Add custom messages and download instructions
Some products need a word of explanation: which file to open first, what software opens it, a licence note, a link to a getting-started video. A custom message appears on the download page above the file list, for that product only.
Before you begin
The message is per product, unlike the thank you message in the download page editor, which is store-wide. Use this for instructions specific to one thing you sell.
Set it up
- Click Filemonk in the left menu of your Shopify admin.
- Click Digital products in the app's menu and open the product.
- Choose Add custom message, or Edit custom message if there is one already.
- Write your Message. It supports HTML, so you can include links and basic formatting.
- Save.
A Message saved confirmation appears, and the message shows on the download page for anyone who bought that product.
What to put in it
Good candidates:
- Which file to start with, when there are many.
- What opens the file, for anything beyond PDF and ZIP.
- A link to a tutorial, community, or support page.
- Licence terms in plain language, for example personal use only.
- For a custom product, what happens next and how long it takes.
Keep it short. It sits between the customer and their download, so anything long gets skipped.
What customers will see
Your message on the download page, above the list of files, formatted as you wrote it.
Check your setup
Place a test order for the product and open its download page. Confirm the message appears where you expect and that any HTML renders rather than showing as tags. See Create a test order.
Troubleshooting
The message doesn't appear
Confirm you saved it on the right product, then reload the download page. A message is tied to one product, so buyers of a different product will not see it.
My HTML shows as tags
A malformed tag, usually an unclosed one. Simplify to a link and a line break, confirm that renders, then build back up.
I want the same message on every product
Use the thank you message in the download page editor instead, which is store-wide. See Customize the download page.
The message is in the wrong language for some customers
Custom messages are written once, in the language you type them. The download page's own text can be translated, but your message is not. See Translate the text customers see.
FAQ
Does it appear in the email too?
No. It is on the download page. For email wording, edit the email template. See Customize the email template.
Can I have a different message per variant?
The message belongs to the product. For genuinely different instructions per format, either cover both in one message or split the variants into separate products.
Does it affect past orders?
Yes. Anyone opening their download page sees the current message, including customers who bought before you wrote it.
Can I include images?
HTML is supported, so an image hosted elsewhere can be embedded. Keep it small: this is instructions, not a landing page.
Related guides
- Customize the download page, for store-wide wording.
- Create a digital product, for the product this belongs to.
- Sell customized or personalized digital products, where a waiting message matters most.
