Squarespace Interface & Editor Basics

Learning Objectives

By the end of this chapter, you'll be able to:

1. Navigate the Squarespace dashboard and main interface areas
2. Use the page editor to add and modify content
3. Customise your site's appearance using the design tools
4. Switch between templates while keeping your content
5. Locate key features and settings across the platform

Introduction

Getting comfortable with Squarespace starts with understanding how everything is organised. The interface might seem packed with options at first, but once you know where things live, you'll find it's designed to make website building straightforward.

This chapter walks you through the main areas of Squarespace, shows you how the editor works, and gets you started with basic customisation. Think of this as your foundation – once you've got these basics down, everything else becomes much easier.

Lessons

Getting Around the Dashboard

When you log into Squarespace, you land on the main dashboard. Here's what you need to know:

Step 1: Look at the left sidebar – this is your main navigation. The key sections are:

• Pages: Where you manage your site structure
• Design: For changing how your site looks
• Commerce: Online shop features (if needed)
• Settings: Site configuration and technical bits

Step 2: The main area shows different views depending on what you've selected. When you first log in, you'll see your site overview.

Step 3: Use the search box at the top to find specific settings quickly. This saves time when you're looking for something particular.

The dashboard is where you'll spend most of your time, so it's worth getting familiar with how it's laid out.

Using the Page Editor

The page editor is where you actually build your content. Here's how it works:

Step 1: Go to Pages and click on any page you want to edit.

Step 2: Click anywhere on the page content to start editing. You'll see the page editor open up.

Step 3: To add new content, click the + button that appears between sections. This opens the content blocks menu.

Step 4: Choose what type of content you want to add – text, images, galleries, buttons, and more.

Step 5: To move things around, hover over any content block and look for the drag handle (six dots). Click and drag to reposition.

Step 6: Click on existing content to edit it directly. Text can be edited in place, images can be swapped out, and most elements have specific options.

The editor shows your changes in real-time, so you can see exactly how things will look as you work.

Customising Your Site Design

Your site's overall look is controlled through the Design section:

Step 1: Click Design in the main navigation, then Site Styles.

Step 2: You'll see options for fonts, colours, spacing, and other visual elements. These settings apply to your whole site.

Step 3: Make changes using the controls on the left. Your site preview updates automatically on the right.

Step 4: Focus on these key areas first:

• Fonts: Choose fonts that match your brand
• Colours: Set up a consistent colour scheme
• Spacing: Adjust how much space appears around elements

Step 5: Don't try to change everything at once. Pick one area, get it right, then move to the next.

Changes here affect your entire site, so they're powerful but need to be used thoughtfully.

Switching Templates

If you want to completely change your site's layout, you can switch templates:

Step 1: Go to Design, then Template.

Step 2: Browse the available templates. You can filter by category to narrow down options.

Step 3: Click Preview on any template to see how it would look with your content.

Step 4: When you find one you like, click Use This Template.

Step 5: Your content transfers over, but you might need to adjust some formatting to fit the new layout.

This is the bit most people miss – always preview templates before applying them. It saves a lot of time later.

Finding What You Need

Squarespace has lots of features, and knowing where to look saves frustration:

• Page-specific settings: Right-click on any page in the Pages panel
• Site-wide settings: Check the Settings section in the main navigation
• Help: Look for the ? icon in the bottom-left corner
• Mobile editing: Most changes apply to both desktop and mobile automatically

When you're stuck, the search function in the dashboard is your friend. Type what you're looking for, and it'll show you where to find it.

Practice

Here's what to do next:

1. Log into your Squarespace site and spend 10 minutes exploring the dashboard
2. Edit one page – add a new text block and try moving it around
3. Go to Design > Site Styles and change one font or colour
4. Preview a different template (but don't apply it yet)

Don't worry about making everything perfect. This is about getting comfortable with where things are and how they work.

FAQs

Can I have multiple people editing my site?
Yes, go to Settings > Permissions to invite other editors. You can control what they're allowed to change.

How do I add social media links?
Go to Settings > Social Links. Add your social media URLs here and they'll appear wherever your template includes social icons.

What happens if I break something while editing?
Squarespace autosaves most changes, but you can use the page history feature to restore earlier versions if needed.

Do I need to save my work manually?
Squarespace saves automatically, but it's good practice to check your live site after making significant changes.

Can I edit my site on mobile?
You can make basic edits using the Squarespace mobile app, but major design work is easier on desktop.

Jargon Buster

Dashboard: The main control panel where you manage your site

Content blocks: Individual pieces of content like text, images, or buttons that you can add to pages

Template: A pre-designed layout that controls how your site looks and functions

Site Styles: The design settings that control fonts, colours, and spacing across your whole site

Page editor: The tool for adding and editing content on individual pages

Wrap-up

You now know how to navigate Squarespace's main interface and use the basic editing tools. These skills form the foundation for everything else you'll do with your site.

The key is to start simple and build up your confidence. Don't try to learn every feature at once – focus on getting comfortable with the basics first.

Next, you'll learn about adding and organising content, which builds directly on what you've covered here.

Ready to start building? Get hands-on practice with our step-by-step tutorials at https://www.pixelhaze.academy/membership