Simple Steps to Changing Your WordPress Theme

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One of the best ways to keep your website secure is by updating plugins, software and themes. But what happens when your current theme is no longer meeting your needs? With so many WordPress themes available, it can be tempting to switch to a new theme that makes your website look better than ever. But can you change it without losing all of your web content?

Fortunately, you won’t lose all of your content if you switch WordPress themes. But, there are a few things you’ll need to keep in mind to ensure a smooth transition. Depending on the theme you’re switching to, it is possible to lose some of your content. To prevent this from happening, we strongly recommend backing up your posts, images and plugins, copying tracking codes and copying snippets from your current code.

Here are the basic steps involved in changing your WordPress theme. If you’re unsure of how to do this, contact Magna Technology. Even though WordPress makes it fairly easy to change themes, problems can still happen. You’re in great hands with us!

Step 1: Find Your Theme

There are thousands of free and paid WordPress themes. You can find them on the WordPress directory or from third parties. There is nothing wrong with choosing a free theme. The majority are of good quality, though they tend to lack customization options. If you want the freedom to design and change the theme, you’ll likely have to go with a premium option.

Step 2: Test the Theme

Once you’ve selected your theme, you can install it on your WordPress site. But first, you’ll want to test the theme to make sure it works. Doing this will ensure the theme is compatible with your site.

To test the theme without going live, you have two options:

  • Live preview option. By default, WordPress lets you change the theme on your site without actually changing it. Choose Appearance > Themes. Find the theme you want and click Live Preview to see what it will look like on your site.
  • Theme Switcha plugin. Another option is to use the Switcha plugin, which allows you to preview your new theme without activating it. Install and activate the plugin first. Then, click on your theme and preview it.

Step 3: Change Your WordPress Theme

After you’ve tested your theme to make sure it works, you can start the process of switching things over. Go to Appearance > Themes and hover over the theme you want to use. Click on Activate to change the theme.

Sometimes, an error can make your WordPresss admin area inaccessible. If this happens, you won’t be able to use the above method. Instead, you may need to restore your website from backup, troubleshoot the WordPress error or change the theme manually with the help phpMyAdmin.

For the most part, switching WordPress themes is simple and straightforward, but there is still a lot to account for. To ensure you’re choosing a quality theme and installing it correctly, contact Magna Technology for assistance. We’ll make sure your new theme looks great and creates minimal downtime for your website.