Tutorial on How to Install a WordPress Theme
PLEASE READ.
If your WordPress Blog is hosted on WordPress.com then…
The following tutorial is for “self hosted” wordpress blogs. If you have a blog that is hosted on WordPress.com (www.yoursite.wordpress.com) check out this brief tutorial on WordPress.com on how to change your wordpress theme.
If you have Self Hosted WordPress Blog then…
This is for you! If using WordPress to power their self hosted website, here is a quick tutorial on how to Install & Activate your WordPress Theme. If you get lost, feel free to comment and I’ll be glad to answer any questions.
Step 1. Downloading your WordPress Theme
Once you have found the WordPress Theme(s) you must download the zip file to your desktop or designated folder. If you’re using a PC you will need to extract the file.
It should look something like this… A single folder with the title of the theme.
If you click into the file you will find all the necessary files that you will need to upload to your site. Here is an example.
Everyone of your themes that you upload should contain a majority of the files shown above.
Step 2. Uploading your WordPress Theme
Now that have your WordPress Theme extracted or unzipped you are ready to upload your theme. You will upload your WordPress theme to your site via FTP. If you don’t have a FTP client here is a completely free one I suggest.
This FTP clients is 100% free! Mac Users & Windows Users – Filezilla
Go ahead and login to your site via FTP. (Open FTP client, enter Hostname, Username & Password.) Find your theme directory.
This is how you get to your WordPress “themes” directory.
public_html/yoursite/wp-content/themes
Now that you have found your theme directory, go back to your theme folder located on your desktop or designated folder. Using a Mac or Windows you can easily drag and drop the file directly into the themes folder.
Wait for the file to upload completely and also make sure the file is in the themes folder.
Step 3. Activating your WordPress Theme
Nice, so you have successfully added your WordPress Theme via FTP. Now all you have to do is activate it.
Login to your WordPress admin area like you would normally. (http://www.yoursite.com/wp-admin)
Click on the design tab – shown here.
You should now see your already existing themes and of course the new WordPress theme you just recently upload.
Now that you have located the WordPress Theme, simply click the theme to activate it.
And that’s it! Congratulations you’re all set. You should now see your new theme activated!
Once you get that down you can browse for other themes and upload them the exact same way.
Hope this helps. Please comment if you need any other instruction, hope this helps!
More to come…
10 Comments so far - Add Another
Susan August 4, 2008 at 6:47 PM
Darn, I wish I found this post before. I just had someone asking how to install a theme, and I gave them a quick explanation..but I think you’ve done a better job.
JR Farr August 4, 2008 at 8:28 PM
Susan,
Thanks for the response. I appreciate you taking to the time to comment. Hopefully your friend got their site up and running
Thanks Again.
Best,
JR Farr
Siobhan June 10, 2009 at 5:29 AM
Hi there, I’m sorry if I seem like a complete idiot… but I’m totally new to this. TOTALLY! I’m a graphic designer but have no web training or experience. I’m trying to work up a WordPress site for a client who has no budget to use a web designer. I had chosen one of the standard themes and put a basic site together to show him what’s possible, and he has agreed to go ahead with me taking care of this. However we have now chosen a different theme and I just don’t understand this bit of your instructions:
“Go ahead and login to your site via FTP. (Open FTP client, enter Hostname, Username & Password.) Find your theme directory.
This is how you get to your WordPress “themes” directory.
public_html/yoursite/wp-content/themes
Now that you have found your theme directory, go back to your theme folder located on your desktop or designated folder. Using a Mac or Windows you can easily drag and drop the file directly into the themes folder.”
I have downloaded Cyberduck ftp, but I don’t know what I’m supposed to be logging into…
I know these sounds so silly and basic, but really, I just haven’t got a clue!
I would appreciate any help.
Siobhan
JR Farr June 10, 2009 at 8:43 AM
Siobhan,
This is not a dumb question at all. In fact, when you’re first getting started with web development it can be extremely overwhelming.
“I have downloaded Cyberduck ftp, but I don’t know what I’m supposed to be logging into…”
Essentially, you’re going to be logging into your server where the website is being hosted. (Or clients server.) There are all types of hosting providers such as:
Go Daddy
Bluehost
Host Monster
Media Temple
When you setup hosting through a hosting provider you’ll be giving a specific Username and Password that we’ll enable you to access your server via FTP.
Hopefully that helps answer your question.
Best,
JR Farr
Ryan March 4, 2010 at 1:08 PM
Hi, I’m new to WordPress and I’m having a difficult time uploading a WOO theme to my blog.
I signed up for the WordPress CSS editing package ($15 a year)- is this what I need to upload a theme?
I have host where I can store all the files, and I actually did that part, but I don’t have Design tab that you talked about so I’m not sure how to actually get the WOO theme to become my theme. Any help you can offer would be great!
Ryan March 4, 2010 at 1:31 PM
Oh, I think I figured out that I need to be self-hosting my blog and not using WordPress to host. That will probably solve the issue.
110.138.207.185:3128 March 17, 2010 at 3:35 PM
I found your website the other day and after reading a few posts, thought I might say thanks for all the great content. Keep it coming! I will try to stop by here more frequently.
xHydr0x March 19, 2010 at 5:54 AM
Thanks a lot, this prolly would have took me forever to figure out.
Arch June 2, 2010 at 10:16 AM
Hi,
wondering if you could help me out.
i am using cpanelx as my ftp and have uploaded the theme to the home directory under wp-admin/themes/
i am not sure with the next step, how does word press connect to here, as when i run the wordpress script nothing happens to my blog.
probably doing something stupid but any extra help would be great.
thanks
JR Farr June 2, 2010 at 11:18 AM
If you’ve already added installed your theme, all that’s left to do is to long into your WP dashboard, click on “Appearance>Themes” and then activate your newly uploaded theme.