Can customers use the wishlist without creating an account?
Overview
Yes — customers can use the wishlist without creating an account.
This is called Guest Wishlist. It lets shoppers save items right away, without signing in first. Reducing this extra step usually leads to more wishlist usage, especially from first-time visitors and mobile shoppers.
With Guest Wishlist enabled, visitors can save products immediately and continue shopping without being asked to log in.
How Guest Wishlist works
When a shopper is not logged in and clicks the wishlist button on a product:
The item is saved instantly to their current browser.
No account, login, or email address is required.
The wishlist icon updates to show that the product was saved.
They can keep adding more products as a guest.
They can open their wishlist page and view saved items even if they still have not created an account.
If the shopper later logs in or creates an account, their guest wishlist items are automatically merged into their account wishlist.
This creates a smoother shopping experience: customers can save items first and sign in later, without losing what they added.
What happens after a customer logs in
Once the customer signs in or creates an account:
Their guest wishlist items are synced to their account.
The merge happens automatically in the background.
Saved items become tied to their account instead of only the current browser.
From then on, they can access their wishlist across devices when logged in.
How to enable Guest Wishlist
In Shopify admin, go to Apps and open WC Wishlist & Back in Stock.
Open Wishlist Styling, then go to Wishlist Page.
Find the Guest Wishlist setting and switch it ON.
Visit your storefront in a private or incognito window and try saving a product without logging in.
What merchants should know
Guest wishlist data stays in the shopper’s browser until they log in
Before a shopper signs in, their saved items are stored only in the browser they are currently using.
This means:
If they clear browser data, their guest wishlist may be removed.
If they switch to another browser, the guest wishlist will not appear there.
If they use another device, the guest wishlist will not follow them unless they log in.
Guest wishlist items are not fully persistent until the customer logs in or creates an account. If they never sign in, those items remain tied to that browser only.
Guest activity is limited in the admin until the customer logs in
Guest saves do not appear as a full customer-level wishlist record in your admin until the shopper logs in and the wishlist syncs to their account.
In other words:
You may see product-level wishlist activity increase.
You may not see that activity attached to a specific customer profile right away.
Once the customer signs in, their saved products can be associated with their account.
Guest saves still support wishlist engagement
Even when a shopper is not logged in, Guest Wishlist still helps increase overall wishlist usage and can contribute to stronger product interest signals in your store.
When to enable Guest Wishlist
Guest Wishlist is usually the best choice if you want to remove friction from the shopping experience.
It is especially useful when:
Your store gets a lot of first-time visitors.
Many customers browse on mobile.
You do not want account creation to block wishlist use.
You want more shoppers to start using the wishlist earlier in their journey.
If your goal is maximum wishlist adoption, keep Guest Wishlist turned on. Requiring login too early can reduce how often shoppers use the feature.
Best practices
Enable Guest Wishlist by default unless your store has a specific reason to require login.
Test the experience in an incognito window so you can confirm shoppers can save items without an account.
Make sure your wishlist page is easy to find from your header, account area, or product pages.
Encourage account creation after engagement — for example, after customers have already saved a few items.
Explain the benefit of signing in, such as syncing saved items across devices.
Frequently asked questions
No. If Guest Wishlist is enabled, customers can save products without creating an account or logging in.
No. When the customer logs in or creates an account, their guest wishlist items are automatically merged into their account wishlist.
Not until they log in. Before login, guest wishlist items are available only in the browser where they were originally saved.
Not fully. Guest activity is not tied to a specific customer record until the customer logs in and the wishlist syncs to their account.
Their guest wishlist may be removed, because it is stored in that browser until they log in.
Need help?
If you are not sure which file to edit, or you would rather have us handle the installation, contact our support team:
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