Are All Shopify Themes Responsive?



No, not all Shopify themes are responsive. This is largely dependent on outsourcing to questionable contractors. All out-of-the-box Shopify themes, free and purchased will be responsive, but you may encounter a theme that’s not responsive by a rouge developer.

It’s important to note, that the responsive website standard emerged in 2010, thus you’d find it incredibly difficult to find a theme that’s not responsive.

Not having a responsive theme, which is unlikely that you’ll come across one, will impact sales. Navigating a website that’s not responsive on a smaller device becomes incredibly challenging, thus 9 out of 10 users simply leave and never return.

It is also worth mentioning that the best free Shopify themes will be responsive. After all, not adhering to a standard and being flagged as “best” is highly unlikely

It's easy to get lost in a jungle of tech jargon, but you don't need to! You can always outsource. Remember, your goal is to focus on your business, not in it.

To harness the potential of Shopify's theme customization capabilities, you can hire from a respected talent marketplace where you'll find top-tier Shopify developers.

Toptal is recognized by leading enterprises and startups, who have been known to consistently deliver exceptional results. This means that your store can be maximized to its highest potential. You can learn more about Toptal here: https://www.toptal.com/shopify

How To Determine If A Shopify Theme Is Responsive

Locate your preferred Shopify theme, whether that’s within Shopify or ThemeForest, and perform the following steps.

Testing On A Desktop Browser

Step 1: ThemeForest

Go to ThemeForest and search for Shopify themes:

https://themeforest.net/category/ecommerce/shopify

Go to ThemeForest

Step 2: Select Theme

Locate and select the theme you want to test.

Select ThemeForest Theme

Step 3: Preview

Click the preview button, followed by the layout.

Preview ThemeForest Theme

Step 4: Resize

Start by minimizing the browser if expanded, then click and hold the left or right side of the browser. In the hold position, you’ll want to move your mouse or trackpad left (inwards).

Resize ThemeForest Theme

What you should see here, are images, elements, and navigation resizing automatically to fit the viewport.

The goal is to determine whether the Shopify theme is still legible, and readable.

To reiterate, if all elements of the store resize and collapse, then it’s deemed as responsive.

Testing On A Hand-Held Device

Step 1: Shopify Theme Store

Go to the Shopify theme store:

https://themes.shopify.com/

Shopify Theme Store

Step 2: Select Theme

Select your preferred theme.

Select your preferred theme

Step 3: Preview

Once you've found your desired theme, select preview and navigate the store. On the basis that we’re already viewing on a smaller device, no resizing is required.

Preview theme

You should be immediately able to detect if a theme is responsive, on the basis that it’s legible, you don’t have to scroll horizontally too much, and all elements are accessible in the viewport.

Knowing how to test if a Shopify theme is responsive gives you that added confidence that when you install a Shopify theme you won't be impacted by potential customers leaving your store based on its UX and accessibility.

Wrapping up, we’ll cover the most common questions surrounding responsive themes.

Are Shopify Themes Mobile Responsive?

Yes, the majority of Shopify themes are mobile responsive.

There is no differentiating factor with responsiveness, meaning if a Shopify theme is responsive, then it is mobile responsive.

Are Free Shopify Themes Responsive?

Yes, the majority of free Shopify themes are responsive.

Again, there is no difference between a free and paid theme when it comes to responsiveness. The standard for responsive website design has been around for some time. Meaning, regardless of the cost, an extremely large percentage of developers will adhere to this standard.

The Takeaway

Finding a Shopify theme that’s not responsive, is challenging but it does happen. If you’re outsourcing to build a bespoke theme, ensure that you have a checklist of what you expect from your theme - this should include responsiveness.

If you decide to outsource, avoid contracting a developer from Facebook groups and fiver. Stick to platforms and agencies where your money is protected.

Lastly, you can find Free Shopify themes and premium Shopify themes on Shopify itself and ThemeForest.

To summarize we've briefly covered:

  • Are all Shopify themes responsive?
  • How to test if a Shopify theme is responsive
  • Are Shopify themes mobile responsive?
  • Are free Shopify themes responsive?

What next:

Additional Shopify Resources

With Shopify being one of the largest eCommerce platforms on the market means you’ll never be short of resources to learn how to build a profitable eCommerce business.

Kanteneo aims to be the best Shopify blog on the market, but you may require additional resources to help you on that journey. Below we’ve listed a top-selling Shopify book by Veronica Jeans to help you learn how to launch a profitable business.





Author

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Terry Wingfield

A techy at heart, with over 10+ years of software engineering skills, and 5+ years experience in ecommerce, retention, and personalization.