How can I change the color scheme in Dawn 11.0.0?

Topic summary

Users upgrading to Dawn theme version 11.0.0 encounter an error: “No color schemes defined. Color schemes must be defined in settings_data and settings_schema files.” The color customization options are missing from the theme editor.

Multiple solutions have been proposed:

  • Code insertion method: Edit config/settings_data.json, locate "content_for_index", add a comma after it, and paste a complete color schemes JSON object with predefined color values (background-1, background-2, inverse, accent-1, accent-2).

  • Revert to original: Navigate to Theme settings > Config > settings_data.json > Recent changes dropdown > Select “original” to restore working configuration.

  • Fresh download: Installing Dawn 11.0.0 from scratch (rather than upgrading) avoids the bug entirely, though customizations must be redone.

  • Copy from GitHub: Replace the entire settings_data.json content with the official version from Shopify’s Dawn repository on GitHub.

Current status: The issue appears to stem from the upgrade process rather than fresh installations. Official Shopify support recommends contacting their team, though some users report support was unhelpful. Several users confirm the code-based fixes work, while others encounter “invalid token” errors or cannot save changes. The discussion remains active with ongoing troubleshooting.

Summarized with AI on October 24. AI used: claude-sonnet-4-5-20250929.

Dgoetz’s answer should be the accepted solution. Downloading the theme from scratch worked for me. Updating it seems to be the issue and since various themes are having this issue, I don’t think it is a theme issue. (Unfortunately it means I have to do all my customisations again but at least it’s working properly, I have older version to copy from and I don’t have to mess with the code.)

It works perfectly. Thank you!

This worked for me Thank you! to anyone having trouble there was one slight error with the code: The closing is missing a comma. } should look like }

} }

} },

It’s works. Thanks!

Thank you!

This should be the correct solution. I tried those other solutions by editing the code and that doesnt worked.

Thanks !

I have contacted support today and they had no idea what I was talking about!

Worked! thanks!

paste this in your “settings_data.json” file

{
“current”: “Default”,
“presets”: {
“Default”: {
“logo_width”: 90,
“color_schemes”: {
“background-1”: {
“settings”: {
“background”: “#FFFFFF”,
“background_gradient”: “”,
“text”: “#121212”,
“button”: “#121212”,
“button_label”: “#FFFFFF”,
“secondary_button_label”: “#121212”,
“shadow”: “#121212
}
},
“background-2”: {
“settings”: {
“background”: “#F3F3F3”,
“background_gradient”: “”,
“text”: “#121212”,
“button”: “#121212”,
“button_label”: “#F3F3F3”,
“secondary_button_label”: “#121212”,
“shadow”: “#121212
}
},
“inverse”: {
“settings”: {
“background”: “#242833”,
“background_gradient”: “”,
“text”: “#FFFFFF”,
“button”: “#FFFFFF”,
“button_label”: “#000000”,
“secondary_button_label”: “#FFFFFF”,
“shadow”: “#121212
}
},
“accent-1”: {
“settings”: {
“background”: “#121212”,
“background_gradient”: “”,
“text”: “#FFFFFF”,
“button”: “#FFFFFF”,
“button_label”: “#121212”,
“secondary_button_label”: “#FFFFFF”,
“shadow”: “#121212
}
},
“accent-2”: {
“settings”: {
“background”: “#334FB4”,
“background_gradient”: “”,
“text”: “#FFFFFF”,
“button”: “#FFFFFF”,
“button_label”: “#334FB4”,
“secondary_button_label”: “#FFFFFF”,
“shadow”: “#121212
}
}
},
“type_header_font”: “assistant_n4”,
“heading_scale”: 100,
“type_body_font”: “assistant_n4”,
“body_scale”: 100,
“page_width”: 1200,
“spacing_sections”: 0,
“spacing_grid_horizontal”: 8,
“spacing_grid_vertical”: 8,
“buttons_border_thickness”: 1,
“buttons_border_opacity”: 100,
“buttons_radius”: 0,
“buttons_shadow_opacity”: 0,
“buttons_shadow_horizontal_offset”: 0,
“buttons_shadow_vertical_offset”: 4,
“buttons_shadow_blur”: 5,
“variant_pills_border_thickness”: 1,
“variant_pills_border_opacity”: 55,
“variant_pills_radius”: 40,
“variant_pills_shadow_opacity”: 0,
“variant_pills_shadow_horizontal_offset”: 0,
“variant_pills_shadow_vertical_offset”: 4,
“variant_pills_shadow_blur”: 5,
“inputs_border_thickness”: 1,
“inputs_border_opacity”: 55,
“inputs_radius”: 0,
“inputs_shadow_opacity”: 0,
“inputs_shadow_horizontal_offset”: 0,
“inputs_shadow_vertical_offset”: 4,
“inputs_shadow_blur”: 5,
“card_style”: “standard”,
“card_image_padding”: 0,
“card_text_alignment”: “left”,
“card_color_scheme”: “background-2”,
“card_border_thickness”: 0,
“card_border_opacity”: 10,
“card_corner_radius”: 0,
“card_shadow_opacity”: 0,
“card_shadow_horizontal_offset”: 0,
“card_shadow_vertical_offset”: 4,
“card_shadow_blur”: 5,
“collection_card_style”: “standard”,
“collection_card_image_padding”: 0,
“collection_card_text_alignment”: “left”,
“collection_card_color_scheme”: “background-2”,
“collection_card_border_thickness”: 0,
“collection_card_border_opacity”: 10,
“collection_card_corner_radius”: 0,
“collection_card_shadow_opacity”: 0,
“collection_card_shadow_horizontal_offset”: 0,
“collection_card_shadow_vertical_offset”: 4,
“collection_card_shadow_blur”: 5,
“blog_card_style”: “standard”,
“blog_card_image_padding”: 0,
“blog_card_text_alignment”: “left”,
“blog_card_color_scheme”: “background-2”,
“blog_card_border_thickness”: 0,
“blog_card_border_opacity”: 10,
“blog_card_corner_radius”: 0,
“blog_card_shadow_opacity”: 0,
“blog_card_shadow_horizontal_offset”: 0,
“blog_card_shadow_vertical_offset”: 4,
“blog_card_shadow_blur”: 5,
“text_boxes_border_thickness”: 0,
“text_boxes_border_opacity”: 10,
“text_boxes_radius”: 0,
“text_boxes_shadow_opacity”: 0,
“text_boxes_shadow_horizontal_offset”: 0,
“text_boxes_shadow_vertical_offset”: 4,
“text_boxes_shadow_blur”: 5,
“media_border_thickness”: 1,
“media_border_opacity”: 5,
“media_radius”: 0,
“media_shadow_opacity”: 0,
“media_shadow_horizontal_offset”: 0,
“media_shadow_vertical_offset”: 4,
“media_shadow_blur”: 5,
“popup_border_thickness”: 1,
“popup_border_opacity”: 10,
“popup_corner_radius”: 0,
“popup_shadow_opacity”: 5,
“popup_shadow_horizontal_offset”: 0,
“popup_shadow_vertical_offset”: 4,
“popup_shadow_blur”: 5,
“drawer_border_thickness”: 1,
“drawer_border_opacity”: 10,
“drawer_shadow_opacity”: 0,
“drawer_shadow_horizontal_offset”: 0,
“drawer_shadow_vertical_offset”: 4,
“drawer_shadow_blur”: 5,
“badge_position”: “bottom left”,
“badge_corner_radius”: 40,
“sale_badge_color_scheme”: “accent-2”,
“sold_out_badge_color_scheme”: “inverse”,
“social_twitter_link”: “”,
“social_facebook_link”: “”,
“social_pinterest_link”: “”,
“social_instagram_link”: “”,
“social_tiktok_link”: “”,
“social_tumblr_link”: “”,
“social_snapchat_link”: “”,
“social_youtube_link”: “”,
“social_vimeo_link”: “”,
“predictive_search_enabled”: true,
“predictive_search_show_vendor”: false,
“predictive_search_show_price”: false,
“currency_code_enabled”: true,
“cart_type”: “notification”,
“show_vendor”: false,
“show_cart_note”: false,
“cart_drawer_collection”: “”,
“sections”: {
“main-password-header”: {
“type”: “main-password-header”,
“settings”: {
“color_scheme”: “background-1”
}
},
“main-password-footer”: {
“type”: “main-password-footer”,
“settings”: {
“color_scheme”: “background-1”
}
}
}
}
}
}

hi, i just recently started with Shopify and I stumbled upon this problem. the fix info in here does not seem to work for me, there is no ‘‘content_for_index’’ in my file etc. I would really appreciate some help please

and anything I paste in the file can not be saved