How to Manually Remove a Shopify Section When the Delete Icon Is Missing

This guide addresses a common Shopify challenge: removing sections when the standard delete button isn’t available through the theme editor.

Preparation Steps

Create a Theme Backup

Start by protecting your work: navigate to Online Store > Themes, then select Actions > Duplicate to create a working copy before making code modifications.

Identify Your Target Section

Access the Theme Editor through Online Store > Themes > Customize. Note the section’s name (typically formatted like “featured-products”) before proceeding with code-level changes.

Code-Level Removal Process

Accessing Theme Files

Navigate to Online Store > Themes and select Actions > Edit Code to reach your theme’s source files.

Finding Section References

Search template files—particularly index.json for homepage sections—to locate your target. You’ll find entries structured like:

{
    "type": "featured-products",
    "settings": {
        "title": "Featured Products",
        "product_ids": []
    }
}

Removing Section Code

Delete the entire code block associated with your section, then remove its reference from the "order" array in the same file.

Checking Additional References

Review Layout and Sections folders for supplementary references, particularly in theme.liquid files or corresponding section files.

Verification and Best Practices

Testing Changes

Preview your theme through Online Store > Themes to confirm successful section removal.

Alternative Approach

Consider commenting out code rather than deleting it:

{%- comment -%}
  {% section 'featured-products' %}
{%- endcomment -%}

This preserves the code for potential future restoration while removing visible elements.