The builder canvas renders your layout with data from your connected Shopify store, not placeholder text — so you can check dynamic text, images, and repeaters against real content before you publish.

The canvas renders through Instant's preview engine using live Shopify data. Dynamic Content, images, and conditions evaluate against the resource connected to each layer:

Use the refresh control on the connected Source row to pick which product or collection supplies data. Search by name the same way you do elsewhere in the builder.

When a product is connected, a variant selector — and a selling-plan selector for subscription products — appears. Switch variants and plans to test prices, options, and Conditional visibility across states.

Toggle preview mode with Ctrl+Shift+E / Cmd+Shift+E to interact with the layout as a shopper would. Press Esc or E to exit.

Header navigation sections show a Preview control. Open it and use Preview layout to choose which page renders behind the header — useful for judging overlap and sticky behavior. This is separate from product-data preview.

Cart layouts preview with a sample cart so line items, totals, and rewards render while you design. Adjust quantities in preview to see totals update.

Preview uses the real metafield values on your selected resource. If a metafield is empty in Shopify, the output is blank — switch to a resource that has data when designing metafield-driven UI. See Use metafields.

Without a connected store, the builder previews with placeholder sample data. Connect from your project's Shopify settings to preview your real catalog; see Connect your Shopify store.

If your storefront is password protected, Instant needs your store password to import theme styles and interact with other Shopify apps in preview. Set it when prompted — see Password-protected stores.