Guides
How to set up Collection Paths, choose the right layout, and configure paths for your store.
Getting started
From install to live in under 5 minutes. No theme code required.
Install the app
Find Collection Paths on the Shopify App Store and click Add app. Approve the permissions when prompted. The app only accesses what it needs to work: your collections, pages, and basic shop info.
Once installed, Collection Paths will appear in your Shopify admin under Apps.
Run setup
Open the app and go to the Setup page. The metafields Collection Paths needs are created automatically when you install the app, so no manual steps are required.
Add the block to your theme
From the setup page, click to open your theme editor. Navigate to a collection page template and add the Collection Paths app block. You can configure the appearance here, including alignment, text size, pill shape, image shape, and more. Save your theme when you're done.
Collection Paths is a native Shopify app block, so it works with the theme customiser just like any other section. No code edits needed.
Create your first path
Go to the Manage page and choose a collection. Add links to other collections, pages, or custom URLs. Drag to reorder. You can also add an optional heading and description, and toggle between pills and image cards.
Hit Save and your collection page is live. Visit it on your storefront to see the paths in action.
The free plan lets you configure up to 3 collections. You can free up a slot by clearing all links from a collection and saving.
Choosing a layout
Collection Paths offers two layout types, each with two shape variants. Here's how to choose.
How layout settings work
Layout has two layers. The pills vs image cards toggle is set per collection in the app, so you can show pills on one collection and image cards on another. The shape and style settings (pill shape, image shape, text size, alignment, and more) are configured in your theme editor and apply across all collection pages.
In short: Choose pills or image cards per collection in the app. Customise how they look in the theme editor.
Pills
Text-only labels that sit inline on the page. Compact, fast to scan, and ideal when you have many links or limited vertical space.
Rounded pills
Softer look. Works well with modern, minimal themes that use rounded corners elsewhere.
Square pills
Sharper edges. Suits editorial or structured designs with straight lines and right angles.
You can also choose a pill style (outline, soft, or solid) in the theme editor to match your brand.
Best for: Stores with 5+ links per path, minimal themes, or when you want navigation that doesn't dominate the page.
Image cards
Visual cards that display each link's image alongside its label. More prominent and immersive than pills. Cards scroll horizontally on mobile.
Circle cards
Draws attention to the image. Popular with fashion and lifestyle brands for a curated, editorial feel.
Square cards
Utilises more space. Good when your collection images have important detail at the edges.
Image size is adjustable in the theme editor (40–120px), so you can dial it in to match your store's spacing.
Best for: Stores with strong collection imagery, fashion brands, or when you want the navigation to feel like part of the shopping experience.
Mixing pills and image cards
The pills vs image cards toggle is set per collection in the app, so you can use image cards on your "Dresses" collection where visuals matter, and pills on "New In" where you just need quick category links. Shape and style settings are configured once in the theme editor and apply to all collections.
Setup for fashion stores
Fashion stores have natural sub-categories that customers already think in. Here's how to map them to Collection Paths. Each link can point to a collection, page, or custom URL.
Sleeve length
Sleeve length is one of the most common ways customers browse shirts, tops, and outerwear. Create a path on your main shirts collection that links to sub-collections for each sleeve type.
Example path
Men's Shirts →
Tip: Pills work well here since customers already know what sleeve length they want, so they don't need an image to decide.
Fit
Fit is critical for jeans, trousers, and tailored pieces. Customers often know their preferred fit before browsing. A path by fit saves them from scrolling through irrelevant products.
Example path
Jeans →
Tip: Order fits from most to least fitted. This matches how most customers think about the spectrum and makes scanning easier.
Occasion
Occasion-based navigation works particularly well for dresses, formalwear, and outerwear. Customers shopping for a specific event want to filter fast.
Example path
Dresses →
Tip: Image cards shine here. A photo of a wedding dress communicates the occasion instantly, whereas a pill reading "Wedding" requires the customer to imagine it.
General tips for fashion stores
- Keep paths to 3–6 items. Too many options slow customers down instead of helping them.
- Use consistent naming. If your collection is called "Slim Fit Jeans", your path label should say "Slim Fit" or "Slim", not "Skinny".
- Put your most popular sub-collection first. The first item gets the most clicks. Lead with your bestseller.
- Match the layout to the decision type. If customers need to see what they're choosing (occasion, style), use image cards. If the label is enough (size, fit, length), use pills.
Ready to get started?
Install Collection Paths and create your first path in minutes.