How to display a wishlist in the Dawn theme header menu?

Technical Q&A

Topic summary

Goal: Add a wishlist feature to Shopify’s Dawn theme, visible in the header menu and below product descriptions.

Options suggested:

  • Third‑party apps: Wishlist – Wishify (free plan supports main menu; header placement requires professional plan). Advanced Wishlist as a fully free alternative. App developers can assist via their Support sections.
  • Custom coding: Possible via community help or by hiring a developer through Shopify Experts if not comfortable with HTML/JS/CSS/Liquid.

Resources shared:

  • A YouTube tutorial specifically for adding a wishlist to the Dawn theme (video link provided). One user confirmed it was helpful.

Trade‑offs and concerns:

  • Performance concern raised that wishlist apps can be heavy and may slow sites significantly (claim of ~40% slowdown). Others did not quantify impact; no benchmarking provided.

Outcomes/decisions:

  • No direct code snippet was offered in the thread. Concrete next steps are to try an app, follow the shared tutorial, or pursue custom development.

Status:

  • Unresolved/ongoing. OP was asked whether they prefer coded or app‑based solutions; no final choice reported.
Summarized with AI on January 9. AI used: gpt-5.
2

Hey, @sonika2502 .

Thank you for reaching out and posting this question!

I understand that you’re using the Dawn theme and you’re looking to add a wishlist function to the header menu as well as below the product description.

An easier option for adding a wishlist is by using a third-party wishlist app, as you wouldn’t need to make any changes to your theme’s coding and apps can also provide more features for your wishlist. For example, Wishlist - Wishify offers a free plan that can allow you to add the wishlist to the main menu. However, in order to add the wishlist to the header, you will need to use their professional plan. Alternatively, if you want to use something completely free, then you can consider using something like Advanced Wishlist. If you need any help with a third-party app, then the app developer is always available to assist you. You can reach out to the developer directly through the contact information found in the Support section of their app’s page.

If you prefer to explore adding the wishlist through custom coding, then you can see if this is something the community can help you with. However, if you’re not comfortable working with coding languages (eg. HTML, JavaScript, CSS, and Liquid), then you can consider hiring a developer to help you with this. That being said, if you need help finding a developer, then I’d recommend taking a look at our directory of certified developers on Shopify Experts.

Was there a specific reason that you’d prefer coding a wishlist? Or, can a wishlist app be a solution for your store?