The template decides what your generated page looks like: its layout, its structure, and which sections appear. Atlas writes the copy either way, so this choice is about design rather than words. There are four routes, and the right one depends on whether you want the page to match your existing store or to look like something new.
In this article:
The four options
Option | Best when |
Use your own theme template | You want the new page to match the rest of your store |
Use Atlas templates | You want a layout designed for conversion rather than for your theme |
Let Atlas decide | You want the fastest result and no decisions |
Build from a competitor link | You have a specific high-performing page you want to model |
Not every option appears in every flow. The product page and full store wizards offer your own templates and the Atlas library. The wider setup flow adds Let Atlas decide for you and the competitor link.
Using a template from your own theme
Atlas automatically pulls the native product templates already saved inside your Shopify theme. Choose one and the new AI page is built on that layout.
Select Use my theme, then pick the theme in Select theme and the layout in Select page layout.
Choose this when your store already has a look you are happy with, and you want new pages to be indistinguishable from the rest of it.
ℹ️ Some of your product templates may not appear in the list. Atlas filters out templates whose layout contains images and content hardcoded to one specific product, because reusing them would leak that product's images onto a different product's page. See Why is one of my theme's product templates missing from the list?
Using the Atlas library
The Atlas library holds ready-to-use page layouts, including influencer-style pages and beginner-friendly designs. They are built for conversion rather than to match any particular theme.
Under Select a pre-built page template, choose one of the product page templates designed by experts. Use Search templates by name & industry to narrow a long list. The panel also lets you access designs you have saved, or clone a page from a URL.
Choose this when you are testing a new product and want a proven layout, or when your current theme's product page is not converting and you want something different.
Letting Atlas decide
Let Atlas decide for you automatically chooses and configures the best templates and personas for your store.
Atlas picks both the template and the persona based on the products you added.
Choose this when you are building your first page and have no strong opinion, or when you are building many pages and want them handled consistently without deciding each time.
Modelling a competitor's page
Build from scratch with a single competitor link: paste a high-performing competitor's product page and Atlas models your page on it.
Paste the URL into Competitor store URL. The tooltip is specific about what works:
Pick a high-converting competitor product page in your category. Similar audience, price point, and a page that's already proven to convert works best, and the closer the match, the better Atlas can model your page.
Choose this when you know a page in your category that works and you want the same structure applied to your product.
⚠️ Atlas models the structure and approach of the page, and writes new copy for your product. Do not treat this as a way to copy a competitor's text or images. You are responsible for what you publish, including anything that infringes someone else's content.
Changing the design afterwards
The template is not permanent. Once the page is built you can:
Hide any section you do not want, in the Atlas editor
Reorder and edit blocks within sections
Change the colour palette for that page
Edit every piece of copy
What you cannot do is swap one template for another after generation. To try a different layout, build the page again with the other template selected. Nothing stops you keeping both as drafts and comparing them.