How to check your website without logging out of Squarespace
I learned a designer’s trick from Squarespace Support early on that I use all the time with each new or updated website I work on. I wanted to share this trick with you if you haven’t discovered it yet because it’s a convenient time-saver when you’re working on Squarespace on a computer.
Start by previewing with the Desktop and Mobile preview tools
I always recommend using the Desktop and Mobile preview tools while you’re working in Squarespace to design and edit a website. These previews approximate what your website will look like on a computer/laptop and on a mobile phone. This allows you to check that the blocks are placed the way you want them and that the spacing between blocks is correct. After the website looks good from those views, you also want to preview the website as a visitor would.
Use a private/incognito window in your browser to preview your website
If you try to view your website in a regular browser window, you’re automatically shown the website in edit mode if you are still logged in to Squarespace. This happens even if you have closed the website but haven’t logged out of Squarespace.
Private/incognito mode won’t know you’re logged in
Website browsers have a private option to browse the internet without using cookies or storing browser history. This privacy trick also allows you to stay logged in to Squarespace and see your website in a separate browser window without automatically opening the website in edit mode.
Opening a private/incognito window in popular browsers
Depending on the browser, this option might be called private or incognito. Here are instructions for opening a private/incognito window in some popular browsers.
Chrome
File - New Incognito Window
Firefox
File - New Private Window
Microsoft Edge
Select the three dots at upper right, then select New InPrivate Window
Safari
File - New Private Window
Finding the website URL of your website
The website URL is what you type in to a browser address bar to open the website in a private/incognito window.
The URL of a website connected to a custom domain
If you have connected a custom domain and paid for Squarespace hosting, you have changed your Settings - Site Availability to either Public or Password-protected. You can type the custom domain name in a private/incognito browser window. You can usually open the website with either the “www” version or the shortened version, as I’ve shown below with my website URL. If one version doesn’t work, try the other. If the website is password-protected, type the password to see the website.
https://www.kerryathompson.com or https://kerryathompson.com
The URL of a website you haven’t connected to a domain yet
Squarespace assigns every new website a built-in domain, a Site ID, that stays with that website as an internal reference, no matter what custom domains you later connect. I recommend changing the random ID Squarespace assigns to be something you’ll remember. It makes it easier to recognize and to type in when you want to check the pre-launch version of the website. You make that change from the Settings - Domain window, as described in “Changing the built-in Squarespace domain to something you’ll remember.”
You must also change the Settings - Site Availability from Private to Password-protected so that it can be seen from a browser outside of Squarespace without making the website public (and having to pay for a Squarespace hosting plan).
Whether the built-in domain is the random ID Squarespace assigned or one you’ve assigned, you can type that name into the private/incognito browser window with “.squarespace.com” at the end. In this case, you don’t use “www” as part of the name. The website must either be password-protected or public to open it.
https://kerrystest.squarespace.com
Why you should check your website as a visitor sees it
There are several reasons to check your website as a visitor would and not as a designer. I do some of these tasks in different stages of designing or updating a site. Other tasks I do as a final check just prior to making a website public.
Many times over the course of designing a new site, new pages, or updates, you want to check that the website pages, images, buttons, and text look good on a desktop computer or laptop, ideally with different-sized monitors if you have them.
You also want to check a website on at least one mobile phone but the trick described in this blog post applies to working on a computer.
You want to test the links that you’ve applied to images, buttons, and text to be sure they open to the website or page you intended.
You want to check that files you’ve embedded, such as a PDF, mp3, or mp4 file, open correctly.
You want to check that the Contact form works as intended, that the Post-Submit message the visitor sees is correct, and that you as the website owner receive the Contact form information in your business email.
If you have a mailing list signup form, you want to test the signup form and make sure the new visitor receives all the follow-up emails and any giveaways you intended. You’ll also check that your mailing list program has added you as the “new subscriber” to your list.
I’m usually designing a website while moving back and forth between Squarespace and a private/incognito browser window where I can check the website as a visitor would. I think this shortcut is really convenient so I don’t have to remember to log out of Squarespace to switch between design mode and viewing mode. I hope you find it helpful too.
