Templates in Shift Browser are ready-made layouts that help you organize your apps, Spaces, and controls in seconds. They're native integrations designed to give you a head start, so you don't have to build your digital workspace from scratch unless you want to.
What are templates
Templates are pre-built layouts that arrange Shift’s core elements for you. They’re perfect for getting set up fast without starting from scratch. With templates, you can:
Launch Shift with a layout tailored to your style.
Switch between options that support minimal, complex, or dynamic workflows.
Use a template as a foundation, then customize further through Customize Layout.
How to use and change your template
Open Quick Settings by selecting the gear icon
Go to Custom Layout.
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In the Template section, select the template you want to use.
You can choose a new template at any time to update your layout.
Your layout will update automatically based on the selected template.
Note: You can only switch between pre-existing templates.
Custom changes you’ve made aren’t saved as templates, so selecting a new one will replace your current layout with that template’s default setup.
Note: If you have apps across multiple bars and decide to change your Template, all currently installed apps will automatically consolidate into the Primary App Section of the new layout. To redistribute them, open the Builder, navigate to Apps, and drag your apps back to your preferred locations or sidebars
Types of Templates
The Organizer
- A clean slate, ready for your favorite apps and tools.
- Best for: customization, simplicity, flexibility
The Original Shiftie
- A classic layout with apps and Spaces pinned to the sidebar. Ideal for quick context-switching between projects, research, or clients.
- Best for: productivity, multitasking, high-level view
The Maverick
- Flip the script with apps and Spaces pinned to the bottom. A flexible layout for multitaskers who like breaking from convention.
- Best for: experimentation, multitasking, uncluttered top bar
The Creative
- Focus when you need it, expand when you’re ready. A collapsible sidebar keeps tools handy without breaking concentration.
- Best for: focus, efficiency, dynamic workflows
The Navigator
- Vertical organization that maximizes screen space while keeping tools close.
- Best for: app organization, efficiency, complex workflows
The Everyday Explorer
- A familiar browsing experience, simple, straightforward, with Shift’s enhancements baked in.
- Best for: simplicity, familiarity, streamlined search
Customize beyond the template
If a template isn't quite perfect, you can use the Builder to make it your own. You can add or remove bars, move your native apps, and rearrange controls until it feels effortless. Once you change a template, it becomes a unique layout that lives inside your Space.
Note: Once you change anything in a template, it becomes a customized template unique to you.
Templates help you start fast, but they’re just the beginning. Choose a layout that matches your workflow, then refine it until Shift feels built for you.
Related Articles:
- Customizing your toolbars and controls in Shift
- How to access the Customize Layout setting
- All about Customized Layouts in Shift
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