Make navigating your Shopify store a breeze for customers by adding drop-down menus from your main menu! It allows customers to easily find products or categories, improving the shopping experience. In this guide, we will show you step-by-step how to create drop-down menus to boost user experience and keep your store looking professional. Reading to simplify your site and delight your customers? Let’s get started!

Benefits of Using Drop-down Menus in Shopify 

Drop-down menus in your Shopify store can make a big difference in how customers interact with your website. Here are the key benefits that you should keep in mind:

• Organized navigation: Drop-down menus help structure your store’s layout, making it easy for visitors to find what they need.
• Improved user experience: By keeping your navigation simple and clear, drop-down menus allow customers to browse effortlessly, enhancing their shopping experience.
• Easy access to multiple pages: Drop-down menus allow you to link to various product categories or pages without cluttering your main navigation bar.
• Space-saving design: Drop-down menus keep your navigation clean by displaying many options in a compact form.

How to Add a Drop-down Menu from the Main Menu: A Step-by-Step Guide

Method 1: Using the Shopify Admin 

Step 1: Go to “Navigation” in Shopify Admin

Step 2: In the “Menus” section, click the “Add menu” button in the upper right-hand corner.

Step 3: In the “Add menu” screen, enter a title for your menu (e.g., “Shop Categories”) in the “Title” field.

Step 4: Add Menu Items

• Click the “+ Add menu item” button at the bottom of the “Menu items” section.
• In the “Name” field, type the name of your menu item (e.g., “New Arrivals”).
• Choose the link for this item from the dropdown menu (e.g., ‘Collections,’ ‘Pages,’ etc.). Click “Add” to save this item.

Step 5: Add More Menu Items

• Repeat Step 4 to add more menu items such as “Best Sellers” and “On Sale.”
• You can rearrange the items by dragging them to create the desired order.

Step 6: Once you’ve added all the menu items, click the “Save menu” button at the bottom right corner to finalize your menu.

Method 2: Using the Shopify App 

Using Shopify Menu Apps is a smart way to streamline your menu and submenu setup. Some apps offer manual and automatic filters for organizing collections, others help create mega menus in minutes, and some improve product visibility for search engines. 

To explore these options, check out our 10+ Best Shopify Menu Apps list. It’s so helpful for you. 

Troubleshooting Common Issues When Adding a Drop-down Menu In a Shopify Store

You may encounter a few common issues when adding a drop-down menu to your Shopify store. Here’s how to troubleshoot them:

• Drop-down menu not appearing: Verify that you’ve correctly nested the menu items. Go to Shopify Admin > Navigation and check if sub-items are properly positioned under the main item. Drag and drop to adjust as needed.
• Menu not working on mobile: If the drop-down isn’t functional, it could be due to theme compatibility. Ensure your theme supports mobile navigation; if not, consider updating or switching to a mobile-friendly theme.
• Main menu item not clickable after adding a drop-down: Adding a drop-down may disable the main menu item’s clickability, especially in themes like Debut. To fix this, modify the code in the site-nav.liquid or header.liquid file to restore clickability.
• Drop-down not expanding or displaying correctly: If the drop-down won’t expand, it could be due to a code issue or recent theme customizations. Check the header.liquid file for intact menu code and address any conflicting customizations.

If you continue experiencing issues, reviewing the code or contacting Shopify support for additional assistance may help.

Bottom Line

I hope you found this post helpful in understanding how to use drop-down menus in your Shopify store. With the benefits of organized navigation and improved user experience, drop-down menus are a great way to simplify your store’s layout. By following the step-by-step guide and troubleshooting tips, you’ll be well on your way to enhancing your store’s functionality.

Related Posts:

• How to Edit Menu Items on Shopify?
• What Programming Language Does Shopify Use?

FAQs

How do I style my Shopify submenu?

You can style your Shopify submenu by editing the theme’s CSS file. Go to Online Store > Themes > Edit Code and open the theme’s CSS file (e.g., theme.css). From there, you can add custom CSS to adjust the font size, spacing, or background color. If you’re using a theme like Dawn, specific lines of CSS can be added to modify the appearance of the submenus, including making the font smaller or changing indentation​. 

How to create multi-level submenus?

Shopify allows you to create up to two levels of nested submenus. Start by creating menu items in your Navigation settings. Then, drag and drop them under the parent item to form a multi-level structure. This allows customers to navigate quickly through categories and subcategories​. 

How to make submenus mobile-friendly?

To make submenus mobile-friendly, you can modify the mobile styles through CSS by targeting specific media queries. This helps ensure the menu displays correctly on smaller screens. If you’re using a theme like Dawn, you can adjust the font size and positioning of the submenu for mobile views by adding custom CSS in the theme’s settings​. 

How to do a dropdown menu in Shopify?

To create a dropdown menu in Shopify, go to Online Store > Navigation in your admin dashboard. Choose or create a menu item to act as the parent, then add sub-items under it by dragging them into place. Save your changes, and your store will have a functional dropdown menu​. 

How do I add a dropdown variant in Shopify?

To add a dropdown variant (e.g., for product options like size or color), navigate to the product page in Shopify Admin. Under Variants, add options for each variant. Shopify will automatically display these as a dropdown menu on the product page, allowing customers to choose from the available options​. 

What is the difference between a drop-down and a mega menu in Shopify?

A drop-down menu displays sub-items under a parent menu in a vertical list. In contrast, a mega menu shows multiple columns of menu items, often including images and additional content. Mega menus are more complex and usually require a custom setup or a Shopify app​.