How do I create a dev site for our store to create new theme.

[Susan_Finch]

We have a store. We have an ugly theme. I want to test a new, more current layout, color scheme, but can't see how to do that. We want to create the theme, test, then add it to our live site and switch.  Where do I do that?

[Erin]

Hi, @Susan_Finch. I'm happy to help with this! To clarify, are you hoping to create an entirely new theme on your own? Or are you just hoping to test out a different theme before you decide on using it for your online store? Also, which theme are you currently using?

If you're just hoping to test out a different layout and colour scheme, you can customize this on your current theme by using your theme editor. To get there go to 'Online store' > 'Themes' and click 'Customize' next to the theme you want to edit. This guide has more information on customizing your theme. If you do this I recommend duplicating your theme first so that you can try out your changes before making it visible to customers. This guide explains how to duplicate a theme. You could also add a new theme from the Shopify theme store to your theme library. Doing this will allow you to customize a new theme, and preview how it looks and functions on your online store, before you publish it as the theme your customers see. You can find a list of our free themes here and a list of available paid themes here. If one of the paid themes interests you, you can test the theme before purchasing it by clicking 'Try theme' on the theme listing page.

If you are hoping to develop an entirely new theme on your own, the best way to do this would be to create a Shopify Partner account here. Once that's created you can create a development store to test the theme you create by following these steps. You may find it helpful to read through this whole guide on developments stores. If you're creating your own theme, this development guide on creating themes can help as well. 

Please let me know if you have any questions!