Squarespace Custom Code: The Ultimate Guide (+ 13 Examples)
Squarespace supports a range of custom codes including HTML, Markdown, CSS, and JavaScript.
While the Squarespace style editor is very comprehensive, you also have the option to add custom code to your website.
This means you can make anything to make your website stand out.
Read on to find out more about how to add custom code in Squarespace.
Plus, we’ll take a look at some examples of code snippets that you can adapt to your specific needs.
What is Custom Code in Squarespace?
All websites are created using programming code.
This code is a combination of letters and numbers that tells the website how to act and look.
Most website content design editors, like Squarespace, are what are known as WYSIWYG, or ‘what you see is what you get.’
This is what how it looks when you edit a Squarespace site:
…and this is what you actually edit:
This means that rather than coding the website yourself, you tell the design editor how you want the site to look, and it creates the relevant code around your requirements.
Custom code lets you directly insert your own code into Squarespace, overriding the web editor with your own design choices.
What Can I Do With Custom Code in Squarespace?
Anything you like!
Custom code lets you make changes to your website that aren’t available as an option in Squarespace’s style editor.
These amends include:
Changing the style and design of your site. While Squarespace lets you do many things, other changes need to be coded in. For example, changing the menu color, adding vertical text or creating photo animations
Adding additional functionality like live chat, social media plugins and search tools
You can also use custom code to add analytics and tracking codes to your site so you can receive advanced metrics
12 Squarespace Custom Code Examples to Get You Started
Now that you know how to add custom code in Squaresquace, you’ll probably want to add some custom code examples in and see how they look.
This article about Squarespace CSS code snippets is a great starting point and lets you add animated links, shadow buttons and even zoom effects on images.
Here are some other great Squarespace custom code tutorials.
1. Add a gradient background
Elevate your website's visual appeal by adding a Squarespace gradient background – a stylish yet subtle way to add depth and dimension to your pages. Gradients can range from soft and subtle to vibrant and bold, fitting any design aesthetic.
2. Add icons to your site
This tutorial show you how to add 1600+ icons to your Squarespace site for free. It also has some cool icon styles that you can add with code.
3. Create a before & after slider
A step-by-step guide on constructing an interactive slider to showcase transformations, perfect for portfolios, product pages, and more.
4. Import custom bullet points
Custom bullet points can help make your copy stand out and grab your website visitor’s attention. This tutorial will show you how to add them to your site using CSS.
5. Add a mega menu
If your website has numerous products or complex navigation, a Squarespace Mega Menu can guide visitors effectively. Though Squarespace lacks a built-in Mega Menu option, with some coding and planning, you can create one that enhances navigation on your Squarespace 7.1 site.
6. Customize a calendar
You can add a calendar to your Squarespace page, and this tutorial lets you customize the calendar to complement the branding of your website.
7. Make your cookie banner look nicer
The standard Squarespace cookie banner does the job, but it looks very bland. This tutorial will show you how to amend the font and color to look more aligned with your branding.
8. Remove underlined links
All links on Squarespace are automatically underlined. If you don’t like this effect, this tutorial will show you how to remove the links with CSS.
9. Add an accordion
Accordions are great for hiding walls of text on your website, for example, if you want to add an FAQ section to a page. This tutorial uses both CSS and JavaScript to help you make a custom accordion in Squarespace.
10. Make your buttons consistent
Normally, your buttons resize depending on the amount of text that is in them. However, if you want them all to be a certain size, this CSS tutorial will ensure that all your call-to-action buttons look the same.
11. Add a secondary navigation bar
When your website contains numerous pages, it's natural to want them to be conveniently accessible.
In this context, incorporating a secondary navigation bar can significantly enhance user experience on your Squarespace site, ensuring seamless access to all your pages for everyone.
12. Add icons to your navigation bar
Want to add icons to your navigation bar to make the options stand out? This tutorial will show you how. It’s a little fiddly as you have to play around with the existing CSS code, but the result is worth it!
13. Automatically update your copyright year
Sometimes the smallest changes are the best, and this simple tutorial lets you automatically update the copyright year on your website using JavaScript.
More custom code examples
This post about Squarespace plugins also includes many useful guides on how to add plugins to your site.
Bonus: How to Fully Customize Your Site Without Code
Don’t worry if you don’t know much about custom code or are worried about breaking your site, as there is another solution.
Spark Plugin can easily help you create the Squarespace website of your dreams.
Boosting your website design is as simple as clicking a few buttons:
With over 100 customizations and new customizations available every month, you can make your website stand out from the rest.
Check out the customizations that are currently available and take the next step towards making your Squarespace website shine.
CSS and Javascript Tutorials for Creating Your Own Custom Code
Want to take things a little further and create your own custom code?
While you need to know how CSS and JavaScript work to do this, there are plenty of great tutorials online to get you started.
Here are some of my favorites.
CSS tutorials
CSS is excellent as it lets you change the style and design of your website.
CodeAcademy (most of the course is free, but you have to pay for some elements)
Javascript tutorials
JavaScript is fantastic for adding interactivity. For example, you can use JavaScript to add sliders and slideshows.
CodeAcademy (most of the course is free, but you have to pay for some elements)
Learn Javascript Online (the first 77 lessons are free)
How To Add Custom Code to Squarespace
There are a lot of different ways you can add custom code to Squarespace, and the right one for your needs will depend on:
The code you want to use
Whether you want to add code to a specific page or your entire website
The plan you’re on – some ways of adding custom code are only available on business and commerce plans
You can find a comprehensive list of all the ways to add custom code on theSquarespace support site.
How to Add Custom CSS to Squarespace
If you want to apply CSS code to your whole site, the easiest way to do this is through the CSS editor. You can do this in three simple steps. Just:
Open the Squarespace dashboard and select your site
Click Website, then scroll down to click Website Tools, and lastly Custom CSS
Paste in the CSS code snippet, and click Save
How to Add JavaScript to Squarespace (Code Injection)
If you want to add JavaScript to the whole of your Squarespace site, the best way to do this is through what is known as code injection in Squarespace. You can then add your code to the header, footer, lock page or order confirmation page of your site.
Open the Squarespace dashboard and select your site
Click Website > Website Tools (scroll down) > Code Injection
Paste in the JavaScript code snippet and click Save
How to Add a Squarespace Code Block
If you have an individual element that you want to add to your site, like a video or social media post, you can copy and paste the code directly into the relevant webpage. This is what is known as a code block.
Open the Squarespace dashboard and click Edit.
You can then add the code to a specific part of the page by clicking Add block and selecting Code
Paste the code in the Squarespace code block and click Save
Is it Safe to Add Custom Code into Squarespace?
Yes, for the most part.
One thing to bear in mind when doing this: custom code falls outside the scope of Squarespace’s support.
This means Squarespace can’t help with any custom code you want to add or support you if the code breaks your website.
Also, even if your custom code works now, there is no guarantee that it will work in the future when Squarespace update it service.
So if you do want to add custom code to your Squarespace website, be careful.
Always thoroughly test your code before adding it and ensure it has come from a trusted source.
You can also use a plugin that automatically generates and updates the code for you, like Spark Plugin.
4 Tips for Adding Custom Code
I hope this article has given you valuable insight into using custom code in Squarespace. Whether you opt for CSS or JavaScript, you can make your website look exactly how you want.
To end the article, here are some of my top tips:
Check if the customization you want to add is available in Squarespace’s style editor before you add the code. This can save you a lot of time!
Occasionally revisit your custom code and remove any you no longer need. This can help keep your site running quickly.
Always test your code before you set it live. The same code can cause different effects in different browsers.
Stick with short code as this is easier to manage and control in Squarespace if something goes wrong.
