Duplicate the theme first so you have a backup, then open the copy in the theme editor and change sections, blocks and theme settings with no code. Preview it, and publish only when it looks right. Use Edit code only for changes the editor cannot make, and copy any file before you change it.
| Method | What you change | Needs code? |
|---|---|---|
| Theme settings | Colours, fonts, buttons and other store-wide styles | No |
| Sections and blocks | What appears on each page and in what order | No |
| Edit code | Liquid, CSS and JavaScript files of the theme | Yes |
| Local development | The whole theme, with version control | Yes |
Updated
Shopify's theme editor lets you rearrange your store without touching code, and most owners never need more. Work through the checklist below in order. It keeps a safe copy at every step, so a bad change costs you a minute rather than a lost weekend.
Each page type in a modern theme is a JSON template: a list of sections, their settings and their order. The theme editor writes this file when you drag things around, which is why you rarely need to edit it by hand.
The sections object holds each section and its settings; order is the list Shopify renders from top to bottom.
{
"sections": {
"main": { "type": "main-product", "settings": {} },
"reviews": { "type": "rich-text", "settings": {} }
},
"order": ["main", "reviews"]
}Shopify advises editing theme code only if you know HTML and CSS and have a basic grasp of Liquid, its template language. Typical reasons are a small style tweak the settings lack, or a snippet an app asks you to paste.
Before saving, copy the original file into a text file on your computer. That gives you a second safety net next to Shopify's own timeline.
A copy appears in your theme library as Copy of plus the original name. Rename it to something clear, like the date and what you changed, so you can tell versions apart later.
Publishing a copy is reversible: the previous theme is still in the library, and you can publish it again if sales drop or something looks broken.
Edits to the published theme go live when you save. Editing an unpublished duplicate changes nothing for customers until you publish that copy.
A section is a full-width part of a page, such as a slideshow or featured collection. Blocks are the smaller pieces inside it, like a heading, a button or an image.
In the code editor, a file's Timeline view can restore an older version. Shopify notes that timeline history is finite and that restoring replaces the whole file, so copy anything you want to keep first.
For Shopify-made themes, support may help with certain predefined customizations but does not write custom code. For a paid theme, ask its developer, or hire a Shopify Partner for custom work.
Stores on Basic, Grow and Advanced plans can hold up to 20 themes. If you reach the limit, you must delete one before duplicating another.
Related: Shopify theme development, How to start a Shopify store, Free Shopify themes, Shopify pricing.
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