Theme store requirements
Use the following lists of requirements when creating your theme.
Themes and presets published on the Shopify Theme Store must meet all requirements. If your submission misses any requirement, then it will be rejected and you'll need to make corrections before resubmitting.
Test your theme thoroughly before submitting to ensure it meets functionality and quality standards. Poorly tested themes will be rejected without further review, and repeated issues may lead to suspension or permanent rejection.
Learn about the theme review process and how to submit your theme to the Shopify Theme Store.
Anchor to 1. Theme Store exclusivity1. Theme Store exclusivity
Themes on the Theme Store must be exclusive to the Theme Store and can't contain external marketing material, so merchants can continue to benefit from the highest quality themes and the newest features.
All themes must meet the following exclusivity requirements:
Anchor to 2. Uniqueness from other themes2. Uniqueness from other themes
Your theme must be substantively different from other themes that are already listed on the Shopify Theme Store (including your own). You must make meaningful changes and innovations to the design and functionality of the theme. Below are some cues that we look for:
-
Your codebase must have meaningful differences when contrasted with code from other themes.
-
The identity of your theme preset submission should be unique.
-
Your theme presets should have a clear industry focus.
-
Your theme presets should have an inventive art direction that distinguishes it from other themes.
-
Your theme presets should have a cohesive look and feel across all templates (for example, the index page, product and collection pages, blogs, search, and the cart).
-
Your theme should offer unique customization options or functionality that distinguish it from other themes.
-
A merchant shouldn't be able to buy your preset then customize it to appear almost identical to a different preset on the Shopify Theme Store.
Anchor to 3. Theme design and UX3. Theme design and UX
At Shopify, our Theme Store is a canvas for creativity, innovation, and merchant expression. With over 200 themes available, we’re looking for unique, original submissions that push design boundaries, offer standout visual quality, and deliver delightful, engaging user experiences. Themes for Shopify should be visually distinctive, professionally crafted, and empower merchants to tell their brand's story clearly and expressively. We value themes that not only meet merchants' functional business needs, but also actively inspire merchants and their customers, elevating online shopping experiences through thoughtful layouts, bold visuals, purposeful creativity, and intuitive, high-quality usability.
Learn more about design best practices.
The UX & Design criteria below set clear, objective expectations for the exceptional quality required on the Shopify Theme Store. Themes must meet every checkpoint listed below to be accepted. If your theme fails any of these requirements, you must address the issue before acceptance.
Anchor to Visual design and art directionVisual design and art direction
Anchor to LayoutLayout
Anchor to ConsistencyConsistency
Anchor to Customer shopping experienceCustomer shopping experience
Anchor to Demo store experienceDemo store experience
Anchor to 4. Features4. Features
Feature-rich themes support the varied needs of merchants, and enable each merchant to use a theme in a way that fits their business.
All themes must support the following features:
Learn more about migrating a theme to OS 2.0.
Learn more about discounts.
Accelerated checkout buttons must be supported on the following pages:
- Product page
- Cart page
The branded dynamic and accelerator checkout button colors must not be modified.
Learn more about accelerated checkout.
Learn more about gift cards.
Learn more about social media images.
Learn more about selling in multiple currencies.
Learn more about selling in multiple languages.
Learn more about setting up drop down menus.
Learn more about newsletter signups.
Learn more about pickup availability.
Learn more about related product recommendations.
Learn more about complementary product recommendations.
- A search template
- Predictive search functionality
Selling plans must be supported on the following pages:
- Cart page
- Customer page
Learn more about subscriptions.
Learn more about Shop Pay Installments.
Unit pricing must be supported on the following pages:
- Collection page
- Product page
- Cart page
- Customer page
Learn more about how merchants can add unit prices to products in the European Union (EU) and in Switzerland.
Learn more about adding images to product variants.
The branded Follow on Shop button colors must not be modified.
Learn more about Follow on Shop.
Anchor to 5. Templates, sections, and blocks5. Templates, sections, and blocks
Merchants can use sections and blocks to arrange page templates, which provides more flexibility in their store's content, and allows them to control the look and feel of their online store without needing to edit code.
Anchor to Template support requirementsTemplate support requirements
Themes must support the following templates and their formats:
Anchor to Section support requirementsSection support requirements
Anchor to Block and app block support requirementsBlock and app block support requirements
Learn more about best practices for sections and blocks.
Do not include the config/markets.json
file with your theme when submitting.
Anchor to 6. Lighthouse performance and accessibility6. Lighthouse performance and accessibility
Performance and accessibility are important factors for merchants when they choose a theme for their online store. Optimizing your theme for performance and accessibility is key to the success of the merchants that you support, and the experience of their customers.
Anchor to Lighthouse performance and accessibility requirementsLighthouse performance and accessibility requirements
When verifying performance and accessibility scores, sections must contain actual images and content. The sections can't be empty.
Anchor to Testing the performance of your themeTesting the performance of your theme
You can quickly test the performance of your theme before you submit it to the Shopify Theme Store by running performance tests against a benchmark shop. If you want to test your theme before you submit it, then refer to these performance best practices.
Anchor to Testing the accessibility of your themeTesting the accessibility of your theme
You can quickly test the accessibility of your theme before you submit it to the Shopify Theme Store by running accessibility tests against a benchmark shop. If you want to test your theme before you submit it, then refer to these accessibility best practices.
Anchor to 7. Pages7. Pages
Including well-designed page types in your theme enables merchants to build all of the elements they need to run their online store.
Anchor to Layout page requirementsLayout page requirements
Anchor to Product page requirementsProduct page requirements
product.title
(not truncated)variant.price
variant.unit_price
- variant's compare-at price
product.description
- option names and option values
- Variants that are split up into separate options for users to select.
- The ability to select a quantity.
- An Add to cart button (often disabled or replaced when an unavailable variant combination, or sold-out variant, is selected).
- A callback function to update the price, compare-at-price, and sold-out messages for the currently selected variant.
- The first available variant loads on a page.
- Product recommendations
- Rich product media
- Accelerated checkout buttons (must be enabled by default)
- Pickup availability
- Shop Pay Installments
The following attributes of the form
object must be used:
form.email
form.name
form.message
The following attribute of the gift_card
object must be used:
send_on
swatch.image
swatch.color
Anchor to Collection page requirementsCollection page requirements
collection.title
(not truncated)collection.description
collection.image
product.title
(not truncated and links to product.url)product.price
product.images
variant.unit_price
- At least one piece of media for a product
Anchor to Collection List page requirementsCollection List page requirements
collection.title
(not truncated)
Anchor to Cart page requirementsCart page requirements
title
unit_price
image
final_price
quantity
options_with_values
- Cart notes
- Selling plans
- Automatic discount codes
- Accelerated checkout buttons
Anchor to Page requirementsPage requirements
page.title
page.content
Anchor to Blog page requirementsBlog page requirements
article.title
(not truncated, links toarticle.url
)article.image
article.excerpt_or_content
notarticle.content
Anchor to Article page requirementsArticle page requirements
article.title
(not truncated)article.comments
article.published_at
(but notarticle.created_at
)
Anchor to Search page requirementsSearch page requirements
Anchor to 404 page requirements404 page requirements
Anchor to Gift Card page requirementsGift Card page requirements
Anchor to Customer page requirementsCustomer page requirements
line_item.unit_price
- Selling plans
- Unit pricing
Anchor to Password page requirementsPassword page requirements
- the logo or
shop.name
shop.password_message
- a way to enter the storefront’s password
Anchor to 8. Consistency and functionality8. Consistency and functionality
Building a theme that functions properly and consistently ensures that merchants can rely on the quality of your theme.
All themes must meet the following functional requirements:
Anchor to 9. Browser compatibility9. Browser compatibility
Ensure that your theme lets merchants access the same information and experience across different browsers.
Anchor to Desktop browser requirementsDesktop browser requirements
A theme's layout, browsing experience, and purchasing actions must support the following desktop browsers and releases:
Anchor to Mobile browser requirementsMobile browser requirements
A theme's layout must meet the following mobile browser layout requirements:
A theme's layout, browsing experience, and purchasing actions must support the following mobile browsers and releases:
Anchor to Webviews and other application requirementsWebviews and other application requirements
Themes must support browsing and purchasing actions when rendered in webviews for the following applications:
Anchor to 10. Assets10. Assets
All themes must meet the following requirements, so their assets are delivered by the Shopify platform in an optimal manner.
Anchor to 11. Search engine optimization (SEO)11. Search engine optimization (SEO)
Effective SEO helps you build better relationships with your audience, improve the merchant experience, and drive more people to your theme.
All themes must meet the following SEO requirements:
Learn more about SEO best practices.
Anchor to 12. Accessibility12. Accessibility
Accessibility for your theme is essential to providing an inclusive experience for both merchants and customers. An accessible theme is designed so that it can be used by everyone, including people with vision impairment.
All themes must meet the following accessibility requirements:
Learn more about accessibility best practices.
Social media links help merchant grow their followers.
All themes must meet the following requirements for social media:
Anchor to 14. Settings14. Settings
It's important to organize and name things in a way that won't confuse merchants who are building a store with your theme. Using clear, simple names and a simple setting structure for elements such as sections and presets makes your theme easier to use and navigate.
Anchor to Basic requirementsBasic requirements
Anchor to Theme editor event requirementsTheme editor event requirements
Anchor to Text style requirementsText style requirements
Use this | Don't use this |
---|---|
Logo position on large screens
| Logo position on large screens
|
Theme sections
| Theme sections
|
- Use "Horizontal position" or "Vertical position" instead of "X position" or "Y position".
- Use "Button label" instead of "CTA label".
Use this | Don't use this |
---|---|
canceled | cancelled |
catalog | catalogue |
center, centered | centre, centred |
color | colour |
customize | customise |
dialog | dialogue |
gray | grey |
organize | organise |
Use this | Don't use this |
---|---|
Use a custom logo | Use a custom logo? |
Technical specification | Format | Example |
---|---|---|
Image size | [numeral] x [numeral]px (required/recommended) | 64 x 64px required |
Image size with format | [numeral] x [numeral]px [.format] (required/recommended) | 1200 x 300px .jpg recommended |
Word / character count | [numeral] words (max) | 32 words max |
Text format | Use basic HTML to format text |
Anchor to Terminology requirementsTerminology requirements
Use this | Don’t use this |
---|---|
home page | homepage |
top bar | meta-nav, search bar |
bottom bar | below footer, legal |
slideshow | slider |
checkout (when naming settings) | check out |
heading | title |
subheading | sub-heading |
body text | main text |
signup | sign-up, sign up |
favicon | shortcut icon, website icon |
sidebar | side bar |
button label | button name |
social media (when naming sections or settings) | social, social sharing |
social media icons | social media buttons |
navigation (to refer to all navigational elements) | menus, menu |
main menu (to refer to primary navigational element) | navigation, menu |
secondary menu (to refer to secondary navigational element) | navigation, menu |
footer menu (to refer to a menu located in the footer) | navigation, menu |
cart type (with "drawer", "page", and/or "modal" options) | Ajax, Ajaxify, Ajax cart |
.png | PNG, png, .PNG |
use (for actionable options that include a next step, such as uploading a file) | show, enable |
show (for options that allow the merchant to show or hide a basic element) | use, enable |
enable (for options related to apps or plugins, or something that will significantly modify the theme layout) | use, show |
Anchor to Section name guidelinesSection name guidelines
Each section in a theme needs a name. Section names appear in the section picker and in the sidebar listing the sections in a template.

Section names should relate to the section's function, for example Header
, Product list
, Slideshow
, or Image gallery
.
Refer to Shopify's theme terminology list to make sure that you name sections using the right Shopify terms.
Anchor to Suggested section namesSuggested section names
- Header
- Featured products
- Featured collections
- Slideshow
- Image gallery
- Logo list
- Newsletter
- Map
- Blog posts
- Testimonials
- Footer
Anchor to Section preset guidelinesSection preset guidelines
Section presets are predefined configurations of sections that merchants start with when adding content.

Preset names should relate to the type of content in the preset, for example Image and text
, Map
, Columns
, or Blog articles
.
Refer to Shopify's theme terminology list to make sure that you name presets using the right Shopify terms.
Anchor to Content placeholdersContent placeholders
If your preset features images, videos, or icons, then you should display placeholder content so that the merchant can get a better idea of how the content looks before they add their own media.
In your presets, use the following content placeholders:
Type of content | Placeholder |
---|---|
Images that aren't products or collections Adjacent images without margins | Image icon |
Lists of logos | Logo icon |
Slideshows Images with overlaid text Full-width images | Lifestyle image |
Videos | Default YouTube video ID |
Anchor to 15. Font picker15. Font picker
Font picker fields can be used to capture a font selection for various theme elements, such as the base heading font.
Font pickers must have the following settings:
Learn more about setting fonts.
Anchor to 16. Color system16. Color system
Selecting the right foreground and background colors enhances the effectiveness of your theme.
Learn more about color system best practices.
Anchor to 17. Responsive images17. Responsive images
Responsive images are important to the user experience. With the shift to smaller devices, developers face new challenges to ensure that images load quickly, regardless of screen size.
All themes must meet the following image requirements:
Anchor to 18. Naming themes and theme presets18. Naming themes and theme presets
Choose clear and unique names for your theme and presets when submitting to the Theme Store. Good names help merchants quickly identify and understand your theme.
Anchor to Theme and preset naming requirementsTheme and preset naming requirements
Anchor to Theme and preset name guidelinesTheme and preset name guidelines
Use the following guidelines to help you choose the right name for your theme and presets:
- Summarize, or allude to, the purpose of the theme preset.
- Give the merchant an idea of what to expect when using the theme preset, the core ideas behind the preset, and the preset's target demographic.
- Use a noun for the name. Nouns are more suitable for creating product names that stick, have identity, and create a lasting impression. A noun can better define the focus of the theme, and offer a better understanding of the shopping experience being offered.
- Use a name that's easy to spell and pronounce. This will help merchants with recall and search.
- Work across different dialects. Since some words and phrases can have different meanings in different regions, you should consult with an idiom dictionary.
- Use a name that's different from theme names on different platforms.
Anchor to Increasing clarity and discoverabilityIncreasing clarity and discoverability
For clarity and discoverability, consider the following guidelines when naming your theme and preset:
- Don't use trendy names. Trends fade, and theme names should transcend trends.
- Don't use unusual spellings. Not only are unusual spellings more difficult to remember, but they’re also more susceptible to autocorrect errors, and they limit discoverability by merchants.
- Don't use lengthy names. Even if you’re trying to be descriptive, creating a long name can hurt a merchant’s ability to remember what your theme is called.
- Don't use the same name as a theme on a different platform.
- Don't use the same name as an existing theme and preset name.
Anchor to Adding presets to your theme zip submissionAdding presets to your theme zip submission
If you have more than one preset, you need to include a unique set of templates showcasing each preset. The contents of these templates should be similar to the demo store it is associated with.
Preset templates need to be included in a /listings
folder in your theme zip. See the following example of a theme with two presets:
Shopify theme preset file structure
Note If you only have one preset, you do not need to include the
/listings
folder.
You can optionally include preset-specific section groups under a /sections
folder under your preset listing folders. To learn more about how theme zips should be structured, refer to the themes architecture documentation.
For a more detailed example of how to structure presets in your theme zip, refer to this best practices page.
Anchor to 19. Theme versions and release notes19. Theme versions and release notes
Theme versions help merchants easily identify which theme they have, so that they can determine which features are available, or if there are more recent versions to update to.
When you submit your theme to the Shopify Theme Store, either for the first time or for an update, the theme needs to have a version number and release notes that highlight the main features of the version.
Anchor to 20. Demo stores20. Demo stores
Setting up a demo store is a great way to showcase your theme's features and functionality, and to provide merchants with real-world examples of how they can use your theme. A demo store that's beautifully designed and functions flawlessly lets merchants explore and interact with your theme, and helps them understand if your theme is right for them.
To build your demo store, you can use a Shopify development store free of charge.
Development stores with developer previews enabled can't be transferred. Don't enable any developer previews when creating demo stores.
Anchor to Demo store requirementsDemo store requirements
- Don't use embedded text or buttons in images, except for the text on physical products, infographics, badges, or instagram images.
- Don't use animated gif images in places where they can be mistaken for theme functionality.
- Don't use apps. In some cases, special consideration applies to free product review apps and free translation apps. If you're showcasing multi-language options using translation apps, then all content must be translated.
Anchor to Demo store recommendationsDemo store recommendations
When designing your demo store, consider the following recommendations to help you showcase the full potential of your theme. The following recommendations aren't mandatory requirements that need to be met for submission.
- Identify the source of any product images used in the product description.
- Use the latest version of your theme in your demo store.
- Incorporate built-in Shopify features to showcase the power and capabilities of your theme.
- Illustrate the versatility and variability of your theme, by including examples such as a product that's on sale, a sold-out product or variant, a product with multiple variants, and a gift card product.
Anchor to 21. Documentation and contact forms21. Documentation and contact forms
Having clear, detailed, and accessible information about your theme helps merchants feel supported and helps to reduce support issues. Creating organized and effective documentation is important to your overall success as a Theme Partner.
Anchor to Documentation and contact form requirementsDocumentation and contact form requirements
Anchor to Merchant-facing theme documentationMerchant-facing theme documentation
You need to keep your documentation up to date as changes occur within Shopify and you update your theme. As you support merchants using your theme, be sure to identify any gaps in your theme documentation and make updates as necessary.
Your theme documentation should include an FAQ section and any other relevant information that you feel could help address potential support questions that merchants might have.
Anchor to Clear support policyClear support policy
Consider specifying your support policy in your theme documentation. As a Theme Partner, you must support bug fixes and answer any merchant questions regarding your theme. You might want to provide additional services to merchants such as customizations, app-integrations, and help with theme updates, but you can't include these services in the cost of your theme.
Anchor to Clarity on custom two-column MDX tutorialsClarity on custom two-column MDX tutorials
If you offer custom coding tutorials in your documentation, then specify whether the custom tutorials are supported. Also, include a warning to merchants in your tutorials that they should duplicate their theme before editing their code, and include a suggestion that merchants hire a Shopify Partner for help.
Anchor to Contact formsContact forms
Your contact form lets merchants contact you. You should include your contact form in your theme documentation. If you use a modal for your contact form, then make sure that it's mobile friendly and linkable from the Theme Store. Try to avoid fields that ask merchants about budget, phone numbers, project type, or other unnecessary questions. You can have a form outlining your agency work on a separate page, but the contact form that you link to from the Theme Store should comply with the following guidelines.
Field | Guideline |
---|---|
(First and Last) Name Field | |
Email Address Field | |
Store URL Field | Include an example URL for clarity, such as http://www.storename.myshopify.com. |
Description of Problem Field | This should be a text-area field. |
File Upload Function | Allow merchants to highlight their issues with images. |
Auto-responder Function | The auto-responder is triggered when the contact form is submitted to reduce the amount of merchants contacting Shopify and Theme Partners asking if their support requests have been received. |
Theme Name | Provide the theme name if you offer multiple themes. |
Subject | If you include this field, then it should auto populate the email subject line. |
Anchor to 22. Supporting your theme22. Supporting your theme
As a Theme Partner, you're responsible for supporting merchants who use your theme. Being merchant-focused, providing quality support, and having a collaborative attitude with Shopify is essential for the success of your theme.
Merchant support requests are submitted through your contact form, which you should link to from the Shopify Theme Store and your theme documentation.
Anchor to Merchant support requirementsMerchant support requirements
Anchor to Tips for improving the merchant installation experienceTips for improving the merchant installation experience
- Make sure your
.json
files don't include resources specific to your demo store admin (for example, custom metafields or URLs starting withshopify://
). - For
link_list
settings in the Header or Footer, always set a default value ofmain-menu
orfooter
, depending on the location of the setting. - When providing default values for resource-based settings (such as products), make sure the referenced resources exist in all stores.
- For
metaobject
andmetaobject_list
settings, only standard definitions can be used as themetaobject_type
. Custom or app-owned definitions aren't supported.
Anchor to Estimating the support workloadEstimating the support workload
Being a Theme Partner is a full-time job, and supporting merchants who use your theme is a large part of that. All of our current Theme Partners have dedicated support teams working for them. If you become a Theme Partner, then you’ll need to consider how to balance Theme Partner work with any other jobs that you're currently doing. New Theme Partners typically underestimate the amount of time that they'll need to allocate to support.
To understand how much effort is required to support a theme, Shopify merchants currently generate thousands of support tickets each month for the paid themes in the Shopify Theme Store, and support requests continue to grow as more merchants join the platform.