address, e.g. [email protected].
Can I use order data in the email?
Yes. FlowSend templates support Liquid variables from the Flow workflow, such as the order number, customer name and line items.
Can Shopify Flow emails include attachments?
With FlowSend, yes. Attach a file or pass a file URL from a Flow variable, for example an invoice PDF link, so each email gets the right document.
How much does it cost?
FlowSend costs $1 for the first month with 500 free lifetime email actions; paid plans start at $9.99/month.