Decoding Mystery HTML: Fixing Your Shopify Top Bar Display

Help! My Shopify Top Bar Is Showing Weird HTML Code

Ever seen your Shopify store's top bar go haywire, displaying raw HTML code instead of the intended design? It's a frustrating problem, and it happened to one of our community members, mrs_mccann, who posted about it. Let's dive into how they tackled this issue, drawing insights from the collective wisdom of the Shopify community.

mrs_mccann's original problem was that some HTML code was showing up as plain text in the top bar of their Shopify store, right above the social media links. They'd tried using the AI assistant, but it wasn't quite up to the task. Sounds familiar? Don't worry, you're not alone!

Where to Start Looking

The first suggestion, which is a solid starting point for most theme customizations, was to head into the theme's code editor. Navigate to Online Store → Themes → Edit code. The key is to find the file controlling your top bar. This is often named something like header.liquid or announcement-bar.liquid. The advice was spot on: the issue often arises because content is being "escaped" (using something like | escape in Liquid) or placed in a plain text field instead of a rich text/HTML field.

The initial suggestion was to look for escaping filters or incorrect field types. Makes sense, right? If the code thinks it's just supposed to display text, it won't bother rendering the HTML.

Specific Code Snippets and What They Do

Then, a helpful community member, tim_1, jumped in with some specific code snippets. He pointed out lines 55 and 61 in a screenshot, suggesting they might be remnants of a failed theme update. This is a great reminder that sometimes these issues aren't about something *you* did, but rather glitches from an automated process.

tim_1's analysis identified two things those lines were doing:

• A CSS rule to shift down the menu (aligning it with the icons).
• Javascript code to set a Store variable (which, interestingly, didn't seem to be used).

He suggested removing lines 21 and 29 (where the problematic code was located in the screenshot). He also offered a CSS snippet to help align the social icons with the text:

.top-bar .footer__heading {
  margin-bottom: -2px;
}

This is a great example of how small CSS tweaks can make a big visual difference!

Theme Updates and Reverting Changes

It turned out the problem *did* stem from a recent theme update, as mrs_mccann confirmed. This highlights the importance of backing up your theme before making changes! If you mess something up, or an update introduces errors, you can always revert to a previous version.

Another community member, Maximus3, chimed in, suggesting reverting to a theme version that didn't have the issue. They also pointed out that if a third-party theme or page builder is involved, the Shopify AI assistant might not be able to fully resolve the problem.

Key Takeaways

So, what did we learn from this community troubleshooting session? First, when HTML code is displaying as text, check for escaping filters in your Liquid files. Second, theme updates can sometimes introduce unexpected issues. Always back up your theme before updating, and be prepared to revert if necessary. Third, the Shopify community is an amazing resource! Don't hesitate to ask for help and share your own experiences. Finally, a little bit of CSS can go a long way in fixing alignment and visual quirks.

Remember, debugging theme issues can be tricky, but with a systematic approach and the help of the community, you can get your Shopify store looking its best! And if all else fails, consider reaching out to a Shopify expert for personalized assistance.