My appointments navigation link directs me to a different page than the one I edit via the dashboard

[LMTea]

When editing my website, I have the option to customize an Appointments page (listed under Category Pages). However, the navigation link to the appointments page on my published website directs clients to a squareup booking window for them to start booking services. I want clients to first see the Appointments page that I've created, not be automatically re-directed to the squareup booking page.

I've looked at the options under Navigation > Edit Links > Link to:. The option to link to Appointments shows it will direct clients to my squareup appointments page, which is not the same as the appointments page that I've edited and want them to see. There is no option to link to a Category Page. 

How do I get clients to view my list of services without directing them to the squareup booking site?

[Summer2024 · Accepted solution]

Hi, @LMTea - Welcome to the Square Community. 

You cannot currently make the Appointments navigation link point to your custom Appointments category page.
Square forces the navigation “Appointments” link to go directly to the Square booking flow (squareup.com booking window).

The page you edited under Category Pages is essentially a design wrapper, not a true standalone page you can route traffic to via the main Appointments link.

Square has two different things that unfortunately share the same name:

1. Square Appointments booking flow

   • Hosted booking experience

   • Automatically generated

   • Always lives on a squareup.com booking URL

   • This is what the navigation “Appointments” link must point to

2. Appointments Category Page (in the editor)

   • Lets you customize layout, text, imagery

   • Displays services/categories

   • Not linkable directly from the Appointments nav

   • Cannot replace the booking entry point

Workaround options: 

Create a normal page and use it as your “Services” landing page 

This is the cleanest workaround

1. Create a Standard Page (not Appointments)

   • Name it something like Our Services or Book an Appointment

2. Manually list:

   • Your services

   • Descriptions

   • Pricing

3. Add Book Now buttons next to each service

   • Button → Link to → Appointments

   • This sends them into booking after they’ve seen your services

Then:

• Add this page to Navigation

• Remove or hide the default “Appointments” nav item

This gives you full control over the customer routes

Hide the Appointments nav link entirely

If you don’t want users dumped straight into booking:

• Navigation → Remove the Appointments link

• Only link to booking via buttons or CTAs on your custom pages

Many service businesses do this intentionally.

I hope this helps. 

[LMTea]

Thank you very much for the detailed response. That's a frustrating setup by Square but this guide helps a lot. I appreciate it!

[mitin]

Hi @LMTea  Yes this is a limitation on square, the only options are what @Summer2024  suggested, if that doesn't work for you and if you want your own custom flow, the solution would be to build a custom booking app/site using square bookings API. 
I was in the same boat and wanted my own customization and ended up doing the same thing, 
You're more than welcome to review it here,  It is custom but uses square appointments on the back end.
I hope this helps,