How to Preview a Shopify Theme Without Publishing It
To preview a Shopify theme without publishing it, go to your Shopify Admin > Online Store > Themes. Locate your draft theme in the Theme Library, click the three dots to open the Actions menu, and select Preview. This opens a private preview in a new tab.
Previewing Draft Themes
- From the Theme Library: Click the "..." Actions menu next to any unpublished theme and choose Preview to view your storefront exactly as a customer would.
- The Preview Bar: A bar at the bottom/top of your screen allows you to change the store's language, switch regional markets, or generate a shareable preview link to send to clients or team members.
- Live Customisation: In the Online Store > Themes menu, click Customize next to your draft. You can make live edits to typography, colors, and sections, and they will immediately update in your private preview window.
Previewing alternate templates
- Go to Online Store > Themes and click ⋮.
- Use the top page drop-down menu to select the specific template you want to view (e.g., a specific product page).
- In the left-hand sidebar, look for the Preview section and click Change to select the exact resource or product you want to test the template with.
Testing from the Shopify theme store
If you are shopping for a new design from the Shopify Theme Store, you can visualize your products and brand before installing it:
- Navigate to the theme page in the store.
- Click View Demo Store to see how the theme's default layout and navigation look.
- If you like the theme, click Try Theme to add it directly to your draft library to test your own products.
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