> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.strm.design/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.strm.design/header-and-footer/announcement-bar.md).

# Announcement bar

Show short store-wide messages in a slim bar above the header, one at a time.

The announcement bar is the slim strip above the header. It shows one message at a time, with previous and next arrows when you have more than one. Use it for short, store-wide facts: a free delivery threshold, a cut-off time for next-day delivery, a returns promise.

![Announcement bar](https://2073252647-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FUX7okZwFVjG38blUMwqg%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-2a1a19aceff9cd2dc295dbdd0df29d8ba3cde797%2Fannouncement-bar.png?alt=media)

## Where it lives

The announcement bar is a section in the **Header** group, so it appears on every page. In the theme editor it is listed at the top of the left sidebar, above **Header**.

## Add or edit messages

1. In Shopify admin, go to **Online Store › Themes** and click **Customize** on Stratum.
2. In the left sidebar, click **Announcement bar** under **Header**.
3. Each message is an **Announcement** block. Click one to edit it, or click **Add block › Announcement** to add another.
4. Drag blocks by their handle to change the order. The first block is the one visitors see first.
5. Click **Save**.

To remove the bar entirely, click the eye icon next to **Announcement bar** to hide it, or select it and click **Remove section**.

## Section settings

| Setting                           | What it does                                                                   |
| --------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| **Color scheme**                  | Colors for the bar. Default: Scheme 3 (a dark bar).                            |
| **Rotate messages automatically** | Moves to the next message by itself. Off by default.                           |
| **Time per message**              | How long each message shows when rotating, from 3 to 10 seconds. Default: 5 s. |

Rotation pauses while a visitor hovers over the bar or focuses it with the keyboard. It never runs for visitors who ask their device to reduce motion, and it is always off in the theme editor so you can edit calmly.

## Announcement block settings

| Setting  | What it does                                                                   |
| -------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| **Text** | The message. You can use bold, italic and links.                               |
| **Link** | Optional. Makes the whole message a link, for example to your shipping policy. |

## Tips

* Keep each message to one short line. Long messages are cut off with an ellipsis on phones.
* Only promise what your store actually does. If the message mentions a threshold such as free delivery over $150, set up that shipping rate in **Settings › Shipping and delivery** first.
* With a single message there are no arrows, and the bar stays perfectly still.
* Turning on rotation is optional. Many visitors read the first message only, so put the most useful one first.

{% hint style="info" %}
The first message is shown immediately when the page loads, before any script runs, so the bar never jumps or shifts while the page is loading.
{% endhint %}

## Related

* [Header, menus and search](/header-and-footer/header.md)
* [Announcement bar reference](/reference/sections/announcement-bar.md)