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How Do I Update My Shopify Theme Without Losing Customization?

Last updated on October 1, 2022 @ 4:55 pm

When you first set up your Shopify store, you probably spent a lot of time choosing the perfect theme and customizing it to match your branding. But what happens when a new version of that theme is released

The good news is that you don’t have to start from scratch – there’s a way to update your theme without losing any of your hard work. Here’s how:

1. Create a backup

The first step is to create a backup of your current theme. This will give you something to fall back on if anything goes wrong during the update process.

To do this, go to the “Themes” section of your Shopify admin and click on the “Export” button for your current theme. This will download a .zip file containing all the files for your theme.

2. Update your theme

Next, you’ll need to update your theme to the latest version. You can do this by going to the “Themes” section and clicking on the “Update” button for your theme.

3. Compare and merge changes

Once you have both versions of your theme, it’s time to compare them side-by-side to see what’s changed. Open up both .zip files and take a look at the contents of each one. Any files that are in the new version but not in the old version can be safely deleted – these are likely just unused template files that are no longer needed.

For any other files that have changed, you’ll need to compare them line-by-line to see what’s been added, removed, or modified. Once you’ve done this, you can update your old theme file with these changes (making sure not to delete anything that’s still needed).

If there are any major changes that you can’t figure out how to merge, you can always reach out to the developer of your theme for help. They should be able to point you in the right direction.

4. Test everything out
Before you go live with your updated theme, it’s important to test everything out first.

Install your updated theme on a test store (or create a duplicate of your live store) and put it through its paces. Make sure all the features are still working as they should and that there are no visual glitches or broken pages. Once you’re happy with everything, you can activate your new theme on your live store.

PRO TIP: If you are planning on updating your Shopify theme, be sure to back up your current theme first. This way, if you lose any customization during the update process, you can easily revert back to your old theme.

Updating your Shopify Theme should be done regularly to ensure optimal performance

and security for both store owners and customers.

. New versions often include important security fixes as well as performance enhancements, so it’s always good practice to keep things up-to-date.

Drew Clemente

Drew Clemente

Devops & Sysadmin engineer. I basically build infrastructure online.