Update Sublime to a new version

When a new version of Sublime is released, Shopify lets you add it to your theme library as a new copy, with your theme editor changes carried over. Your live store doesn't change until you publish the updated copy.

What carries over

Carries over Everything you did in the theme editor: theme settings, sections and blocks on every template, alternate templates, the header, footer and overlays, app blocks and app embeds, and Custom CSS (both store-wide and per section).
Doesn't carry over Changes made in Edit code: edited Liquid, CSS or JavaScript files, code pasted in by an app installer or developer, and edited translation files.

Edited the code? Keep a list of every code change and who made it. After updating, you (or your developer) will need to make those changes again in the new version. Wherever possible, use Custom CSS or the Custom section instead of editing theme files. Those carry over.

Before you update

  1. Read the changelog to see what's new and whether anything you use has changed.
  2. In Online Store → Themes, click … next to your current Sublime theme and choose Duplicate. The copy is your backup if you need to go back.
  3. If you've edited code, note what you changed.

Update from the Theme Store

If you added Sublime from the Shopify Theme Store, Shopify shows when an update is available:

  1. Go to Online Store → Themes.
  2. On your Sublime theme, look for the Update available notice (or View update in the theme's … menu).
  3. Review the release notes and click Add to theme library. Shopify creates a new copy on the latest version, with your theme editor changes copied into it.
  4. Click Customize on the new copy and check your key pages on desktop and mobile.
  5. When you're happy, click … next to it, then Publish.

Good to know: Updating never replaces your live theme on its own. The updated version is added unpublished, so you can check it first.

If you installed from a .zip file

Themes uploaded as a .zip don't receive update notices. Upload the new version from Add theme → Upload zip file, as described in Install Sublime. An uploaded copy starts with default settings, so contact us if you'd like help moving your customizations across.

After you update

  • Preview the homepage, a collection, a product, the cart and search on desktop and mobile.
  • Check any new settings mentioned in the changelog. New settings start at their default values.
  • Make sure your apps' blocks and embeds still appear.
  • Keep the previous version in your library for a few weeks before deleting it.

I don't see an update notice

Update notices only appear for themes added from the Theme Store, and only when a newer version exists. Compare the version shown on your theme card in Online Store → Themes with the latest changelog entry.

Something looks different after updating

A new version can change a section's default look or add new settings. Compare it with the backup copy you duplicated, check the changelog, and adjust the settings in the new version. If something is broken, contact support.

Can I go back to the old version?

Yes. Your previous theme stays in your library. Publish it again from Online Store → Themes.

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