To change shipping speed on Amazon, pick a different delivery option on the checkout page before you place the order; the speeds and dates shown there are the ones available for your address and cart. After you order, you can only change details on orders that haven’t shipped, from Your Orders, and if the speed you want isn’t offered there, cancelling and reordering is the reliable fix.
This guide walks through both situations, explains which Amazon delivery speeds exist, and covers the reasons a faster option sometimes doesn’t appear.
Table of Contents
- How do you change shipping speed at checkout?
- Can you change shipping speed after placing an order?
- Which shipping speeds does Amazon offer?
- Why is a faster shipping speed missing at checkout?
- How does changing shipping speed affect Amazon Day and guarantees?
- Frequently asked questions
How Do You Change Shipping Speed at Checkout?
Checkout is where Amazon sets the shipping speed, so it is the easiest place to change it. Amazon’s help page on shipping rates and times describes the same sequence on the website and in the app.
- Add the items to your cart and select Proceed to checkout.
- Select or add the shipping address. Speeds depend on the destination, so set the address first.
- Under each shipment, choose the delivery option you want, such as Same-Day, One-Day, Two-Day, Amazon Day or a slower option.
- Select the payment method and continue.
- Check the Order Summary, which shows the shipping charge, if any, and the estimated delivery date for the speed you picked, then place the order.
If your cart ships in more than one package, Amazon may show a separate set of speeds for each shipment. Change each one before you place the order, because the slowest shipment decides when the whole order is complete.
Watch the “order within” countdown next to a delivery date. It shows how long you have to place the order and still get that date, and Amazon notes the date can disappear inside that window if inventory or delivery capacity changes. The date is a promise rather than a fixed slot, so Amazon packages can arrive early when a carrier gets ahead of schedule.
Can You Change Shipping Speed After Placing an Order?
Sometimes. Amazon lets you update order details only on orders that have not yet shipped. Go to Your Orders, select Order Details for the order, then select Change next to the detail you want to update and follow the on-screen steps. Amazon notes that the desktop site may show more change options than the app.
When no option to change the delivery speed appears, use one of these workarounds:
- Cancel and reorder: cancel the item from Your Orders while it still shows as not shipped, then buy it again and choose the faster speed at checkout.
- Request a later date: if you want the package later rather than sooner, open Track Package on the order; eligible Amazon Logistics deliveries show a Request Reschedule link.
- Send it to a pickup point: eligible shipments can be redirected to an Amazon Hub Locker from the Amazon Shopping app with Send to a nearby pickup point.
- Contact the seller: for orders sold and shipped by a third-party seller, delivery dates are set by that seller, so ask them directly.
Once a package has shipped, its speed can’t be changed. At that point the delivery date in tracking is the one to plan around, and our guide to an Amazon package delayed in transit covers what to do if it slips.
Which Shipping Speeds Does Amazon Offer?
The speeds you can switch between depend on Prime membership, the item and your address. Amazon’s Prime delivery benefits page lists these options for the contiguous U.S.:
| Shipping speed | Delivery timing | Who can choose it |
|---|---|---|
| Same-Day Delivery | The same day, if ordered before the cutoff | Prime members in select metro ZIP codes, on eligible items |
| One-Day Delivery | Next day; cutoff varies by area | Prime members, on tens of millions of eligible items |
| Two-Day Delivery | Two days | Prime members, nearly all contiguous U.S. addresses |
| Amazon Day Delivery | Your chosen day of the week | Prime members, on many items fulfilled by Amazon |
| Standard Delivery | 4–5 business days | Prime members and other shoppers |
| Release-Date Delivery | On the release date | Prime members, on qualifying pre-order items |
Addresses in Alaska, Hawaii and Puerto Rico get a different set: Standard (3–7 business days), Expedited (2–5 business days, not available in Puerto Rico) and Priority (1–4 business days). Speeds for those addresses are priced by item size and weight.
Amazon calculates delivery dates in business days, adding transit time to the ship date and skipping weekends and holidays unless a weekend delivery option appears at checkout. For a fuller breakdown of transit times by speed, see how long Amazon takes to deliver.
Why Is a Faster Shipping Speed Missing at Checkout?
A missing option usually means the item, the quantity or the address doesn’t qualify. Amazon’s help pages point to these causes:
- Not stocked locally: ordering more items, or a higher quantity of one item, can make them ineligible for One-Day or Same-Day Delivery when multiple units aren’t available nearby.
- Address type: Same-Day Delivery excludes P.O. Boxes and APO, FPO and DPO addresses, and Amazon Day doesn’t ship to P.O. Boxes or Amazon pickup locations.
- Location: Same-Day covers select ZIP codes only, and some areas get fewer options; our list of places Amazon doesn’t deliver explains the limits.
- Seller: items fulfilled by third-party sellers may only offer the seller’s own speeds.
- Timing: after the cutoff, or on high-volume days such as Black Friday and Prime Day, Same-Day capacity is limited, and it isn’t offered on Thanksgiving, Christmas or New Year’s Day.
Try removing the item that blocks the faster speed and ordering it separately, or switching to a residential address in an eligible ZIP code.
How Does Changing Shipping Speed Affect Amazon Day and Guarantees?
Amazon Day groups your orders into fewer boxes on one day of the week. You can change the Amazon Day delivery day by selecting a new day at checkout, but orders placed before the change still arrive on the original day. If an Amazon Day order came with a promotional reward, Amazon says you lose it if you cancel the order or change the shipping speed.
Guaranteed delivery dates work the same way. Amazon notes that cancelling items, combining orders, or changing the shipping address or shipping options after you place the order can make the order ineligible for the guarantee, and with it the refund of shipping fees if the date is missed.
If you are the one shipping packages rather than buying them, speed is a carrier choice instead of a checkout option; our roundup of shipping services and solutions compares the main options. ParcelPath is free to use and gives up to 85% off UPS and up to 89% off USPS, and you can compare delivery times for your own package in the ParcelPath rate calculator.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I change shipping speed on Amazon after ordering?
Go to Your Orders, open Order Details and select Change next to the detail you want to update; Amazon allows changes only on orders that haven’t shipped. If no speed option appears, cancel the unshipped item and reorder it with the faster speed. Once a package ships, its speed can no longer be changed.
Can I change shipping speed on the Amazon app?
Yes, at checkout the app shows the same delivery options as the website, and you can pick a different one under each shipment before placing the order. After ordering, Amazon notes that the desktop site may offer more change options than the app, so use a browser if the app doesn’t show what you need.
Why can’t I choose One-Day shipping on Amazon?
The item may not be stocked near you, especially if you increase the quantity, or it may be sold by a third-party seller without One-Day service. Your address can also limit options. Amazon says ordering more items can make some ineligible for One-Day Delivery when they aren’t available locally, so try ordering that item separately.
Does changing shipping speed on Amazon cancel a delivery guarantee?
It can. Amazon states that changing shipping options, the shipping address, or cancelling or combining items after you order might affect eligibility for guaranteed delivery. Without the guarantee, you would not get the shipping-fee refund Amazon normally provides when a guaranteed delivery date is missed.
Sources
- Amazon Customer Service: Determine Shipping Rates & Times (amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=GPXSWFZ4PXRN96N3)
- Amazon Customer Service: Change Your Order Information (nodeId=GSWAYSNV7RBSTND9)
- Amazon Customer Service: Amazon Prime Delivery Benefits (nodeId=GRPQFCNVUDYCBG24)
- Amazon Customer Service: Order with Prime FREE Same-Day Delivery (nodeId=GFUT24ALVAVC6VFD)
- Amazon Customer Service: Amazon Day Delivery (nodeId=GFSQ9WFQJ3RL2VQN)
- Amazon Customer Service: Place an Order with Guaranteed Delivery (nodeId=GUDRHL982ZQE9EGL)
- Amazon Customer Service: How Long Does Amazon Delivery Take? (nodeId=GV8H5D3MMAR7JBLF)
- Amazon Customer Service: Deliveries from Amazon Logistics (nodeId=GEW3XT9JEMBLTKRV)
Part of our Amazon shipping guide. Related: Amazon Peak Seasons and Holidays, Other Amazon Topics, Amazon Policies and Regulations.
