Do you want to change your WordPress theme but don’t know how? Don’t worry, you’re not alone! Many people find it difficult to figure out how to switch themes. In this blog post, we will walk you through the process of how to change your WordPress theme.
We will show you how to find and install a new WordPress theme, how to change a WordPress theme, and how to edit your new theme with the WordPress theme customizer.
We will also give you some tips for choosing the right WordPress theme for your website. And if you decide that you don’t like the new theme, we will show you how to switch back to your old one. Finally, we will provide some troubleshooting tips for changing WordPress themes.
How To Change WordPress Theme
The steps to change WordPress themes takes just a few clicks as it is part of the core WordPress software. To change WordPress theme manually, go to the Appearance menu in the WordPress admin panel and click on Themes.
This will take you to the themes screen, where you can see all your currently installed themes and you can see your currently active theme.
To install a new theme, click on Add New and then either upload the theme file or search for it online.
Once you’ve found the theme that you want to use, click Install and then Activate. Once you have clicked on Activate, then the theme becomes your current theme and is active on your live site.
How To Find And Install WordPress Themes
When you’re looking for a new theme, there are a few places to check: the WordPress.org Theme Directory, commercial themes websites, and individual designers’ websites.
To find a theme in the WordPress.org Theme Directory, go to your WordPress dashboard and click on Themes > Add New in the menu bar at the side of the page. This will take you to the Theme Directory, where you can browse themes by category or use the search bar to find a specific theme. Or you can go directly to the WordPress.org theme section directly.
When you find a WordPress theme that you like, click on the Live Preview button to see how it looks in action, and then click on the Activate button to install the theme files.
If you want to buy a theme from a commercial themes website, the process is usually very similar: find a theme that you like, click on the Live Preview button to see how it looks in action, and then click on the Buy Now button to purchase the theme.
Some commercial themes websites also offer free themes, so be sure to check before you buy.
If you find a theme that you like on an individual designer’s website, the process is a little different: you’ll need to download the theme files and then upload them to your WordPress site.
How To Upload A Custom Theme To Your WordPress Site
To upload a custom or premium theme from outside the WordPress theme directory you need to download the zip file of the desired theme from the website to your local computer. Then on your own go website, go to Themes > Add New > Upload Theme.
Choose the file on your local computer and Install Now.
Once the new theme is uploaded, Activate and it’s ready on your live site.
How To Customize Your New WordPress Theme
Most themes allow you to extensively customize the font, headings, footers, images, and more to make sure your site visitors are getting your branding. The Appearance menu also contains several other options for customizing your WordPress site, including changing the header image, background color, and font. To access the WordPress theme customizer go to Appearance > Customize.
Tips For Choosing The Right WordPress Theme For Your Website
When it comes to choosing a WordPress theme, there are a few things you need to keep in mind. The first thing to ask yourself is what kind of website you want to create. There are thousands of WordPress themes available, so it’s important to find one that fits the style and purpose of your website.
Some theme-specific features you may consider are:
- How much customization you can do
- The features and plugins that are included
- Whether the theme is responsive or not
- How often the developer updates the theme
- How well it performs on different devices and browsers
- Existing plugins
- Does the theme support your plans? For example, some themes may not work well with eCommerce websites. In that case, you need a specific eCommerce theme or a multipurpose theme.
- If you need something custom, does the theme allow you to add code snippets? Custom code snippets can give you unique things like google analytics tracking code, special javascript behavior, popups, and things that are not covered by custom plugins.
- What theme-specific widgets come with it?
If you’re not sure which WordPress theme is right for you, there are a few resources that can help.
WordPress has an official directory of themes where you can browse and search for themes by category. There are also several websites where you can find free WordPress themes, or buy premium themes from professional designers.
What Should You Do Before Switching Themes?
If you decide to change WordPress themes, there are a few things you need to keep in mind. First, make sure you back up your WordPress website before making any changes. This will ensure that you have a copy of your website in case something goes wrong.
Secondly, always test the new WordPress theme on a WordPress staging site or local server before activating it on your live website.
A staging site is one where you have the same WordPress theme as your active site. This allows you to change your WordPress theme without going to your production server. This will help you make sure there are no compatibility issues with your plugins or content.
Finally, be sure to update your WordPress theme files and plugins when new versions are released. This will help ensure that your website is running the latest security patches and features.
How To Setup A WordPress Staging Site
There are a few different ways that you can go about setting up a staging environment for your WordPress site.
In this article, we will show you how to do it using two of the most popular methods: plugin and manual installation. Either way, you end up with 2 WordPress websites.
How To Set Up A WordPress Staging Website Using A Plugin
The first way to set up a staging environment is by using a WordPress plugin. This is the easiest way to do it, and you can find a free plugin to help with this.
To set up a staging environment with a plugin, you will need to:
- Download and install the plugin on your WordPress site
- Activate the plugin
- Create a new subdomain or domain for your staging site
- Enter the details of your new staging website into the plugin settings
Once you have done that, you will be able to access your staging website by going to the subdomain or domain that you created.
How To Set Up A WordPress Staging Website Manually
The second way to set up a staging website is by doing it manually. This is a little more difficult than using a plugin, but it gives you more control over the staging website.
To set up a staging website manually, you will need to:
- Create a new folder on your computer for your staging website files
- Upload all of the files for your WordPress site to the new folder
- Create a new database for your staging website
- Enter the details of your new staging website into wp-config.php
Once you have done that, you will be able to access your staging website by going to the URL of the folder that you created.
When you are changing your WordPress theme, you need to sync your production site’s data over to the staging site, then change themes just like you would for the production site.
Test the stage instance, check the look, styling, plugins, contact forms, and your WordPress users can log in. If everything is ok, change the theme on your production WordPress website.
How To Switch Back To Your Old WordPress Theme If You Don’t Like The New One
If you’re not happy with the new theme that you’ve installed, don’t worry – you can always switch back to your previous theme.
To do this, go to the Appearance menu and click on Themes. This will bring up a list of all your installed themes. Scroll down to find the old theme that you want to use, then click on Activate.
Troubleshooting Tips for Changing Themes
If you’re having trouble switching to a new theme, here are some troubleshooting tips:
- Make sure you have the latest version of WordPress installed.
- Make sure you have the latest version of your current theme installed.
- Make sure you have the latest version of any plugins you’re using.
- Make sure your new theme is compatible with your current plugins and versions of WordPress and PHP.
- Make sure your page load speed is still high (a review of a performant WordPress hosting)
- If you have switched to a new theme and you are experiencing issues, you can put WordPress into maintenance mode. The maintenance mode page gives you some ways of accessing the WordPress customizer.
- If all else fails you may need to contact your web host for further help.
If you’re still having trouble switching to a new theme, contact your hosting provider or the theme’s developer for help. They should be able to help you troubleshoot the problem and fix it.
FAQ
Can I Change WordPress Themes Without Losing Content?
Yes, absolutely. Use caution by backing up your site and if possible using a staging site, but most of the time you change the theme without losing content.
Can I Change My WordPress Theme Without Losing Customization?
One of the great things about WordPress is how customizable it is you can change your theme and still keep all your customizations in place.
Summary
In this article, we went over how to change your WordPress theme, and how to find the right one for you. We also included a quick guide on how to customize your new WordPress theme, and how to troubleshoot if anything goes wrong.
With these tips in hand, you can quickly switch up your site’s look without any coding skills or expensive designer services required! Freshen up your WordPress theme today!