# Installing One-Step Address Validation for Shopify Add address validation to your Shopify checkout to improve completion rates and ensure accurate shipping information. This guide walks you through signing up for a free trial, installing the app, configuring it, and exploring advanced settings. info This plugin supports Address Finder, also known as the One-Step Address Validator on the Shopify App Store. info **Shopify Plus Required:** This app requires a Shopify Plus subscription due to checkout extensibility requirements. [Learn more about Shopify Plus](https://www.shopify.com/plus). ## Demo[​](#demo "Direct link to Demo") ![Shopify Demo](/assets/images/shopify-demo-825d3815f9444e51f149f8bd6f35c6c3.gif) ## Features[​](#features "Direct link to Features") **Address Validation:** * Address autocomplete on checkout * Real-time address validation * Automatic address formatting **Address Filtering:** * Prevent certain addresses * PO Boxes * Military Addresses * Rural routes (US only) * Private mailboxes (US only) **Address Standardization:** * Remove diacritics * Prevent non-latin characters * Standardize address formatting *** ## 1. Sign up for a Free Trial and Get Your API Key[​](#1-sign-up-for-a-free-trial-and-get-your-api-key "Direct link to 1. Sign up for a Free Trial and Get Your API Key") Before installing the app, you'll need an Ideal Postcodes API Key. **Steps:** 1. **Sign Up:** Visit [ideal-postcodes.co.uk/sign-up](https://account.ideal-postcodes.co.uk/users/sign_up) 2. **Access Keys:** Navigate to the [**KEYS**](https://account.ideal-postcodes.co.uk/tokens) section in your dashboard 3. **Copy API Key:** Copy your API Key (format: `ak_xxxxxxxxxx`) - save this for Step 3 *** ## 2: Install the One-Step Address Validation App[​](#2-install-the-one-step-address-validation-app "Direct link to 2: Install the One-Step Address Validation App") Install the Ideal Postcodes One-Step Address Validation app from the [Shopify App Store](https://apps.shopify.com/address-finder). *** ## 3. Add Your API Key[​](#3-add-your-api-key "Direct link to 3. Add Your API Key") 1. **Access App Settings:** From the Shopify Administration page, navigate to **Apps** → **One-Step Address Validation** 2. **Open Settings:** Click **Settings** in the app dashboard ![Shopify Add API Key](/assets/images/shopify-apikey-5659b5bd82a44305bd6074de37e9eb8e.png) 3. **Enter API Key:** Paste your API Key from Step 1 into the API Key input field 4. **Save Configuration:** Changes are automatically saved **Note:** The app automatically checks your API key and displays an error if it’s invalid. **Key Management Tips:** * Give your key a descriptive name in your Ideal Postcodes account (e.g., "Shopify Production") * Use different keys for testing and production environments * Monitor usage in your [Ideal Postcodes dashboard](https://account.ideal-postcodes.co.uk/) **API Key Security:** For production environments, configure [additional security settings](/docs/guides/api-key-settings.md) in your Ideal Postcodes account: * **URL Restrictions:** Limit key usage to your Shopify store domain (e.g., `yourstore.myshopify.com`) * **Daily Lookup Limits:** Set maximum daily lookups to prevent unexpected charges * **Usage Monitoring:** Enable alerts for unusual activity or approaching limits * **IP Whitelisting:** Restrict usage to Shopify's IP ranges (optional, for advanced security) To configure these settings, visit your [API Key Settings](https://account.ideal-postcodes.co.uk/tokens) page and click on your key to access security options. *** ## 4. Enable the Widget on Checkout[​](#4-enable-the-widget-on-checkout "Direct link to 4. Enable the Widget on Checkout") **Steps:** 1. **Access Theme Editor:** In the Shopify sidebar, locate **Online Store** → **Themes** → **Customize** ![Shopify Customise](/assets/images/shopify-customise-cbac46e802c34c00e7ac6a3354074645.png) 2. **Navigate to Checkout:** Use the page selector to navigate to your checkout page ![Shopify Checkout](/assets/images/shopify-checkout-d5cad42cd69d6b42e67f6f86ecef1e87.png) 3. **Add App Block:** In the sidebar, click **Add app block** ![Shopify Add App Block](/assets/images/shopify-app-5717215d90c9be8123fc7933df3b6e5a.png) 4. **Select Address Finder:** Search for "Address Finder" and select the **address-finder-extension** app block 5. **Position Widget:** Drag the app block to position it above or within your address form section 6. **Save Changes:** Click **Save** in the top-right corner to publish your changes **Widget Placement:** | Location | Recommendation | Reason | | -------------------------- | -------------- | ------------------------------------ | | **Above address fields** | ✅ Recommended | Most intuitive for customers | | **Within address section** | ✅ Good | Integrates with existing form layout | | **Below address fields** | ⚠️ Not ideal | May be missed by customers | **Important Notes:** * The widget will automatically detect and enhance address fields * No additional code or configuration required * Widget styling automatically matches your theme *** ## 5. Test the Integration[​](#5-test-the-integration "Direct link to 5. Test the Integration") **Testing Steps:** 1. **Access Checkout:** Add a product to your cart and proceed to checkout 2. **Test Address Entry:** Start typing an address in the address field 3. **Verify Suggestions:** Address suggestions should appear as you type 4. **Select Address:** Click on a suggestion to auto-fill all address fields 5. **Complete Checkout:** Verify that the checkout process completes successfully **Expected Behavior:** * **Address Suggestions:** Appear as you type in address fields * **Auto-Fill:** All address fields populate automatically when address is selected * **Error Handling:** Graceful fallback if API is temporarily unavailable *** ## 6. Configure Advanced Settings[​](#6-configure-advanced-settings "Direct link to 6. Configure Advanced Settings") ### Address Filtering Options[​](#address-filtering-options "Direct link to Address Filtering Options") The following settings allow you to prevent certain types of addresses from being submitted: | Setting | Type | Default | Description | | -------------------------------------------- | ------- | ------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | **Block PO Boxes** | Boolean | Off | Prevents customers from submitting PO Box addresses | | **Block Military Addresses** | Boolean | Off | Prevents US and UK military addresses | | **Block non-contiguous US states** (US Only) | Boolean | Off | Prevents addresses from Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, Northern Mariana Islands, US Virgin Islands | | **Block Highway Contract Routes** (US Only) | Boolean | Off | Prevents US rural route addresses | | **Block Private Mailboxes** (US Only) | Boolean | Off | Prevents US private mailbox addresses | ### Address Standardization Options[​](#address-standardization-options "Direct link to Address Standardization Options") Control how addresses are formatted and standardized: | Setting | Type | Default | Description | | ----------------------------------------- | ------- | ------- | ---------------------------------------------------- | | **Limit Address Line One Length** | Boolean | Off | Truncates first address line to maximum length | | **Avoid accented and special characters** | Boolean | Off | Converts accented characters to ASCII (é → e) | | **Avoid special characters only** | Boolean | Off | Allows common accents but removes special characters | caution **Avoid accented and special characters** is not recommended for European addresses as it may alter customer names and street names. ### Company Name Handling[​](#company-name-handling "Direct link to Company Name Handling") Control how company information is populated: | Setting | Type | Default | Description | | -------------------------------------- | ------- | ------- | ---------------------------------------------------- | | **Remove Company Name from Address** | Boolean | Off | Removes company name from address lines when present | | **Populate Company Name from Address** | Boolean | Off | Auto-fills company field when company is in address | *** ## 7. Troubleshooting[​](#7-troubleshooting "Direct link to 7. Troubleshooting") ### Common Issues & Solutions[​](#common-issues--solutions "Direct link to Common Issues & Solutions") #### ❌ **No Address Suggestions Appear**[​](#-no-address-suggestions-appear "Direct link to -no-address-suggestions-appear") **Symptoms:** Address fields don't show suggestions when typing **Solutions:** 1. **Check API Key:** Make sure the key in app settings is correct 2. **Review Balance:** Confirm you have credits on your [key](https://account.ideal-postcodes.co.uk/tokens) 3. **Verify App Status:** Ensure app is installed and active in Shopify admin 4. **Check App Block:** Make sure that the app block is added to your checkout page #### ❌ **App Not Installing**[​](#-app-not-installing "Direct link to -app-not-installing") **Symptoms:** Cannot install app or installation fails **Solutions:** 1. **Check Shopify Plan:** Verify you have Shopify Plus (required for this app) 2. **Check Permissions:** Ensure you have admin access to install apps 3. **Browser Issues:** Try a different browser or clear cache 4. **Contact Shopify:** Reach out to Shopify support if installation continues to fail #### ❌ **Address Fields Not Populating**[​](#-address-fields-not-populating "Direct link to -address-fields-not-populating") **Symptoms:** Address suggestions appear but don't fill form fields correctly **Solutions:** 1. **Check App Block Position:** Ensure app block is positioned correctly on checkout page 2. **Theme Compatibility:** Test with a different theme to identify theme-specific issues 3. **Clear Cache:** Clear both Shopify and browser cache 4. **Check Custom Checkout:** If using custom checkout code, verify field names match standard Shopify fields ### General Troubleshooting Steps[​](#general-troubleshooting-steps "Direct link to General Troubleshooting Steps") **Before Contacting Support:** 1. **Verify API Key Configuration** * Ensure API key is correctly entered (format: `ak_xxxxxxxxxx`) * Check key is active in your [Ideal Postcodes account](https://account.ideal-postcodes.co.uk) * Verify sufficient lookups remaining in your account 2. **Check App Status** * Confirm app is installed and active in Shopify admin * Verify app block is added to checkout page in theme editor * Check that app has necessary permissions 3. **Test in Clean Environment** * Test in private/incognito browser window * Disable browser extensions that might interfere * Test on different devices (desktop, mobile, tablet) 4. **Debug JavaScript Issues** * Open browser developer console (F12) * Look for error messages related to `ideal-postcodes` or `address` * Check if scripts are blocked by content security policies 5. **Theme Compatibility** * Verify theme is up to date * Check if theme has custom checkout modifications * Test with a default Shopify theme to isolate theme issues info Need help? 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