Skip to content
How to Add Navigation Breadcrumbs To Your Shopify Store - Free Tutorial
Browse other ways to boost conversion rate & profit

How to Add Navigation Breadcrumbs To Your Shopify Store - Free Tutorial

Want personalized guidance adding this to your store?

Check out our Insiders community: https://www.skool.com/the-prompted

Members of The Prompted community receive a detailed store audit, 1-on-1 guidance for implementing new features, and access to an exclusive theme. You'll also get marketing support, the same tactics we use to spend over $100k/mo on Meta Ads.

---

Breadcrumbs can help customers find their way around your store, especially those with a large or diverse product catalog.

In this customization, we’re going to add breadcrumb navigation to your website, without needing to download or pay for an app or knowing how to code. Now, there is code involved, but don’t worry, I’ll take you through it step by step.

Compatible Themes: This code should work on all free Shopify themes (Dawn, Refresh, Craft, Studio, Publisher, Crave, Origin, Taste, Colorblock, Sense, Ride, Spotlight).

 

Edit Theme Code

Create new section file breadcrumbs.liquid

{% comment %}
  Breadcrumbs Section by The Prompted
  March 2024
  <https://www.youtube.com/@theprompted>
{% endcomment %}

{%- if section.settings.breadcrumbs_enabled -%}
  {%- unless template == 'index' or template == 'cart' or template == '404' -%}

    {% assign breadcrumbs_menu = linklists[section.settings.breadcrumbs_menu_definition].links %}
    {% assign max_depth = 0 %}
    {% if section.settings.prefer_shortest_path %}
      {% assign previous_max_depth = 9 %}
    {% else %}
      {% assign previous_max_depth = 0 %}
    {% endif %}
    {% assign current_template_type = template | split: '.' | first %}
    {% assign current_template = nil %}
    {% assign current_template_parents = nil %}
    {% assign link_found = false %}
    {% assign link_depth1 = nil %}
    {% assign link_depth2 = nil %}
    {% assign link_depth3 = nil %}
    
    {% comment %}Determine page identifier based on page type{% endcomment %}
    {% case current_template_type %}
      {% when 'product' %}
        {% assign current_template = product %}
        {% assign current_template_parents = product.collections %}
      {% when 'collection' %}
        {% assign current_template = collection %}
      {% when 'page' %}
        {% assign current_template = page %}
      {% when 'blog' %}
        {% assign current_template = blog %}
      {% when 'article' %}
        {% assign current_template = article %}
        {% assign article_handle_parts = article.handle | split: '/' %}
        {% assign blog_handle_extracted = article_handle_parts[0] %}
        {% assign template_type_other = true %}
      {% else %}
        {% comment %}
        For all Other template types: 
          - policies (no actual template)
          - search
          - list-collections
        Use built-in variables request.path and page_title
        {% endcomment %}
        {% assign template_type_other = true %}
    {% endcase %}
    
    {% for link in breadcrumbs_menu %}
      {% assign current_depth = 1 %}
      {% if link.object %}
        {% if link.object.handle and current_template.handle and link.object.handle == current_template.handle %}      
          {% if link_found == false %}
            {% assign max_depth = current_depth %}
            {% assign previous_max_depth = max_depth %}
            {% assign link_found = true %}
          {% elsif section.settings.prefer_shortest_path and current_depth < previous_max_depth %}
            {% assign link_depth1 = nil %}
            {% assign link_depth2 = nil %}
            {% assign link_depth3 = nil %}
            {% assign max_depth = current_depth %}
            {% assign previous_max_depth = max_depth %}
          {% elsif section.settings.prefer_shortest_path == false and current_depth > previous_max_depth %}
            {% assign max_depth = current_depth %}
            {% assign previous_max_depth = max_depth %}
          {% endif %} 
        {% elsif current_template_parents %}
          {% for parent in current_template_parents %}
            {% if link.object.handle and parent.handle and link.object.handle == parent.handle %}
              {% assign current_depth = current_depth | plus: 1 %}
              {% if link_found == false %}
                {% assign link_depth1 = link %}
                {% assign max_depth = current_depth %}
                {% assign previous_max_depth = max_depth %}
                {% assign link_found = true %}
                {% break %}
              {% elsif section.settings.prefer_shortest_path and current_depth < previous_max_depth %}
                {% assign link_depth1 = link %}
                {% assign link_depth2 = nil %}
                {% assign link_depth3 = nil %}
                {% assign max_depth = current_depth %}
                {% assign previous_max_depth = max_depth %}
                {% break %}
              {% elsif section.settings.prefer_shortest_path == false and current_depth > previous_max_depth %}
                {% assign link_depth1 = link %}
                {% assign max_depth = current_depth %}
                {% assign previous_max_depth = max_depth %}
                {% break %}
              {% endif %}
            {% endif %}
          {% endfor %}
        {% elsif template_type_other %}
          {% if current_template_type == 'article' %}
            {% if link.object.handle and blog_handle_extracted and link.object.handle == blog_handle_extracted %}
              {% assign current_depth = current_depth | plus: 1 %}
              {% if link_found == false %}
                {% assign link_depth1 = link %}
                {% assign max_depth = current_depth %}
                {% assign previous_max_depth = max_depth %}
                {% assign link_found = true %}
              {% elsif section.settings.prefer_shortest_path and current_depth < previous_max_depth %}
                {% assign link_depth1 = link %}
                {% assign link_depth2 = nil %}
                {% assign link_depth3 = nil %}
                {% assign max_depth = current_depth %}
                {% assign previous_max_depth = max_depth %}
              {% elsif section.settings.prefer_shortest_path == false and current_depth > previous_max_depth %}
                {% assign link_depth1 = link %}
                {% assign max_depth = current_depth %}
                {% assign previous_max_depth = max_depth %}
              {% endif %}
            {% endif %}
          {% else %}
            {% if link.object.title == page_title %}
              {% if link_found == false %}
                {% assign max_depth = current_depth %}
                {% assign previous_max_depth = max_depth %}
                {% assign link_found = true %}
              {% elsif section.settings.prefer_shortest_path and current_depth < previous_max_depth %}
                {% assign link_depth1 = nil %}
                {% assign link_depth2 = nil %}
                {% assign link_depth3 = nil %}
                {% assign max_depth = current_depth %}
                {% assign previous_max_depth = max_depth %}
              {% elsif section.settings.prefer_shortest_path == false and current_depth > previous_max_depth %}
                {% assign max_depth = current_depth %}
                {% assign previous_max_depth = max_depth %}
              {% endif %}
            {% endif %}
          {% endif %}
        {% endif %}
      {% endif %}
      {% if link.links %}
        {% for childlink in link.links %}
          {% assign current_depth = 2 %}
          {% if childlink.object %}
            {% if childlink.object.handle and current_template.handle and childlink.object.handle == current_template.handle %}    
              {% if link_found == false %}
                {% assign link_depth1 = link %}
                {% assign max_depth = current_depth %}
                {% assign previous_max_depth = max_depth %}
                {% assign link_found = true %}
              {% elsif section.settings.prefer_shortest_path and current_depth < previous_max_depth %}
                {% assign link_depth1 = link %}
                {% assign link_depth2 = nil %}
                {% assign link_depth3 = nil %}
                {% assign max_depth = current_depth %}
                {% assign previous_max_depth = max_depth %}
              {% elsif section.settings.prefer_shortest_path == false and current_depth > previous_max_depth %}
                {% assign link_depth1 = link %}
                {% assign max_depth = current_depth %}
                {% assign previous_max_depth = max_depth %}
              {% endif %} 
            {% elsif current_template_parents %}
              {% for parent in current_template_parents %}
                {% if childlink.object.handle and parent.handle and childlink.object.handle == parent.handle %}
                  {% assign current_depth = current_depth | plus: 1 %}
                  {% if link_found == false %}
                    {% assign link_depth1 = link %}
                    {% assign link_depth2 = childlink %}
                    {% assign max_depth = current_depth %}
                    {% assign previous_max_depth = max_depth %}
                    {% assign link_found = true %}
                    {% break %}
                  {% elsif section.settings.prefer_shortest_path and current_depth < previous_max_depth %}
                    {% assign link_depth1 = link %}
                    {% assign link_depth2 = childlink %}
                    {% assign link_depth3 = nil %}
                    {% assign max_depth = current_depth %}
                    {% assign previous_max_depth = max_depth %}
                    {% break %}
                  {% elsif section.settings.prefer_shortest_path == false and current_depth > previous_max_depth %}
                    {% assign link_depth1 = link %}
                    {% assign link_depth2 = childlink %}
                    {% assign max_depth = current_depth %}
                    {% assign previous_max_depth = max_depth %}
                    {% break %}
                  {% endif %}
                {% endif %}
              {% endfor %}
            {% elsif template_type_other %}
              {% if current_template_type == 'article' %}
                {% if link.object.handle and blog_handle_extracted and link.object.handle == blog_handle_extracted %}
                  {% assign current_depth = current_depth | plus: 1 %}
                  {% if link_found == false %}
                    {% assign link_depth1 = link %}
                    {% assign link_depth2 = childlink %}
                    {% assign max_depth = current_depth %}
                    {% assign previous_max_depth = max_depth %}
                    {% assign link_found = true %}
                  {% elsif section.settings.prefer_shortest_path and current_depth < previous_max_depth %}
                    {% assign link_depth1 = link %}
                    {% assign link_depth2 = childlink %}
                    {% assign link_depth3 = nil %}
                    {% assign max_depth = current_depth %}
                    {% assign previous_max_depth = max_depth %}
                  {% elsif section.settings.prefer_shortest_path == false and current_depth > previous_max_depth %}
                    {% assign link_depth1 = link %}
                    {% assign link_depth2 = childlink %}
                    {% assign max_depth = current_depth %}
                    {% assign previous_max_depth = max_depth %}
                  {% endif %}
                {% endif %}
              {% else %}
                {% if link.object.title == page_title %}
                  {% if link_found == false %}
                    {% assign link_depth1 = link %}
                    {% assign max_depth = current_depth %}
                    {% assign previous_max_depth = max_depth %}
                    {% assign link_found = true %}
                  {% elsif section.settings.prefer_shortest_path and current_depth < previous_max_depth %}
                    {% assign link_depth1 = link %}
                    {% assign link_depth2 = nil %}
                    {% assign link_depth3 = nil %}
                    {% assign max_depth = current_depth %}
                    {% assign previous_max_depth = max_depth %}
                  {% elsif section.settings.prefer_shortest_path == false and current_depth > previous_max_depth %}
                    {% assign link_depth1 = link %}
                    {% assign max_depth = current_depth %}
                    {% assign previous_max_depth = max_depth %}
                  {% endif %} 
                {% endif %}
              {% endif %}  
            {% endif %}
          {% endif %}
          {% if childlink.links %}
            {% for grandchildlink in childlink.links %}
              {% if section.settings.prefer_shortest_path and link_found %}{% break %}{% endif %}
              {% assign current_depth = 3 %}
              {% if grandchildlink.object.handle and current_template.handle and grandchildlink.object.handle == current_template.handle %}
                {% if link_found == false %}
                    {% assign link_depth1 = link %}
                    {% assign link_depth2 = childlink %}
                    {% assign max_depth = current_depth %}
                    {% assign previous_max_depth = max_depth %}
                    {% assign link_found = true %}
                  {% elsif section.settings.prefer_shortest_path and current_depth < previous_max_depth %}
                    {% assign link_depth1 = link %}
                    {% assign link_depth2 = childlink %}
                    {% assign link_depth3 = nil %}
                    {% assign max_depth = current_depth %}
                    {% assign previous_max_depth = max_depth %}
                  {% elsif section.settings.prefer_shortest_path == false and current_depth > previous_max_depth %}
                    {% assign link_depth1 = link %}
                    {% assign link_depth2 = childlink %}
                    {% assign max_depth = current_depth %}
                    {% assign previous_max_depth = max_depth %}
                  {% endif %}
              {% elsif current_template_parents %}
                {% for parent in current_template_parents %}
                  {% if grandchildlink.object.handle and parent.handle and grandchildlink.object.handle == parent.handle %}
                    {% assign current_depth = current_depth | plus: 1 %}
                    {% if link_found == false %}
                      {% assign link_depth1 = link %}
                      {% assign link_depth2 = childlink %}
                      {% assign link_depth3 = grandchildlink %}
                      {% assign max_depth = current_depth %}
                      {% assign previous_max_depth = max_depth %}
                      {% assign link_found = true %}
                      {% break %}
                    {% elsif section.settings.prefer_shortest_path and current_depth < previous_max_depth %}
                      {% assign link_depth1 = link %}
                      {% assign link_depth2 = childlink %}
                      {% assign link_depth3 = grandchildlink %}
                      {% assign max_depth = current_depth %}
                      {% assign previous_max_depth = max_depth %}
                      {% break %}
                    {% elsif section.settings.prefer_shortest_path == false and current_depth > previous_max_depth %}
                      {% assign link_depth1 = link %}
                      {% assign link_depth2 = childlink %}
                      {% assign link_depth3 = grandchildlink %}
                      {% assign max_depth = current_depth %}
                      {% assign previous_max_depth = max_depth %}
                      {% break %}
                    {% endif %}      
                  {% endif %}
                {% endfor %}
              {% elsif template_type_other %}
                {% if current_template_type == 'article' %}
                  {% if link.object.handle and blog_handle_extracted and link.object.handle == blog_handle_extracted %}
                    {% assign current_depth = current_depth | plus: 1 %}
                    {% if link_found == false %}
                      {% assign link_depth1 = link %}
                      {% assign link_depth2 = childlink %}
                      {% assign link_depth3 = grandchildlink %}
                      {% assign max_depth = current_depth %}
                      {% assign previous_max_depth = max_depth %}
                      {% assign link_found = true %}
                    {% elsif section.settings.prefer_shortest_path and current_depth < previous_max_depth %}
                      {% assign link_depth1 = link %}
                      {% assign link_depth2 = childlink %}
                      {% assign link_depth3 = grandchildlink %}
                      {% assign max_depth = current_depth %}
                      {% assign previous_max_depth = max_depth %}
                    {% elsif section.settings.prefer_shortest_path == false and current_depth > previous_max_depth %}
                      {% assign link_depth1 = link %}
                      {% assign link_depth2 = childlink %}
                      {% assign link_depth3 = grandchildlink %}
                      {% assign max_depth = current_depth %}
                      {% assign previous_max_depth = max_depth %}
                    {% endif %}   
                  {% endif %}
                {% else %}
                  {% if link.object.title == page_title %}
                    {% if link_found == false %}
                      {% assign link_depth1 = link %}
                      {% assign link_depth2 = childlink %}
                      {% assign max_depth = current_depth %}
                      {% assign previous_max_depth = max_depth %}
                      {% assign link_found = true %}
                    {% elsif section.settings.prefer_shortest_path and current_depth < previous_max_depth %}
                      {% assign link_depth1 = link %}
                      {% assign link_depth2 = childlink %}
                      {% assign link_depth3 = nil %}
                      {% assign max_depth = current_depth %}
                      {% assign previous_max_depth = max_depth %}
                    {% elsif section.settings.prefer_shortest_path == false and current_depth > previous_max_depth %}
                      {% assign link_depth1 = link %}
                      {% assign link_depth2 = childlink %}
                      {% assign max_depth = current_depth %}
                      {% assign previous_max_depth = max_depth %}
                    {% endif %} 
                  {% endif %}
                {% endif %} 
              {% endif %}
            {% endfor %}
          {% endif %}
        {% endfor %}
      {% endif %}
    {% endfor %}
    
    <div class="page-width gradient color-{{ section.settings.color_scheme }}">   
      <nav aria-label="Breadcrumb" class="breadcrumbs ">
        <ol class="breadcrumbs__list">
          <li class="breadcrumbs__item"><a class="breadcrumbs__link" href="{{ request.locale.root_url }}">Home</a></li>
          
          {% if link_depth1 %}
            <li class="breadcrumbs__item"><a class="breadcrumbs__link" href="{{ link_depth1.url }}">{{ link_depth1.title }}</a></li>
          {% endif %}
          
          {% if link_depth2 %}
            <li class="breadcrumbs__item"><a class="breadcrumbs__link" href="{{ link_depth2.url }}">{{ link_depth2.title }}</a></li>
          {% endif %}
          
          {% if link_depth3 %}
            <li class="breadcrumbs__item"><a class="breadcrumbs__link" href="{{ link_depth3.url }}">{{ link_depth3.title }}</a></li>
          {% endif %}
      
          {% if template_type_other %}
            <li class="breadcrumbs__item" aria-current="page">{{ page_title }}</li>
          {% else %}
            <li class="breadcrumbs__item" aria-current="page">{{ current_template.title }}</li>
          {% endif %}
        </ol>
      </nav>
      {% if section.settings.enable_divider %}   
          <div id="breadcrumbs-divider"></div>
      {% endif %}
    </div>

  {% endunless %}
{%- endif -%}

{% schema %}

{
  "name": "Breadcrumbs",
  "tag": "section",
  "class": "section",
  "settings": [

    {
      "type": "checkbox",
      "id": "breadcrumbs_enabled",
      "label": "Enable Breadcrumbs",
      "default": true
    },

    
    {
      "type": "link_list",
      "id": "breadcrumbs_menu_definition",
      "default": "main-menu",
      "label": "Breadcrumbs Menu Definition"
    },

    {
      "type": "checkbox",
      "id": "prefer_shortest_path",
      "label": "Use Shortest Path",
      "default": false
    },
    {
      "type": "select",
      "id": "separator_shape",
      "label": "Breadcrumb Separator Shape",
      "options": [
        {
          "value": "triangle",
          "label": "Triangle ( > )"
        },
        {
          "value": "slash",
          "label": "Slash ( / )"
        }
      ],
      "default": "triangle"
    },
    {
      "type": "range",
      "id": "font_size",
      "label": "Font Size",
      "min": 10,
      "max": 20,
      "step": 1,
      "default": 14,
      "unit": "px"
    },
    {
      "type": "color_scheme",
      "id": "color_scheme",
      "label": "t:sections.all.colors.label",
      "default": "scheme-1"
    },

    {
      "type": "checkbox",
      "id": "enable_divider",
      "label": "Enable Divider",
      "default": false
    },
    {
      "type": "color",
      "id": "divider_color",
      "label": "Divider Color",
      "default": "#ccc"
    },

    {
      "type": "header",
      "content": "t:sections.all.padding.section_padding_heading"
    },
    {
      "type": "range",
      "id": "padding_top",
      "min": 0,
      "max": 50,
      "step": 2,
      "unit": "px",
      "label": "t:sections.all.padding.padding_top",
      "default": 12
    },
    {
      "type": "range",
      "id": "padding_bottom",
      "min": 0,
      "max": 50,
      "step": 2,
      "unit": "px",
      "label": "t:sections.all.padding.padding_bottom",
      "default": 12
    }
  ],
  "presets": [
    {
      "name": "breadcrumbs"
    }
  ]
}  

{% endschema %}

<style>
  
  .breadcrumbs {
    padding-top: {{ section.settings.padding_top }}px;
    padding-bottom: {{ section.settings.padding_bottom }}px;
  }
  
  .breadcrumbs__list {
    list-style-type: none;
    margin: 0;
    padding: 0;
    font-size: {{ section.settings.font_size }}px;
  }

  .breadcrumbs__item {
    display: inline-block;
  }

  .breadcrumbs__item:not(:last-child):after {
    content: '';
    display: inline-block;
    margin: 0 .20em;
    position: relative;
    vertical-align: middle;
    {% if section.settings.separator_shape == 'triangle' %}
      border-style: solid;
      border-width: .10em .10em 0 0;
      height: .30em;
      width: .30em;
      transform: rotate(45deg);
      top: -0.1em; 
    {% elsif section.settings.separator_shape == 'slash' %}
      content: '/';
      margin-left: .5em;
    {% endif %}
  }

  .breadcrumbs__link {
    cursor: pointer;
    display: inline-block;
    border: none;
    box-shadow: none;
    text-decoration: none;
    text-underline-offset: 0.3rem;
    color: rgb(var(--color-text));
    /*font-size: 1.4rem;*/
    font-family: inherit;
  }

  .breadcrumbs__link:hover {
    text-decoration: underline;
    text-underline-offset: 0.3rem;
    color: rgb(var(--color-foreground));
  }
  
  #breadcrumbs-divider {
    display: block;
    height: 1px;
    background-color: {{ section.settings.divider_color }};
  }

</style>

Render the section in theme.liquid

{% section 'breadcrumbs' %}

 

 

Browse other ways to boost conversion rate & profit