Key takeaways
- Section buttons (hero CTAs, feature block buttons) are edited directly in the Theme Editor section settings.
- System buttons like “Add to cart” and “Buy now” are edited via Online Store > Themes > Actions > Edit languages.
- You can’t change “Add to cart” by clicking on it in the preview - it’s a language string, not a section setting.
- If you need a button that doesn’t exist yet, Fudge can add one from a plain English description. See also: how to add a button in Shopify.
There are two types of buttons in Shopify, and they’re edited in completely different places. Getting the wrong one is the most common source of frustration when trying to change button text.
Why you can trust us
We’ve built and customised hundreds of Shopify storefronts. We also built Fudge - an AI storefront editor with a 5.0 rating on the Shopify App Store.
The two types of Shopify buttons
Type 1 - Section buttons. These are buttons added as blocks inside sections - hero banners, feature sections, image-with-text blocks. The text is editable directly in the Theme Editor.
Type 2 - System buttons. These are buttons generated by Shopify’s core functionality - “Add to cart,” “Buy now,” “Continue shopping,” “Check out.” Their text lives in your theme’s language file, not in section settings.
Method 1 - Change section button text in the Theme Editor
Step 1. Go to Online Store > Themes > Customize.
Step 2. Navigate to the section containing the button.
Step 3. Click the section in the left sidebar to open its settings.
Step 4. Find the button block in the section settings. Click it to expand.
Step 5. Update the Label or Button text field with your new text.
Step 6. Click Save.
The change is visible immediately in the preview. If you can’t find the button in section settings, it may be a system button - see Method 2.
Method 2 - Change “Add to cart,” “Buy now,” and other system button text
Shopify’s system buttons are controlled by a language file. You can’t edit them by clicking in the Theme Editor preview.
Step 1. Go to Online Store > Themes.
Step 2. Click Actions > Edit languages on your active theme.
Step 3. Use the search bar at the top. Search for the exact phrase you want to change - for example, “Add to cart.”
Step 4. The search will surface the relevant field. Click into it and type your new text.
Step 5. Click Save.
Common system button strings and where to find them
| Button | Search term |
|---|---|
| ”Add to cart” | add to cart |
| ”Buy now” / “Buy it now” | buy it now |
| ”Continue shopping” | continue shopping |
| ”Check out” | checkout |
| ”Sold out” | sold out |
The Edit languages screen covers every translatable string in your theme. Use the search - the list is long.
Related: Translate Text Manually in Shopify.
What if the button text doesn’t update?
A few things to check:
- You edited the wrong theme. Make sure you clicked Edit languages on your live/active theme, not a draft.
- The theme has multiple language files. If your store has multiple active languages, you’ll need to update each one.
- The button is coming from an app. Some apps add their own buttons (review widgets, upsell apps). Edit those through the app’s own settings.
Changing button font in Shopify
If you want to change the font of buttons (not just the text), that’s controlled by:
- Theme Editor > Theme settings > Typography - for the global font applied to buttons.
- CSS in your theme’s assets folder - for precise per-button font changes (weight, size, letter spacing).
Button font changes that go beyond what the Theme Editor exposes require CSS. If you’re not comfortable with that, Fudge can make targeted CSS changes to your button styles from a plain English description.
Related: Add an Email Pop-Up in Shopify.
Related: Change Shipping Text in Shopify.
Related: Update Cart Drawer Text in Shopify.
Quick reference
| What to change | Where to go |
|---|---|
| Hero / section CTA button text | Theme Editor > click section > button block |
| ”Add to cart” text | Themes > Actions > Edit languages |
| ”Buy now” text | Themes > Actions > Edit languages |
| Button font / style | Theme settings > Typography or CSS |
FAQ
It's a system button rendered from your theme's language file, not a configurable section block. Section buttons (hero CTAs, banner buttons) are click-to-edit; system buttons require Online Store → Themes → Actions → Edit languages.
Conversion: minimally, in either direction. "Add to cart" is the standard and shoppers expect it. Changes like "Add to bag" or "Add it" can work if they fit your brand voice but don't expect a meaningful lift. SEO: no - this text isn't indexed in a way that affects rankings.
Yes, with custom Liquid logic. Describe the rule to Fudge ("show 'Pre-order now' on products tagged 'pre-order', otherwise 'Add to cart'") and it wraps the button label in the right {% case product.tags %} or {% if product.type %} block. No theme settings expose this, so it has to be built — Fudge or a developer.
Two common causes: (1) you edited a draft theme and viewed your live theme, or (2) you have multiple active locales and only edited the English version (the page shows your other locale's text). Edit each locale's language file separately.
Not via the language file - that change applies globally. To override per product, edit the product page Liquid template to render different text based on a tag or metafield ({% if product.tags contains 'preorder-back-soon' %}Back in 2 weeks{% else %}Sold out{% endif %}).
