Set up the navigation bar and footer

In this article we will show you how to edit your store's navigation bar and footer: the menu links, the sign-in, the social network icons and the regret button.

For the general overview, see Block-based store.

WHERE TO SET THEM UP​

The navigation bar and the footer are fixed blocks: each has its own editor and both are shared by every page of the store.

1. Go to Control Panel > Settings > Interface > Appearance.

2. Click Edit on the Navigation bar row or on the Footer row.

Keep these rules in mind:

WHEN CHANGES REACH YOUR VISITORS​

Changes to the navigation bar and the footer are saved to the Home draft and reach your visitors when you publish the Home with Publish. If you change your mind, you can use Revert to published version. For the steps, see Edit and publish a page in Appearance.

The only exception is the regret button, which is saved immediately (explained below).

NAVIGATION BAR​

Choose the menu type​

The Navigation menu setting defines how the bar links are built. You have two options:

Option 1: Automatic filters​

Choose this option to pick which catalog filters appear in the bar, reorder them and rename them.

1. In Navigation menu, select Automatic filters.

2. Use the switch on each row to show or hide the filter.

3. Drag the handle on each row to change the order.

4. Click a filter name to rename it. Press Enter to save the name or Esc to cancel.

5. If you have more than one filter, the Enable all switch turns them all on at once.

Some details worth knowing:

• The available filters are the catalog filters you have enabled. Keywords, collections and BISAC subjects are not available.
• When the catalog gains a new filter, it appears in the list disabled. You decide when to turn it on.
• A filter with no items is not shown to visitors, even if it is enabled.
• Each dropdown shows up to 300 items.
• When an item is chosen, the visitor sees the catalog filtered by that value.
• In a new store with no filters you will see the message "No catalog filters are available yet." Filters appear as the catalog gains genres, years and other metadata.

Option 2: Custom menu​

Choose this option to build the bar links yourself, grouping them into dropdowns or as single links.

1. In Navigation menu, select Custom menu.

2. Click Add and choose Link or Group.

3. If you add a single link, fill in its title and its URL.

4. If you add a group, fill in its title and, inside the group, click Add link to add each child link with its Link text and URL.

5. Reorder the groups and single links of the top level by dragging them.

Some details worth knowing:

• The menu has one nesting level: a group holds links, but it cannot hold another group.
• The URL is free text and the editor does not check its format. Type the full address, for example starting with https://.
• An empty group stays in the editor, but your visitors do not see it. Add at least one link.
• The editor sets no limit on groups or links.

💡 To make a link point to a filter, open your store catalog, apply the filter, copy the address from the browser and paste it as the link URL in a Custom menu.

⚠️ This option applies to the block-based store. If your store still uses the previous editor, see How to build a menu in my store.

External login​

The External login section sends your visitors to your own sign-in page instead of the store's. When it is configured, a green Active badge appears.

• Button text is disabled until an address exists. If you clear the address, the label is also cleared.
• If the address is not valid, the editor shows a notice and never saves the invalid value: the last valid address stays in place.
• If your store uses single sign-on (SSO), the editor shows that address as read-only. The SSO address takes priority over any value in this section.

What your visitors see in the bar​

Some items depend on the visitor or on the store setup, and are not controlled from this editor.

The Log in button opens a sign-in window on the store. It goes to another page when the store uses an external sign-in address, SSO or the previous sign-in page. Customers who must accept the terms see only the logo and Sign Out.

FOOTER​

The footer editor lets you choose which social networks show as icons and set up the regret button.

Social networks​

Each network is a row with its icon, its name and an Add button.

1. In the Footer editor, click Add next to the network you want to show.

2. Type the link in the field that opens.

3. To remove a network, click the button to delete its link.

Your visitors see one icon for each network that has a link. Six networks are always visible and eight more are under Other networks:

What each field accepts:

• Only links that start with http:// or https:// are accepted.
• If the value is not valid, the editor tells you the link must be a valid URL or username.
• When the block-based store is activated, your existing social links carry over.
• Once activated, the social network fields in the Marketing settings of the previous editor are hidden.

Legal links and other fixed elements​

The footer always shows these parts, and they are not edited from its editor:

Regret button​

The regret button is a footer link that lets your customers request a purchase cancellation. In the editor it appears as an accordion named Regret button.

1. In the Footer editor, open the Regret button accordion.

2. Check that the store has a support email or a Revocation page. Without either, the switch is disabled and you will see an Add a support email link that takes you to Settings > Basics.

3. If requests must go to another page, fill in the Revocation page. It must start with http:// or https:// and have at most 255 characters.

4. Turn on the Show it in the store switch.

Keep in mind:

• It is off by default for every store. Any store can turn it on.
• It is saved immediately, without going through draft and publish.
• Your visitors see it once the store is live with the block-based store, which means the Home is published.

What happens when a visitor clicks it:

⚠️ The switch's helper text says the button is required in Argentina by Resolución 424/2020. Publica.la does not turn it on automatically for Argentine stores: if you sell in Argentina, you have to turn it on yourself.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS​

Can I change the footer colors? Yes, from the store theme. In the theme editor, the Header and footer color sets the bar, the footer and the colored bands. See Customize the store theme. The bar and footer editors have no color settings.

Where does the bar logo come from? From the store's logo setting, not from the bar editor. If the store has no logo, the bar shows the store name.

Why is a filter missing from the bar? Either it is disabled in the list (new filters arrive disabled) or it has no items.

Why does a menu group not show? Because it has no links. Add at least one.

Why does a visitor not see the Subscribe button? It shows only to signed-in customers who can access subscriptions.

Can I hide "Developed by publica.la"? No, it is always shown in the footer.

Why does my store not show the regret button? Check that the switch is on, that the store has a support email or a Revocation page, and that the Home is published.

Can each page have a different bar? No. All pages share one bar and one footer. On a custom page you can only hide or show them. See Create custom pages and set up their SEO.

RELATED ARTICLES​

• Block-based store
• Edit and publish a page in Appearance
• Add shelves and embedded HTML
• Customize the store theme
• Create custom pages and set up their SEO
• Add a pop-up and a product page notice

We hope this tutorial has been easy for you. If you have questions, write to us at [email protected].