Squarespace version & theme

How to find out what Squarespace version & theme you are using and why it matters oh so much!

If you built your website after January 13th 2020 you are probably using Squarespace version 7.1

  • If you see the word EDIT on the top left-hand side of your site preview, you’re in version 7.1

  • If you are in edit mode and see the ADD SECTION option, you are in version 7.1

  • If you edit your Site Styles menu and it opens on the right-hand side of your screen, you are using version 7.1

Why does the version and theme matter so much?

There are some big differences between version 7 & 7.1 will influence how you design your site.

  • Version 7.1 has portfolio pages with projects. Index pages are a part of Brine theme families. Image gallery pages are a 7 thing, but 7.1 has gallery sections that can be awesome.

  • Version 7.1 has page sections for standard pages and collections.

    These page sections give us a lot more flexibility and control over the content and design. In version 7.1 websites, we can adjust the mobile layout separately, changing the size & location of content without effecting desktop.

  • In version 7.0, Squarespace templates are built on a variety of different themes, but all Squarespace 7.1 websites have the same core template.

    This is a pretty big deal if you want to use custom code to make Squarespace unique. If you want to change part of a Squarespace site with custom CSS, some of the elements in 7.1 and 7 go by different names. If you don’t know your version, or if you are using 7, your theme family, you could use the wrong code.

    Now the good news is that some common things, like text, buttons, and even quote blocks, use the same “code name” in custom CSS.

When creating custom code, your version & theme matters a lot.

All of my custom CSS tutorials are labeled for the version of Squarespace they are compatible with, but the important info doesn’t stop there.

If you’re using version 7, you’ll need to know your theme name and make sure the codes you used are for that specific theme.

My Squarespace CSS Cheat Sheet includes codes for version 7.1 and 7.0 sites built on the Brine, Bedford, Pacific, York & Five themes.

Okay I’m still on version 7 - how do I figure out my theme family so I know what tutorials will work for me?

Use the chart below to look up you template name. If you don’t remember the template you started building with, this is how you find out! From your main menu, navigate to design, then to template. Here you will see which template is currently installed on your Squarespace website.

Once you have that info, check out the chart below and make a note for all your future coding adventures. You can also check out this article from Squarespace itself if you want more info about the key differences. If you are using Brine, Bedford, Pacific, York of Five, my Squarespace CSS cheat sheet includes codes for those themes!

Theme Name Template Name IMHO
Adirondack Adirondack
Avenue Avenue
Aviator Aubrey, Aviator, Encore (discontinued)
Bedford Anya, Bedford, Bryant, Hayden Bedford is the first theme I started with, and still a strong favorite for easy to use layouts and styles
Brine Aria, Basil, Blend, Brine, Burke, Cacao, Clay, Ethan, Fairfield, Feed, Foster, Greenwich, Hatch, Heights, Hunter, Hyde, Impact, Jaunt, Juke, Keene, Kin, Maple, Margot, Marta, Mentor, Mercer, Miller, Mojave, Moksha, Motto, Nueva, Pedro, Polaris, Pursuit, Rally, Rover, Royce, Sofia, Sonny, Sonora, Stella, Thorne, Vow, Wav, West Brine is one of the most versital themes so I test all of my codes here!
Farro Farro, Haute
Five Five
Flatiron Flatiron
Forte Forte
Galapagos Galapagos
Ishimoto Ishimoto
Momentum Momentum
Montauk Julia, Kent, Montauk, Om
Native Native
Pacific Bryler (discontinued), Charlotte, Fulton, Horizon, Naomi, Pacific Pacific & York are great templates for single page designs
Skye Foundry, Indigo, Ready, Skye, Tudor
Supply Supply
Tremont Camino, Carson, Henson, Tremont
Wells Wells
Wexley Wexley
York Artesia, Flores, Harris, Jasper, Jones, Lange, Shibori, York York & Pacific are great templates for single page designs

How to change your Squarespace 7.1 template

If you are using version 7.1, you don’t need to!

All 7.1 websites have the exact same features. You can redesign your website content to match the new theme you want to use.

Check out this youtube video to learn about your 4 options.

If you purchased a template from a professional designer, they should provide you resources to help. If they do not offer support or training for the transition to their theme, definitely find a different company to work with! Assisting you with your template purchase is an industry standard for us Squarespace users.

How to change your Squarespace 7.0 template

Don’t. Seriously - I do not recommend it.

This can be done using Squarespace but I urge you to be EXTRA cautious about this, and to consider working with a professional designer.

Why is this such a big deal? Not all 7.0 theme families have the same features, so if you switch to a 7.0 template from a different theme family, you can and will loose some functionality and even some of your content in the process.

I do not recommend changing your Squarespace 7.0 template after you have created a majority of your site content.

If you hate your current template and have to change, use the chart above to identify your theme family and explore other compatible templates

Squarespace

made simple

When you’re ready to upgrade your site, this course has all the info you need to get started with version 7.1