How Dropdown Menus Work in Different Squarespace Templates

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Jun 25, 2025 09:35 PM

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Dropdown Menus

Squarespace Navigation

squarespace dropdown customization

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Dropdown menus in Squarespace templates behave differently based on the template used, affecting navigation. Some require clicks, while others activate on hover. Mobile display varies, with some templates keeping dropdowns always expanded. Customization options include changing background colors and adding links to dropdown titles through custom code. Understanding these differences is crucial for effective website navigation.

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Platform

Squarespace

Understanding How Dropdowns Work Across Templates

Dropdown menus behave completely differently depending on which Squarespace template you're using. This isn't always obvious when you're building your site, but it makes a huge difference to how visitors navigate your pages.

How Template Design Affects Your Dropdowns

Template Differences You Need to Know

Some templates activate dropdowns when you hover over them. Others require a click. This depends entirely on the template you've chosen, not any setting you can change.

Certain templates add small icons next to dropdown titles to show visitors they can interact with them. Others don't include any visual cues at all.

Templates with Special Features

Adirondack and Bedford templates include extra navigation bars or sidebar navigation within their dropdowns. This gives you more space to organise complex menu structures.

Brine template handles footer dropdowns differently by displaying them as columns rather than traditional dropdown lists.

How Dropdowns Behave on Mobile

Standard Mobile Display

Most templates automatically collapse dropdowns on mobile devices. Visitors tap the menu item to expand the dropdown and see the sub-pages.

Templates That Break the Rules

Montauk and Wells templates keep dropdowns permanently expanded on mobile devices. This means all your sub-navigation is always visible, which can be helpful for sites with simple menu structures.

By default, Squarespace doesn't let you make dropdown titles clickable. If you want the main dropdown title to link to a page, you'll need to add custom code. This falls outside standard Squarespace support, so you might need help from a developer.

Changing Background Colours

Each template offers different options for customising dropdown background colours. You'll find these settings in your template's style panel, but the exact location varies by template.

Look for sections labelled "Site Navigation" or "Header" in your style settings.

Pixelhaze Tip: Always test your dropdown menus in an incognito browser window before making your site live. This shows you exactly what visitors will see, without any cached versions or admin privileges affecting the display.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I change the background colour of dropdown menu items in Squarespace? Yes, but the method depends on your template. Check your style settings under site navigation or header options.

How do I keep dropdowns open on mobile in Squarespace? This depends on your template. Some templates like Montauk and Wells do this automatically. For others, you'd need custom code.

Can I make dropdown menu titles clickable in Squarespace? Not through standard settings. You'll need custom code to add links to dropdown titles.

Quick Reference

Squarespace: Website building platform with pre-designed templates Dropdown Menu: Navigation feature that shows additional options when clicked or hovered Template: Pre-set design layout that controls how your site looks and functions Custom Code: Programming code added to create features not available in standard settings

What This Means for Your Site

Getting your dropdown navigation right makes a real difference to how people use your website. Understanding how your specific template handles dropdowns helps you make better decisions about your site structure and avoid navigation problems that frustrate visitors.

How Dropdown Menus Work in Different Squarespace Templates