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Updating Momentum Theme
Understanding Theme Updates
We categorize updates using the x.y.z naming convention (e.g., 1.0.1, 1.1.0, 2.0.0).
- Major Releases (x.0.0): These include fundamental and foundational fixes, new larger features, or new blocks and settings.
- Minor Releases & Patches (0.y.z): These happen regularly to fix minor bugs or introduce smaller enhancements.
Stay Informed: You can view our Roadmap to see what is coming next and our Changelog to see a history of what has changed. Note on Mandatory Updates: While not all updates are mandatory, they are recommended. If you aren't in a rush, you don't need to update immediately. If a feature is ever scheduled for deprecation, you will receive multiple warnings months in advance.
Method 1: Fresh Theme Upload (Major Updates)For major updates where foundational changes occur, you must download the latest ZIP file and upload it to your store. Because of the scale of these changes, customizations will need to be re-applied manually.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Verify License: Enter your license key or log in to your account.
- Download ZIP: Find the latest version and click Download to save the ZIP file to your computer.
- Upload to Shopify: In your Shopify admin, go to Online Store → Themes, click **Add theme, and select **Upload ZIP file.
- Re-configure: Open the Theme Editor to re-apply your settings and copy over any custom code.
Method 2: The Momentum Theme Updater (Minor Updates & Patches) NOTE: The Momentum Updater is Only Compatible with Version 1.0.1. If You're Using 1.0.0, Please Use Method 1 Above.
The Momentum Theme Updater helps you update while automatically preserving your settings, keeping your store looking exactly how you designed it.
What is the Theme Updater?
The Momentum Theme Updater is a tool that helps you update your Momentum theme to the latest version while automatically preserving your customizations. Instead of manually reconfiguring your theme after an update, our updater intelligently merges your settings, keeping your store looking exactly how you designed it. What Gets Preserved?
When you use the updater, the following customizations are automatically kept:
Theme Settings - Colors, fonts, typography, spacing, and all customizer options. Section Configurations - Your homepage layout, collection page settings, and product page arrangements. Template Assignments - Custom templates you've assigned to products, collections, or pages. Translations - Any custom text or language translations you've added. What You'll Need
Before starting, make sure you have:
Your license key - Found in your original purchase confirmation email
Your store domain - Your Shopify store URL (e.g., yourstore.myshopify.com or yourstore.com - make sure it's the primary domain that your theme is registered to)
Your current theme exported as a ZIP file - We'll show you how below
Important: Read Before You StartPlease review the following disclaimers before using the Theme Updater:
- No Customizations? If you have not made any code changes or theme setting customizations to your current theme, you do not need to use the updater. You can simply download the latest version of the theme files following the method above.
- Provided "As Is":The Momentumm Theme Updater is a beta tool provided "as is" to assist with migrating settings. While successful in most cases, it is not guaranteed to work for every store configuration or theme version. Always verify your updated theme before publishing.
- Custom Code Limitations: The updater is designed to migrate settings configured within the Shopify Theme Editor (JSON data). Custom code changes (HTML, CSS, JavaScript, or Liquid) that were implemented directly in the code files and not through the theme editor may not be preserved or may cause conflicts in the new version. You may need to manually re-apply these changes after the update.
Step-by-Step Instructions Step 1: Export Your Current Theme
Log in to your Shopify admin
Go to Online Store → Themes
Find your current Momentum theme
Click the three dots (⋯) menu next to the theme
Select Download theme file
Wait for Shopify to email you the download link (usually takes 1-5 minutes)
Download the ZIP file from the email link
Important:Do not unzip the file. Upload it exactly as downloaded. Step 2: Upload to the Theme Updater
Visit the Momentum Theme Updater
Enter your license key
Enter your store domain (e.g., yourstore.myshopify.com or yourstore.com)
Click Choose File and select your downloaded theme ZIP
Click Update Theme
Step 3: Wait for Processing
The updater will:
Validate your license
Analyze your current theme settings
Merge your customizations with the new theme version
Package everything into a new ZIP file
This typically takes 5 seconds to 2 minutes, depending on your theme's complexity. Step 4: Download Your Updated Theme
Once processing is complete:
Click the Download button
Save the updated theme ZIP to your computer
Note: Your download link expires after 15 minutes. If it expires, simply run the process again. Step 5: Upload to Shopify
Go to Online Store → Themes in your Shopify admin
Click Add theme → Upload ZIP file
Select the updated theme ZIP you just downloaded
Wait for it to upload and process
Step 6: Preview and Publish
Click Customize on your newly uploaded theme
Review your settings to ensure everything looks correct
When satisfied, click Publish to make it live
Tip: We recommend previewing your theme thoroughly before publishing. Check your homepage, a few product pages, and your cart to ensure everything displays correctly. Restrictions and Limitations
File Size Limit
Maximum upload size: 50 MB
Most Momentum themes are well under this limit
Supported Content
The updater preserves settings stored in JSON configuration files. It does not modify or merge:
Custom Liquid code you've added
Custom CSS or JavaScript files
Third-party app code injections
Files you've manually edited in the code editor
If you've made custom code changes, you'll need to reapply those manually after updating.
License Requirements
You must have a valid Momentum theme license
The license must match the store domain you enter
Each license is valid for the store it was purchased for
Processing Limits 5 updates per hour per store - This prevents system overload
If you hit this limit, wait an hour before trying again
Frequently Asked Questions
Will I lose my settings?
No. The entire purpose of the updater is to preserve your settings. Your colors, fonts, section layouts, and other customizations will be merged into the new theme version. What if something goes wrong?
Your original theme remains untouched in Shopify. The updater creates a completely new theme file. If anything looks wrong:
Don't publish the updated theme
Delete it from your Shopify themes
Your original theme is still there, unchanged
Can I update from any version?
Not quite. The updater can be used from the same major version (minor updates and patches - 1.x.x). For major updates, you'll need to download, upload and customise the latest ZIP files directly from your account.
What about my apps?
Third-party apps that inject code into your theme (reviews, upsells, pop-ups, etc.) may need to be reconnected after updating. Most apps have a simple reinstall or reconnect process.
How do I find my license key?
Your license key was sent to you when you purchased the theme. Check your email for the original purchase confirmation. If you can't find it, contact our support team.
The updater says my license is invalid
This can happen if:
The license key was entered incorrectly (check for typos)
The domain doesn't match your purchase
The license has been transferred or revoked
Contact support if you believe this is an error.
My download link expired
Download links are valid for 15 minutes. If yours expired, simply run the update process again. Your settings are re-read from the uploaded theme each time. Need Help?
If you encounter any issues or have questions:
Email:
A screenshot of the issue
Summary Export your current theme from Shopify
Upload it to the Theme Updater with your license key
Download the updated theme
Upload the new theme to Shopify
Preview and publish when ready
Your customizations are preserved automatically. Your original theme stays safe in Shopify until you're ready to switch.