When you build pages using a template from the Atlas template library, Atlas opens the Atlas editor once your pages are generated. This is where you review your pages and refine their content before publishing. This article explains what you can do in the editor, how to publish, and what the editor is not designed for.
In this article:
When the Atlas editor opens
The editor layout
How to edit your content
Saving and publishing
What the Atlas editor is not for
When the Atlas editor opens
The Atlas editor appears at the end of a build, but only for certain flows:
Full store. Always opens the editor, with your home page and product page loaded together.
Product pages. Opens the editor only when you build from the Atlas template library. If you build from a Shopify theme template instead, your page publishes directly and the editor does not open.
The editor itself is identical in both flows. The only difference is that a full store loads both a home page and a product page, which you switch between using the page selector at the top.
The editor layout
The editor has three main areas:
Section list (left panel). Lists every section on the current page, such as product information, scrolling images, comparison table, and customer reviews. The exact sections depend on the template you chose.
Live preview (center). Shows your page as it will appear when published. Use the desktop and mobile toggle at the top to check both views.
Page selector (top). In a full store, switch between your home page and product page here.
How to edit your content
There are two ways to make changes:
Edit in the preview. Click an element directly in the live preview to open the editor on the left side of the screen.
Edit from the section list. Click a section in the left panel to open its settings and edit its content there.
Both methods change the content inside your existing sections, and your edits appear in the live preview as you make them.
Saving and publishing
The Atlas editor saves your changes when you publish. There is no separate save button and no auto-save.
⚠️ Your edits are only saved when you publish. If you close the editor before publishing, any changes you made will be lost. Finish your edits and publish in the same session.
When you are ready, click Publish pages in the top-right corner. A panel shows the pages to be published and a Publishing to dropdown for selecting the destination theme. Choose your theme, then click Publish.
⚠️ For a full store, publishing replaces the current home page and product page on the selected theme with your new ones for the same products. Confirm you have selected the right theme before publishing.
What the Atlas editor is not for
The Atlas editor is for editing the content within your existing sections. It is not for restructuring the page. To reorder, hide, add, or delete sections, or to make broader design and layout changes, use the Shopify theme editor after publishing.
ℹ️ Think of it as two stages. Use the Atlas editor to refine your copy and images before going live, then use the Shopify theme editor for layout and structural changes once your pages are published. To learn more, see How to edit your pages after importing.