# Setting up self-serve returns
To let your customers submit product return requests directly in your online store, you need to activate self-serve returns in your Shopify admin. You can also add instructions to your online store that explain to your customers how they can request returns.
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**Requirements for setting up self-serve returns**
To let your customers submit return requests, you need to complete the following tasks:
* [Activate self-serve returns](https://help.shopify.com/en/manual/fulfillment/managing-orders/returns/self-serve-returns/setup#turn-on-return-requests) in your Shopify admin
* Give customers access to log in to customer accounts using one of the following methods:
* [Upgrade to customer accounts](https://help.shopify.com/en/manual/customers/customer-accounts/new-customer-accounts).
* [Add the URL for customer accounts](https://help.shopify.com/en/manual/customers/customer-accounts/new-customer-accounts) to your store's footer, refund policy, or another page in your store. If you don’t want to upgrade to customer accounts, then this option lets you continue using legacy customer accounts in your online store and checkout, and gives customers access to request a return.
### Considerations for setting up self-serve returns
Before you set up self-serve returns, review the following considerations:
* Self-serve returns don't work with legacy customer accounts.
* Exchanges can't be requested in self-serve returns and you can't have exchange-specific [return rules](https://help.shopify.com/en/manual/fulfillment/managing-orders/returns/return-rules).
* Your customers can't submit a return request with more than 250 line items. If your customer wants to submit a return request with more than 250 line items, then they have to submit separate requests.
* Self-serve returns work with all orders, including B2B orders. You can't activate self-serve returns for specific types of orders.
* If you use [B2B in Shopify](https://help.shopify.com/en/manual/b2b), then both the B2B customer that placed the order and the location admin can request returns. Learn more about [B2B customer permissions](https://help.shopify.com/en/manual/b2b/customers/adding-customers).
### Activate self-serve returns
To set up return requests, you need to activate self-serve returns in your Shopify admin.
After you activate self-serve returns, you need to allow customers to log in from your online store and checkout using the new version of customer accounts. To do that, you can [set up customer accounts in your Shopify admin](https://help.shopify.com/en/manual/customers/customer-accounts/new-customer-accounts) or [add the customer accounts URL to your store](https://help.shopify.com/en/manual/fulfillment/managing-orders/returns/self-serve-returns/setup#add-customer-account-url).
**Steps:**
1. From your Shopify admin, go to **Settings** > [**Customer accounts**](https://admin.shopify.com/settings/customer_accounts).
2. In the **Customer accounts** section, activate the **Self-serve returns** option.
### Adding the customer accounts URL to your online store
When a customer clicks the customer accounts URL, they're prompted to log in to their customer account, where they can submit a return request.
You can add the customer accounts URL anywhere on your online store where you can enter a URL, such as in your store's return policy or in a returns page.
You can find and copy the customer accounts URL from [**Customer accounts**](https://admin.shopify.com/settings/customer_accounts) settings in the **Customer accounts** section of the page. After you copy the URL, you can add it to your online store wherever makes the most sense for your business.
#### Add the customer accounts URL to your refund policy
1. From your Shopify admin, go to **Settings** > [**Policies**](https://admin.shopify.com/settings/legal).
2. In the **Refund policy** section, select the text that you want to hyperlink, and then paste the customer accounts URL.
3. Click **Save**.
#### Add the customer accounts URL to a page
1. From your Shopify admin, go to **Online Store** > [**Pages**](https://admin.shopify.com/pages).
2. Click the page where you want to add the customer accounts URL, such as a returns page.
3. Select the text that you want to hyperlink, and then paste the customer accounts URL.
4. Click **Save**.
5. Optional: Click **View page** to view how the changes are displayed in your online store.
#### Add the customer accounts URL to your store's footer
1. From your Shopify admin, go to **Content** > [**Menus**](https://admin.shopify.com/content/menus).
2. Click **Footer menu**.
3. Click **Add menu item**.
4. In the **Name** field, enter a page name, such as Returns, Return requests, or Request a return.
5. In the **Link** field, paste the customer accounts URL.
6. Click **Add**, and then click **Save**.
### Customer experience
To submit return requests, your customer needs to log in to their customer account. Your customer can access their account in the following ways:
* Click the customer accounts URL that you add to your online store.
* Log in to their customer account from your store's menu. This option works only if you have the [customer accounts](https://help.shopify.com/en/manual/customers/customer-accounts/new-customer-accounts) activated in your store.
Your customer enters their email address and a six-digit verification code that is sent to their email address. A password isn't required to log in. After your customer enters the code in your store, they're granted access to their account.
Your customers can submit return requests only for orders that are fulfilled or partially fulfilled.
#### Add return request instructions to your store
Add information to your refund policy or a page within your online store about how return requests work.
### Customizing return requests branding
The pages where your customers self-serve and submit return requests use your [checkout's branding settings](https://help.shopify.com/en/manual/checkout-settings/customize-checkout-configurations/checkout-style). To make changes to the branding of these pages, you need to update your checkout's branding settings.
The following branding settings don't apply to these pages:
* logo position
* logo alignment
* logo max width
### Customizing return request email notifications
Return requests have the following email notifications that you can customize:
* return request confirmation
* return request approved
* return request declined
You can customize these notifications in **Settings** > **Notifications** > **Returns**.
### Receiving return requests email notifications
If you choose to receive order notifications by email, then you also automatically receive return request notifications by email. Return request notifications aren't available on the Shopify app.
You can manage your order and return request notifications in **Settings** > **Notifications** > **Staff order notifications**.
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