How to Add Images to Your Shopify Menu Without Paying for an App

Adding images to your Shopify menu can significantly enhance your store’s visual appeal and usability. While many apps offer this feature, you don’t need to spend extra money to achieve it. In this post, I'll guide you through a simple method to add images to your menu without any additional costs.

1. Understanding the Benefits of Adding Images to Your Menu

Incorporating images into your Shopify menu can provide several significant advantages for your online store. Here’s why it’s worth considering:

• Enhanced Visual Appeal: Images can make your menu more engaging and visually appealing. Instead of just text, images can capture attention and create a more memorable browsing experience for your customers.
• Improved Navigation: Visual cues help users quickly identify different categories or products. For example, a small image representing a category like "Telescopes" can make it easier for customers to navigate and find what they’re looking for.
• Stronger Branding: Consistent use of images that align with your brand’s theme can reinforce your brand identity. Custom images can reflect the unique style and personality of your store, helping you stand out from competitors.
• Increased Click-Through Rates: Menus with images can be more inviting, leading to higher click-through rates. Shoppers are more likely to explore categories or products when they are presented with appealing visuals.

By leveraging images in your menu, you can create a more user-friendly and attractive online shopping experience that not only looks professional but also enhances overall functionality.

2. Accessing Your Shopify Theme Code

To get started, you’ll need to access the theme editor in Shopify. Follow these steps:

• Navigate to Online Store > Themes.
• Click on Actions > Edit Code.
• Look for a file called "header.liquid"

3. Adding Custom Code for Menu Images

You are in the Header.liquid file, look for a line that looks like that

<ul class="list-menu-desktop list-menu list-menu--inline" role="list">

This is the elements you will want to replace with the one I will be providing you. But first you need to remove the element without breaking anything.

In front of the line you just found, click on the small arrow that collapses all the code for that element.

Now you can safely select the entire line and replace it with this

<ul class="list-menu-desktop list-menu list-menu--inline" role="list">
{%- for link in section.settings.menu.links -%}
<li>
{%- if link.links != blank -%}
<header-menu>
<details id="Details-HeaderMenu-{{ forloop.index }}" class="mega-menu">
<summary
id="HeaderMenu-{{ link.handle }}"
class="header__menu-item list-menu__item link focus-inset"
>
<span
{%- if link.child_active %}
class="header__active-menu-item"
{% endif %}
>
{{- link.title | escape -}}
</span>
{% render 'icon-caret' %}
</summary>
<div
id="MegaMenu-Content-{{ forloop.index }}"
class="mega-menu__content color-{{ section.settings.menu_color_scheme }} gradient motion-reduce global-settings-popup"
tabindex="-1"
>
<ul
class="mega-menu__list page-width{% if link.levels == 1 %} mega-menu__list--condensed{% endif %}"
role="list"
>
{%- for childlink in link.links -%}
<li>
<a
id="HeaderMenu-{{ link.handle }}-{{ childlink.handle }}"
href="{{ childlink.url }}"
class="mega-menu__link mega-menu__link--level-2 link{% if childlink.current %} mega-menu__link--active{% endif %}"
{% if childlink.current %}
aria-current="page"
{% endif %}
>
{% if childlink.object.image %}
{{ childlink.object.image | image_url: width: 100 | image_tag }}
{% endif %}
{{ childlink.title | replace: "&amp;" , "&" | escape }}
</a>
{%- if childlink.links != blank -%}
<ul class="list-unstyled" role="list">
{%- for grandchildlink in childlink.links -%}
<li>
<a
id="HeaderMenu-{{ link.handle }}-{{ childlink.handle }}-{{ grandchildlink.handle }}"
href="{{ grandchildlink.url }}"
class="mega-menu__link link{% if grandchildlink.current %} mega-menu__link--active{% endif %}"
{% if grandchildlink.current %}
aria-current="page"
{% endif %}
>
{{ grandchildlink.title | escape }}
</a>
</li>
{%- endfor -%}
</ul>
{%- endif -%}
</li>
{%- endfor -%}
</ul>
</div>
</details>
</header-menu>
{%- else -%}
<a
id="HeaderMenu-{{ link.handle }}"
href="{{ link.url }}"
class="header__menu-item list-menu__item link link--text focus-inset"
{% if link.current %}
aria-current="page"
{% endif %}
>
<span
{%- if link.current %}
class="header__active-menu-item"
{% endif %}
>
{{- link.title | escape -}}
</span>
</a>
{%- endif -%}
</li>
{%- endfor -%}
</ul>

5. Testing Your Changes

After making changes, it’s crucial to test them to ensure they display correctly. Here’s how to preview and test your updated menu:

• Check responsiveness across different devices.
• Verify that the images appear correctly in various browsers.

7. Conclusion

If all is well you should be starting to see images display on top of the name of your links.

You are having trouble ? Please feel free to contact me for help by email [email protected]