Have you ever landed on an online store that made you say “Aww” and captivated you to keep scrolling? A well-structured, user-centric Shopify theme is what makes a store stand out from those ordinary ones still using a basic and common appearance. The good news is that you can also customize the Shopify theme yourself without coding.     

You can decide to go for those tempting paid or free Shopify themes that are available on the Shopify Theme Store. The trick actually works for most of the businesses, up to a point. But if you are more ambitious and want to move beyond the cookie-cutter style and limited functionalities of these themes, you can choose customization. 

In this guide, we will explain the step-by-step process to customize a Shopify theme without coding. We will try to make things simple and easier for you to follow, and make your store stand out from the crowd. 

Shopify Theme Customization: Hire a Shopify Developer or Do It Yourself?

The best part of customizing a Shopify theme is that you can make a lot of structural design changes while not to worrying about the page layouts. But to make your store look more polished and your brand really shine, you will need to add a personalized touch to it. Therefore, you are left with two options: either do it yourself or hire a Shopify app developer. Let’s discuss both options: 

Hire a Shopify Developer

When you are new to web design and development, the number of choices for Shopify theme customization is overwhelming. You can choose any color or switch things up with just a click. It is only possible when you hire a Shopify expert. They can help you with Shopify store setup and customize the themes to the extent you want. 

You can hire Shopify designers from the Shopify Experts marketplace or from top-tier companies like Malicy. The best thing is that they are highly experienced, have worked on several projects, and know the ins and outs of the platform. 

Customize Shopify Theme Yourself

DIY (Do It Yourself) sometimes makes more sense than paying someone. If you have technical and design skills, you can use the Shopify theme editor. It is user-friendly and can help customize the look and feel of any online store without coding. You can use tools like Sections Everywhere, Shopify App Embeds, and page templates, you can add engaging design elements to your website. 

This blog is all about helping our readers learn how to customize Shopify themes by themselves without any professional help. So, the next section will include the step-by-step process of customizing Shopify themes for better UI/UX experiences. 

Steps to Customize Shopify Themes

Here comes the main part: we have listed a few steps to help readers understand the process of customizing Shopify themes without coding.     

Step 1. Select the Perfect Theme in the Shopify Theme Store

When you create a Shopify store, it automatically applies either the Debut or Dawn theme, depending on whether you are using Online Store 2.0. However, you are not limited to these defaults. The Shopify Theme Store offers a variety of alternatives to suit your needs. Choosing the right theme from the start is crucial to avoid the hassle of switching later for better features or functionality.

Shopify themes fall into two categories: free and paid.

• Free Themes: Ideal for new or small businesses exploring ecommerce, free themes come at no cost, making them budget-friendly. However, they often have limited customization and fewer features. Shopify provides 11 free themes to choose from.
• Paid Themes: With over 100 options, premium themes range from $180 to $350 as a one-time purchase. These themes offer advanced design options, enhanced ecommerce tools, and a broader range of features, enabling you to create a more dynamic and tailored online store.

You can filter themes by industry, catalog size, or specific features like age verification, infinite scroll, or store locator. To build an effective store, prioritize a theme with the functionality your business requires, then customize its appearance to match your brand.

Step 2. Edit Shopify Settings

Once you’ve selected a Shopify theme with the right structure and features, you can shift your focus to its visual design to reflect your brand’s identity. Customizing the design ensures your online store aligns with your unique style and resonates with your audience.

To start editing, go to your Shopify dashboard, select Online Store > Themes, find your active theme, and click Customize.

Key areas to focus on for a cohesive design include:

• Color Scheme: Align your store’s colors with your brand’s guidelines. If you don’t have established guidelines, draw inspiration from your logo’s color palette to create a consistent and professional look.
• Typography: Fonts play a vital role in branding. Top ecommerce stores often mix complementary fonts to add variety while maintaining harmony. You can combine a bold, heavy-weight font for headings with a lighter, all-caps style for accents, ensuring the typography is engaging yet cohesive.

Step 3. Create Templates

While experimenting with new fonts and colors across your Shopify store can be fun, maintaining consistency is important to creating a recognizable and user-friendly brand. A unified look with consistent fonts, colors, and styles helps customers navigate your store effortlessly and strengthens your brand identity.

Shopify’s page templates and sections are powerful tools to achieve this consistency while saving time.

• Page Templates: These are perfect for frequently used page types, such as blog posts, product pages, landing pages, or sales funnels. By starting with a template, you ensure a consistent design across similar pages while reducing the time and effort needed to create each one from scratch.
• Sections: These are reusable content blocks, like contact forms, calls to action, or newsletter signups, that you can place across multiple pages. Updating a section once automatically applies the changes wherever it’s used, streamlining maintenance and ensuring uniformity.

To manage sections, access your theme editor via the Shopify dashboard. Click + Add section to create a new one or use the search bar to locate an existing section. Edit the blocks within a section by selecting it, and rearrange sections by dragging the ⋮⋮ icon to adjust their order. Save your changes when done.

Step 4. Customize Your Store with Shopify Apps

The Shopify App Store offers thousands of apps to customize your store’s functionality. The key is to pinpoint your customization needs and select apps that align with those goals.

Here are some ways Shopify apps can elevate your store:

• Enhanced Search: Transform your search bar with apps like Shopify Search & Discovery. Add advanced filtering, visual search, or personalized product recommendations to improve the customer experience.
• Product Recommendations: Increase sales by suggesting related products. Apps used by stores like Thousand help display tailored recommendations to encourage higher-order values.
• Customer Reviews: Build trust and drive conversions with social proof. Apps like Product Reviews or Judge.me let you showcase customer feedback seamlessly.
• Landing Page Creation: Craft professional landing pages with ease using apps like Shogun, which offers a user-friendly drag-and-drop editor for custom templates.
• Streamlined Checkout: Customize your checkout to match your brand and reduce cart abandonment. Apps like Skip To Checkout or Zipify One Click Upsell optimize the process for better conversions.

Step 5. Use Shopify App Embeds to Add More Sections

Shopify app embeds are versatile tools that integrate seamlessly into your store, either as visible overlays, like a chat bubble, or as invisible features, such as analytics trackers. These embeds enhance functionality without disrupting the customer experience. 

You can manage app embeds directly in the Shopify theme editor, where they work with any theme version. Similar to sections, app embeds are centrally managed—update them once, and the changes apply across all pages where the embed is active, saving you from repetitive manual updates.

To customize app embeds, navigate to the theme editor and select App embeds. Choose the embed you want to adjust or use the search bar to find it by keyword. Toggle the embed on or off to activate or deactivate it, or click the expand icon (▸) next to the embed name to access and modify its settings.

Conclusion

Customizing a Shopify theme might seem easy, but it’s not everyone’s cup of tea. By using Shopify’s theme editor, pre-built templates, and user-friendly apps, you can create a unique, professional-looking website that reflects your brand. Simple steps like adjusting colors, fonts, and layouts or adding sections with drag-and-drop tools let you personalize your store without technical skills. 

Apps from the Shopify App Store, such as page builders or image editors, make advanced tweaks accessible to beginners. Regularly previewing changes ensures your store looks great on all devices, boosting customer trust. This approach saves time and money while letting you focus on growing your business. 

Experiment with designs, test different styles, and keep your store fresh to attract more visitors. With these no-code solutions, anyone can build a stunning Shopify store that stands out and drives sales, proving you don’t need to be a coder to succeed online.          

FAQs

How do I Personalize My Shopify Theme?

To personalize your Shopify theme, use the theme editor in your Shopify admin. Change colors, fonts, and layouts without coding. Add images, logos, or banners via the drag-and-drop interface. Use apps from the Shopify App Store for extra features like sliders. Preview changes to ensure your store looks great on all devices.

Can I Design My Own Shopify Theme?

Yes, you can design your own Shopify theme using Shopify’s theme editor or free tools like Shopify Theme Kit. No coding is needed for basic designs—adjust colors, layouts, and sections. For advanced designs, hire a developer or use apps to add custom features. Start with a free or paid theme as a base.

Can You Customize Free Shopify Themes?

Yes, free Shopify themes like Dawn can be customized. Use the theme editor to tweak colors, fonts, images, and layouts. Add sections or apps for more functionality, like product sliders. Free themes have limits compared to paid ones, but you can still create a unique look without coding.

Is Shopify Headless?

Shopify supports headless commerce, where you separate the front-end (design) from the back-end (store data). Use Shopify’s APIs to build custom storefronts with tools like React. It’s not fully headless by default, but it offers flexibility for advanced users wanting unique designs while keeping Shopify’s backend for payments and inventory.

How Much Does It Cost to Customize a Shopify Theme?

Customizing a Shopify theme can be free using the built-in theme editor for basic changes like colors or fonts. Apps for extra features cost $1-$30 monthly. Hiring a developer for advanced tweaks may cost $120-$600. Paid themes ($60-$300 one-time) offer more customization options than free ones.

How do I Edit a Shopify Theme?

Log in to your Shopify admin, go to “Online Store” > “Themes,” and select your theme. Click “Customize” to open the theme editor. Adjust colors, fonts, logos, or layouts using drag-and-drop tools. Add sections like banners or reviews. Save and preview changes to ensure the store looks good on all devices.

Is It Worth Paying for a Shopify Theme?

Paid Shopify themes are worth it for businesses wanting professional designs and advanced features like custom layouts or product filters. They save time, look polished, and improve customer experience. Free themes work for simple stores, but paid ones offer better customization and support for growing businesses.

Can I Upload My Own Theme to Shopify?

Yes, you can upload your own theme to Shopify. Create or buy a theme file (ZIP format) and upload it via “Online Store” > “Themes” > “Upload Theme.” Ensure it meets Shopify’s guidelines. Use Theme Kit or hire a developer for custom designs. Test the theme to confirm it works well.

Can I Change My Shopify Theme without Losing Content?

Yes, changing your Shopify theme won’t delete your store’s content, like products, pages, or blogs. The new theme may rearrange layouts, so check settings after switching. Use the theme editor to adjust designs. Back up your current theme before switching to avoid losing customizations.

How Long Does It Take to Make a Custom Shopify Theme?

Customizing a Shopify theme takes a few hours to a week. Basic changes (colors, fonts) using the theme editor take 2-5 hours. Adding apps or complex features may take 1-3 days. Fully custom themes built by developers can take 1-4 weeks, depending on complexity and design needs.