Appearance
Descriptive Text
Descriptive Text is now HTML Block
This option type has been renamed to HTML Block, and a second static-content type, Rich Text, has been added alongside it.
You don't need to do anything. Every existing Descriptive Text option was moved to HTML Block automatically, keeping its content, its position in the option set, and how it renders on the storefront.
This page is kept so older links keep working. For current documentation, go to HTML Block or Rich Text.
What Changed
| Before | Now | |
|---|---|---|
| Name in the option type picker | Descriptive Text | HTML Block |
| Editor | A plain text field | A code editor with HTML syntax highlighting, line wrapping, and a live character counter |
| Content and storefront rendering | HTML, sanitized before display | Unchanged — same content, same rendering |
| Alternative for non-technical authoring | — | The new Rich Text type, with a visual toolbar |
The rename reflects what the type always did. Descriptive Text already rendered your content as real HTML rather than escaped text — the name just didn't say so, and the plain text field gave no help writing markup. HTML Block keeps the behavior and fixes both.
What Happened to Your Options
- Existing options kept their type, so nothing moved position or changed appearance
- Saved content was not rewritten, re-sanitized differently, or truncated
- Options that were targets of a condition still are
- Nothing needs to be re-saved for the change to take effect
Which One Should You Use Now?
| Use | Type |
|---|---|
| Tables, custom classes, inline CSS, or exact control over markup | HTML Block |
| Formatted text without writing HTML — headings, colors, lists, links | Rich Text |
| Just a title | Heading |
| Blank space or a horizontal line | Spacing / Divider |
The two content types differ mainly in how you author and how much you get:
| HTML Block | Rich Text | |
|---|---|---|
| Authoring | Write raw HTML | Visual toolbar |
| Limit | 8,000 characters of markup | 1,000 characters of visible text |
| Tables | Yes | No |
| Custom CSS classes / inline styles | Yes | No |
| Raw HTML view | Yes (it's the only view) | No |
| Images | No | No |
Related
- HTML Block — the direct successor to this option type
- Rich Text — formatted content without writing HTML
- Heading — a simple title
- Hide Labels — controlling label visibility