> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://staylime.com/docs/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://staylime.com/docs/volume-themes/faq/theme-setup-and-updates/my-collection-pages-are-empty-after-install.md).

# My collection pages are empty after install

Why collection links break and collection pages look empty right after you install Volume, and how to point them at your own collections.

This is almost always the demo content, not a bug.

When you install Volume, the theme arrives with the navigation and the collection references used in our demo store. Those handles — `men`, `new-arrivals`, `sale` and so on — do not exist in your store, so the links resolve to nothing.

{% stepper %}
{% step %}

### Fix the navigation menus

1. Go to **Online Store → Navigation**.
2. Open **Main menu** (and any other menu the theme uses).
3. Replace each demo link with one of your own collections. Shopify shows a warning icon next to links that point nowhere.
   {% endstep %}

{% step %}

### Fix the collections referenced inside sections

Some sections pick collections in their own settings rather than from a menu. In **Customize**, sections such as **Collection tabs** and **Featured collection with media** hold one or more **Collection** blocks, each with its own **Collection** field (and a **Sort by** option). Open every section on the home page and set those fields to your own collections.

Volume does not substitute placeholder products when a collection is missing or empty — the section simply outputs nothing, in the theme editor as well as on the storefront. An unexplained blank stretch of page is usually exactly this.
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

### Check the collection itself

Open a collection on your storefront. If the page loads but shows no products, the collection is empty or its conditions match nothing — check it under **Products → Collections**.
{% endstep %}
{% endstepper %}

{% hint style="warning" %}
A 404 on a collection URL means the handle does not exist in your store. Renaming a collection in Shopify does not change its handle automatically, so a link that used to work can break after a rename — check the handle under **Search engine listing** at the bottom of the collection page.
{% endhint %}

{% hint style="warning" %}
If collection pages fail on a store using the **Velum** preset, check your theme version first. The Default collection template was missing from that preset and was restored in **Volume 8.0.0** — the same release in which the Volume and Velum preset designs swapped places. Update the theme rather than rebuilding templates by hand; see the [release notes](/docs/volume-themes/changelog/volume-release-notes/volume-8.0.0.md).
{% endhint %}

{% hint style="success" icon="lightbulb" %}
For how the collection page itself is built, see [Collection page](/docs/volume-themes/collections/collection-page.md) and [Product Grid & Filtering](/docs/volume-themes/collections/product-grid-and-filtering.md).
{% endhint %}


---

# Agent Instructions
This documentation is published with GitBook. GitBook is the documentation platform designed so that both humans and AI agents can read, navigate, and reason over technical content effectively. Learn more at gitbook.com.

## Querying This Documentation
If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation by asking a question.

Perform an HTTP GET request on the following URL with the `ask` and `goal` query parameters:

```
GET https://staylime.com/docs/volume-themes/faq/theme-setup-and-updates/my-collection-pages-are-empty-after-install.md?ask=<question>&goal=<user_goal>
```

`ask` is the immediate question: it should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language.
`goal` is what the user is ultimately trying to achieve, the reason they need the answer. Sharing it helps GitBook give you a better, more relevant answer. A goal is most helpful when it describes the outcome the user wants rather than restating the question. For example, with `ask=how do I create an API token`, a goal like `automate deployments from our CI pipeline` lets GitBook tailor the answer to that use case.

The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation.

Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.