How to Fix Custom Templates Not Showing in Shopify Flow Theme

Understanding Custom Templates in Shopify

Custom templates are a powerful feature in Shopify that allow store owners to create unique layouts for specific pages or collections. However, many users encounter issues when trying to assign these templates, especially when working with themes like Flow. In this guide, we’ll explore the common problems and solutions related to assigning custom templates in Shopify’s Flow theme.

What Are Custom Templates?

Custom templates in Shopify are pre-designed layouts that can be applied to pages, products, or collections. They offer flexibility in design and functionality, allowing store owners to create unique experiences for different sections of their online store.

The Importance of Custom Templates

Custom templates play a crucial role in:

Enhancing user experience
Improving site navigation
Showcasing products or content in a tailored manner

Common Issues with Custom Templates

While custom templates are invaluable, users often face challenges when trying to assign them. These issues can range from templates not appearing in the selection menu to confusion about the correct process for implementation.

The Main Challenge: Templates Not Showing Up

One of the most common issues Shopify users face is custom templates not appearing in the template selection dropdown when trying to assign them to pages. This can be frustrating, especially after putting effort into creating a custom template.

Identifying the Problem

If you’ve created a custom template in the Flow theme but can’t see it when trying to assign it to pages, you’re not alone. This issue is often related to the theme’s status - whether it’s live or in draft mode.

The Root Cause

The primary reason for this issue is that Shopify doesn’t allow assigning templates from themes that are not currently live. This is a security measure to prevent accidental changes to your store’s appearance.

The Solution: Making Your Theme Live

The most effective solution to this problem is straightforward but requires a specific process:

Publish Your Theme: If you’re working on a draft theme, you need to make it live before you can assign custom templates.
Assign the Template: Once the theme is live, go to the pages section and set the desired template.
Revert to Draft (Optional): After assigning the template, you can set the theme back to draft mode if you’re not ready to keep it live.

Step-by-Step Guide

Go to your Shopify admin panel
Navigate to “Online Store” > “Themes”
Find your theme with the custom template
Click “Actions” > “Publish”
Once published, go to “Online Store” > “Pages”
Select the page you want to assign the template to
In the “Template” dropdown, you should now see your custom template
Select and save

Important Considerations

This process may temporarily change your live store’s appearance
Choose a low-traffic time to make these changes if possible
Always preview changes before finalizing them

Alternative Approaches and Workarounds

While making your theme live is the primary solution, there are alternative approaches for those who can’t or don’t want to publish their theme immediately.

Using Test Templates

One creative workaround involves:

Creating duplicate “-test” versions of your template and sections in the live theme
Making a test page or article
Applying the test template to your “-test” page
Using Preview mode on your unpublished theme to view and edit the test page

This method allows you to work on and preview your custom templates without publishing the entire theme.

Considerations for New Themes

When working on a completely new theme that’s not yet live:

Be aware that styles and Liquid structure may differ significantly from your current live theme
Prepare for initial formatting issues when first viewing your test files
Gradually copy over necessary snippets and edit templates as needed

Best Practices for Managing Custom Templates

To avoid issues and streamline your workflow with custom templates:

Regular Theme Updates

Keep your themes updated to the latest version
Check for any changes in how Shopify handles custom templates with each update

Proper Naming Conventions

Use clear, descriptive names for your custom templates
Consider using prefixes or suffixes to easily identify test versions (e.g., “homepage-test”)

Documentation and Version Control

Keep a record of your custom templates and their purposes
Use version control if possible to track changes and revert if necessary

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Even with the main solution, you might encounter other issues. Here are some troubleshooting tips:

Template Still Not Appearing

If your template doesn’t show up even after publishing:

Double-check that you’ve saved all changes to the template
Ensure you’re looking in the correct section (pages, products, or collections)
Try clearing your browser cache and reloading the admin panel

Unexpected Appearance Issues

If your template doesn’t look as expected when applied:

Review your CSS and make sure it’s properly linked
Check for any conflicting styles from the main theme
Use browser developer tools to inspect and debug

By following these guidelines and solutions, you should be able to successfully assign and manage custom templates in Shopify’s Flow theme. Remember, the key is to ensure your theme is live when assigning templates, and always test thoroughly before making permanent changes to your store.