App block deep links can't target nested blocks

Extensions
1

With the introduction of Horizon-based themes it’s no longer possible to reliably install app blocks via deep links into the product details section.

In the past, this section was flat and merchant could see where app block installed and move it to the right position. In Horizon themes product details are wrapped into additional block.

CleanShot 2026-02-17 at 21.50.53@2x
CleanShot 2026-02-17 at 21.50.53@2x640×890 36.7 KB

This breaks the expansion of section in theme editor when app block is added and makes it impossible for merchant to move app block to the right place. As a result, the merchant have to remove app block and place it into the correct block manually, which kills the purpose of deep link and causes lots of confusion.

Demo of the problem: CleanShot 2026-02-17 at 21.44.37 · CleanShot Cloud

Deep link that I’m using:

shopify://admin/themes/143486451791/editor?addAppBlockId=app_key/app_block&target=mainSection&template=product

This issue breaks onboarding flow for every app that uses deep links to install blocks to product details in Horizon-based themes.

Proposed solution

I think the best solution would be ability to target specific block inside section. We already can target sections like this:

target=sectionId:product_recommendations_qggXJq

This can be extended by adding support for block ID at the end:

target=sectionId:product_recommendations_qggXJq:product-details

Also, expansion of section/block after app block installation needs to be fixed as reported here.

5 Likes
2

I shared this feedback with Shopifolks at the latest Editions, but I don’t believe there has been any progress since then.

3

Hope we can get more attention to this problem as it’s impacts lots of merchants and apps. I constantly see users inserting app block to the wrong place because of it. I even consider stop using deep link for app blocks all together.

4

For us, it’s not even so much of an issue that it can’t target nested blocks (although that would be nice) as much as it is that you can’t drag the app block into a nested block.

This makes it so that, in the vast majority of cases, merchants need to remove the deep linked app block, go to the block they want it in, and then re-add it manually. This means that deep linking effectively adds work for the merchant.

5

Hey folks - thanks for flagging, digging into this on my side now.

2 Likes