First-Time Setup
Branding, navigation, and homepage setup — the steps to take after installation.
Once DRIFT Studio is installed, follow this order to configure your store before going live.
1. Favicon
Theme settings → Favicon
Upload your favicon (32x32 px or larger square image). Your main header logo lives on the Header section, not in this group.
2. Default color mode
Theme settings → DRIFT — General
Choose whether your store loads in Light or Dark mode. Shoppers can toggle between the two using the switch in the header.
DRIFT uses its own light/dark system. Shopify's color schemes are required by Shopify but do not affect the storefront.
3. (Optional) Site background
Theme settings → DRIFT — Background
Studio-only. Replace the solid background with an image, video, or both. Tune blur and overlay opacity for legibility.
4. Header
In the customizer, edit the DRIFT Header section. Configure:
Light- and dark-mode logos
Logo height
Navigation menu (defaults to
main-menu)Optional icons: search, account, currency, language
Configure menu items in Online Store → Navigation. Full reference: Header section.
5. Social media URLs
Theme settings → Social media
Paste full URLs for the platforms you use (Instagram, TikTok, etc.). Leave fields blank for platforms you don't use. These appear on the password page.
6. Cart settings
Theme settings → DRIFT — Cart
Configure:
Dynamic checkout buttons (Apple Pay, Shop Pay, etc.)
Free shipping progress bar + threshold
Cart upsell (Studio only) — heading, expanded-by-default toggles, product count
7. Search and currency display
Theme settings → Search behavior — Predictive search, vendor visibility, price visibility.
Theme settings → Currency format — Whether to show the currency code next to prices.
8. Products and collections
If your store doesn't have products yet, add them now in Products → Add product.
For best results in DRIFT:
Use square or 3:4 portrait product images
Add at least 4 product images per product
Set up product variants properly
Write product descriptions
For collections: Products → Collections → Create collection.
9. Pages
In Online Store → Pages, create the pages your buyers expect (About, Contact, Shipping & Returns). Privacy and Terms are auto-generated from Settings → Policies.
10. Homepage sections
In the customizer, click Add section on the homepage to drop in:
Video Hero
DRIFT Feed
Showcase (Studio)
Lookbook (Studio)
Image with Text
FAQ Accordion
Logo List
Rich Text
Gallery (Studio)
Split Banner
Mix and match based on what your brand needs. Each section is documented under Sections & Features.
What's next
When everything looks right in the theme editor, head to Going Live to publish.
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