Upgrade to OS2
Last updated
Last updated
We rebuilt and released Context 2.0 in 2021 for Shopify's Online Store 2.0 (OS2). OS2 offers a new streamlined experience to create the store you want with ease, flexibility, and a host of powerful features.
In this article we cover, what to consider before upgrading, what's new in OS2, and how to try Context OS2 for free.
| Theme architecture | Theme version |
|---|---|
Vintage (pre-OS2) | Context v1 |
OS2 | Context v2 |
There's a lot to consider when deciding to upgrade to OS2 from a vintage theme.
Because Shopify cannot automatically transfer settings or customizations from vintage themes, upgrading to OS2 does mean starting fresh and manually transferring settings and customizations.
This is a major step, but we think it's worth it if what's new in OS2 matches your store's needs. Upgrading to OS2 will also ensure continued updates and stability for your theme and overall Shopify experience.
Here's what Shopify has to say:
‣ Upgrading to Online Store 2.0 isn't mandatory. You can continue using a vintage theme if it meets your business's needs.
‣ Upgrading your theme can be a complex process. Consider whether your current theme meets your needs before deciding to update your theme.
‣ Some apps might not be compatible with Online Store 2.0 themes. Refer to your app's documentation or contact your app developer if you're not sure.
‣ Unlike other theme updates, this update can't be automatically applied to your store. Refer to Updating themes to learn how to add a new version of your current theme.
If you need assistance in upgrading and transferring your site settings, we recommend seeking out a Shopify Expert ↗ to hire. We can help with questions about the theme but unfortunately cannot carry out upgrades to your site.
Along with enhanced site performance and a massively flexible layout, OS2 themes let you add sections on every page, create multiple templates, and make the most of features like Dynamic sources, Collection filters, and App blocks.
Context was rebuilt to make the most of OS2 and includes new powerful theme sections and options. You will continue to receive regular free theme updates with more feature releases and bug fixes.
See the Context changelog to get a sense of what's new. Please note that some features have been replaced or significantly updated.
You can customize the content and layout of almost all of your store's pages by adding, removing, and rearranging sections and blocks that make up the page.
For all templates (except Checkout), add and re-arrange Context's 20+ feature sections to achieve virtually endless layouts and styles that best serve your brand.
Templates provide the layout and style of your pages. If you want to create custom layouts and styles for different pages, you can create multiple templates for Products, Collections, Pages, Blogs, and Blog posts.
Help customers discover your products by enabling filters for product availability, price, product type, vendor, and your product options. Add filter types and re-order them in your Shopify admin.
With collection filters enabled, Context OS2 displays a price slider and color swatches.
Learn more about Context's Collection pages and filters.
Use Metafields and Dynamic sources to automatically display the correct information for specific products that use the same template. These features really expand the control you have over your store's content and where and when to display it.
With App blocks, you can add, customize, and rearrange apps just like feature sections in the theme editor without custom edits to the theme.
Please note that our Support policy does not cover app integration or problems arising from apps. See Shopify's listing of OS2 apps or contact the developer of your app to ask about compatibility with OS2 and our themes.
See Shopify's manual for a comprehensive guide on app blocks.
If you purchased the vintage version of Context (1.9.1 or lower), you can get the new version for free on the theme store when logged into your store.
Downloading the theme won't impact your current store or theme, so you can try it out and preview it before moving forward.
If you have any questions along the way, need some guidance, or just want to chat about some ideas around using OS2, contact our support anytime and we'll be there to help.
