How Combine is built

Applies to: Combine 4.2.0 and later. Added in: Combine 1.0.0. Last checked: 2026-10-13 against Combine 4.2.0.

Every Combine page is built in the theme editor from sections, and most sections contain blocks. This page explains the kinds of sections and blocks, and where each part of the editor sidebar comes from.

Where to find it: Shopify admin → Online Store → Themes → Customize opens the theme editor. The sidebar lists the sections of the page you are on.

Sections and section blocksCopy Anchor Link

• A section is a full-width area of a page, such as a slideshow, a product grid or a text column. Select Add section in the sidebar to add one.
• Combine 4.2.0 offers 39 sections under Add section, through 50 presets (a preset is a section with ready-made content, such as "Flex promotion cards").
• Most sections have their own section blocks: the slides of a slideshow, the tabs of Info tabs, the price and title of a product grid. These blocks exist only in their section, and each section page lists them.
• Most sections share the same Section heading, Section design and SEO settings. See General section styling.

Flex sections and theme blocksCopy Anchor Link

• Four sections are built differently: Flex slideshow, Flex grid, Flex cards and Flex columns. Combine added the first three in 3.1.0 and Flex columns in 4.0.0.
• They hold containers (slides, cards, columns), and the containers hold theme blocks: Heading, Text, Button, Image, Caption, Divider, Empty space, Star rating, Quick buy button, Custom Liquid and Content group.
• Theme blocks work only inside the flex sections. They cannot be added to the other sections.

See Flex sections and Theme blocks.

Header group and Footer groupCopy Anchor Link

• The Header group sits at the top of every page. It holds the Announcement bar and Header sections.
• The Footer group sits at the bottom of every page. By default it holds the Footer section and a hidden Search form section.
• You can add other sections to both groups. A change there shows on every page.

Static sections: popups, age verification and exit intentCopy Anchor Link

Three sections are part of the theme layout itself: Popups, Age verification and Exit intent popup.

• They appear in the sidebar of every page, after the Footer group.
• They cannot be removed or moved.
• Age verification and Exit intent popup are off until you turn them on.
• A new Combine theme comes with two blocks in Popups: a Cookies block, which shows at once, and a Newsletter block, which is off.

Page templatesCopy Anchor Link

• Each page type uses a template: the home page, products, collections, pages, blogs, articles, the cart, search and others. Combine 4.2.0 has 27 templates.
• Pick a template at the top of the theme editor to edit its sections. Changes apply to every page that uses it.
• Combine ships extra templates for pages (contact, FAQ, kit builder, lookbook, sale, testimonials), a product comparison template and a Quick view template. See Alternate page templates.

Where do Theme settings fit in?Copy Anchor Link

Theme settings hold the store-wide settings: colors, fonts, buttons, the product card, the cart and more. Open them from the gear icon of the theme editor sidebar. Sections use these values unless they have their own design settings. See Colors theme settings.

How do I hide the Popups section on my store?Copy Anchor Link

Turn off its blocks. The Popups section cannot be removed, because it is part of the theme layout, but each popup block has its own on/off setting. Age verification and Exit intent popup stay hidden until you turn them on. See Popups section.

Related pagesCopy Anchor Link

• General section styling: the settings most sections share.
• Flex sections: the four sections built from theme blocks.
• Header section: the store header.
• Footer group: the store footer.
• Popups section: the popups shown on every page.