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Header

This guide describes setting up the Header section.

Use the section to provide visitors with a menu for navigating the pages in your store. The header section is typically displayed across the top of store pages.

An example header section in Theme editor.

The previous image shows a Header section on a store's homepage. Inside the section, the Essentials feature link dropdown contains links to the store's collections. Each collection is represented by a collection image. A Shop now button, to the right of cart, links to the store's (all) products page.

For general guidance with modifying sections, refer to Sections overview, and Shopify help: Sections and blocks

Set up the header section

To set up your store's header section:

  1. Go to Customize theme. At the top of the page, use the dropdown to select the Home page template.

    Note

    The header section is accessible from all page templates, excluding the Checkout, Password, and Gift card page templates.

  2. From the side menu, select Header.

    The header section selected in Theme editor.

  3. Select a section setting described in the following table.

Section setting nameDescription
Logo > Custom logoUse the following Custom logo selector options to set up an image to use as a logo inside the section. The recommended image dimensions are 800px x 300px (pixels) in .jpg format.
  • To add an image, choose Select image, and then upload an image or select an image file from your store's file library.
  • To edit an uploaded image, select Edit in the image selector’s thumbnail preview area. Refer to Edit an image inside a section or block.
  • To replace an image, choose Change > Change image, and then select or upload a new image.
  • To remove an image, select Change > Remove image.
  • Select the Add alt text link, and then enter a brief description of the image into the Image alt text box. Refer to Shopify help: Adding alt text to media
  • To display an image from a dynamic source, select Change > Connect dynamic source, and then choose a metafield to add. Refer to Shopify help: Metafields
Logo > Custom logo > Connect dynamic sourceTo display a logo image from a dynamic source, select the Connect dynamic source icon beside the Custom logo image selector, and then choose a metafield to add. Refer to Shopify help: Metafields
Logo > Custom logo widthAdjust the slider Custom logo width to set a size for the logo image inside the section between 20px and 400px (pixels).
Menu > Main menuSet up a menu to display inside the section. Refer to Set a header menu.
Enable links to drop-down link headingsSelect the checkbox Enable links to drop-down link headings to turn on/ off links for dropdown headings inside the section.
Menu > Showcase second level linksSelect the checkbox Showcase second level links to show/ hide second level links inside the section. With this setting enabled, the section displays second level links to products or collections. The section showcases products or collections if they don't have child links. Note this setting also rearranges the order of products and collections inside the section.
Menu > Showcase first level collectionsSelect the checkbox Showcase first level collections to show/ hide links to first level collections inside the section. With this setting enabled, the section displays first level links to collections. If enabled, first-level links to collections with no child links will showcase products in a dropdown. This setting does not apply to drawer navigation. Refer to Feature collections in navigation.
Menu > Show collection imagesSelect the checkbox Show collection images to show/ hide collection images inside the section. A collection image is associated with a collection, each product within a collection can have individual product images. This setting does not apply to drawer navigation. Refer to Shopify help: Collection layout and appearance
Menu > Crop feature link imagesUse the dropdown Crop feature link images to set an image cropping style for the images inside the section's dropdown. The options are: No crop, Landscape, Square, and Portrait.
Layout > Desktop layoutFor desktop devices, use the Desktop layout dropdown to select a position for the logo and menu items inside the section. The dropdown options are:
  • Menu icon left, logo center
  • Navigation left, logo center
  • Logo left, navigation center
Layout > Show searchSelect the Show search checkbox to show/ hide the search feature inside the section.
Layout > Sticky headerSelect the Sticky header checkbox to turn on/ off keeping the header at the top of the page.
Layout > Show iconsSelect the checkbox Show icons to show/ hide the Search and Cart icons inside the section.
Overlay settings > Overlay header over home pageSelect the checkbox Overlay header over home page to turn on/ off positioning the header over the homepage, as an overlay.
Overlay settings > Overlay header over collection pagesSelect the checkbox Overlay header over collection pages to turn on/ off positioning the header over collection pages, as an overlay.
Overlay settings > Overlay header over product pageSelect the checkbox Overlay header over product page to turn on/ off positioning the header over the product page, as an overlay.
Overlay settings > Overlay text colorSelect the Overlay text color dropdown to set a color for text when the header overlays a page. The color options are Same as section, White, and Black.
Overlay settings > Overlay logo imageUse the following Overlay logo image selector options to set up an image to use as a logo inside the section, when the header overlays a page.
  • To add an image, choose Select image, and then upload an image or select an image file from your store's file library.
  • To edit an uploaded image, select Edit in the image selector’s thumbnail preview area. Refer to Edit an image inside a section or block.
  • To replace an image, choose Change > Change image, and then select or upload a new image.
  • To remove an image, select Change > Remove image.
  • Select the Add alt text link, and then enter a brief description of the image into the Image alt text box. Refer to Shopify help: Adding alt text to media
  • To display an image from a dynamic source, select Change > Connect dynamic source, and then choose a metafield to add. Refer to Shopify help: Metafields
Overlay settings > Overlay logo image > Connect dynamic sourceTo display an overlay logo image from a dynamic source, select the Connect dynamic source icon beside the Overlay logo image selector, and then choose a metafield to add. Refer to Shopify help: Metafields
Overlay settings > Show separator borderSelect the checkbox Show separator border to show/ hide a border between header and the proceeding section when the header overlays a page. To use this setting, enable the Show border between sections option in the Layout theme settings.
Overlay compensation > Desktop paddingAdjust the Desktop padding slider to add more or less space (padding) below the section. The slider ranges from 0rem to 10rem. To use this option, set the section to overlay the homepage, collection pages or product pages, by using the Overlay settings checkboxes in the section's settings menu. This setting applies to desktop display devices.
Overlay compensation > Mobile paddingAdjust the Mobile padding slider to add more or less space (padding) below the section. The slider ranges from 0rem to 10rem. To use this option, set the section to overlay the homepage, collection pages or product pages, by using the Overlay settings checkboxes in the section's settings menu. This setting applies to mobile display devices.
Color > Color schemeUse the Color scheme dropdown to set the section's color scheme to Primary, Secondary, Tertiary, or Quaternary. Refer to Colors. If the section is set to overlay the page, the section's background color is transparent.
Color > Use gradient for backgroundSelect the checkbox Use gradient for background to turn on/ off using a gradient as the section's background.
Color > Dropdown background colorUse the Dropdown background color options to set a background color for the section's dropdown. Set the background to use the same color as the section's Card, Text, or Accent color.
Sidebar menu > Show footer menuSelect the checkbox Show footer menu to show/ hide the footer menu inside the section's sidebar. This setting applies to the sidebar that's displayed on mobile display devices.
Sidebar menu > Show social iconsSelect the checkbox Show social icons to show/ hide icons that link to your store's social media, inside the section's sidebar. This setting applies to the sidebar that's displayed on mobile display devices. Refer to Social media.
Theme settingsSelect Theme settings to access additional settings for the section. Refer to Section theme settings menu.

Set a header menu

To select a menu to display inside the header section, apply the following settings in Header > Menu.

  • To edit the current menu, select the Edit menu link. The link opens the Navigation menu editor in Shopify admin. Use the editor to modify the menu. Refer to Shopify help: Add, remove, or edit menu items in your online store

  • To create a new menu, select Change > Change menu, and then follow the Create menu link. The link opens the Navigation > Add menu page in Shopify admin. Use the menu editor to create a new menu, and then the select the new menu. Refer to Shopify help: Add, remove, or edit menu items in your online store

    The menu modification options in Theme editor for the header section

  • To replace the current menu, select Change > Change menu. Enter the name of the replacement menu into the Search box, or pick a replacement menu from the list, and then choose Select.

  • To delete the current menu, select Change > Remove menu.

A header section can contain Feature desktop links (blocks). To configure a block inside the header section:

  1. Go to Customize theme. At the top of the page, use the dropdown to select the Home page template.

  2. From the side menu, expand the Header section menu.

  3. To configure an existing block, select the block from the side menu.

    To add a new block, select Add feature desktop link, and then select the block you added.

    The add block menu in Theme editor.

    Note

    Inside the header section, you can add, remove, or show/ hide blocks. Refer to Configure blocks inside a section, or Shopify help: Sections and blocks

  4. Apply a block setting described in the following table.

Block setting nameDescription
LinkIn the Link box, enter a URL or select a store page to link to. The link is used by a button that's displayed inside the block. To remove a link, select the X icon inside the Link box.
LabelIn the Label box, enter text to display as button label text. The button is displayed inside the block when the Link box is populated.
PositionSelect the Position radio buttons to set a position for the button inside the block to First item in navigation or Right of cart. The button is displayed inside the block when the Link box is populated.
Hide button shadowSelect the checkbox Hide button shadow to show/ hide a shadow effect for the button. The button is displayed inside the block when the Link box is populated.
Remove blockSelect Remove block to delete the block from the current section.