In this guide, we’ll explain how to install, activate and change a WordPress theme.

A WordPress theme controls the appearance and layout of your website, including colours, fonts, page structure and other design elements.

Before Changing Your Theme

Changing a theme can significantly alter how your website looks.

Before making changes, we recommend:

• Making sure you have a recent backup
• Checking whether your current theme contains custom code
• Taking note of any custom widgets or menu settings
• Testing important pages after the change

If your existing theme has been heavily customised, changing themes may require additional work.

Install a Theme From WordPress

The easiest way to install a theme is through the WordPress Dashboard.

1. Log in to WordPress.
2. Go to Appearance > Themes.
3. Click Add New Theme.
4. Browse or search for a theme.
5. Click Install.
6. Wait for WordPress to complete the installation.
7. Click Activate.

The new theme will then become active on your website.

Preview a Theme Before Activating It

WordPress may allow you to preview a theme before making it live.

To do this:

1. Go to Appearance > Themes.
2. Select the theme.
3. Click Live Preview if the option is available.

This allows you to see how the theme may look before activating it.

Upload a Theme Manually

Premium themes and themes downloaded directly from a developer are often provided as a .zip file.

To upload one:

1. Go to Appearance > Themes.
2. Click Add New Theme.
3. Click Upload Theme.
4. Click Choose File.
5. Select the theme .zip file.
6. Click Install Now.
7. Wait for the installation to complete.
8. Click Activate.

Do not extract the theme file before uploading unless the theme developer specifically instructs you to do so.

If the Theme File Is Too Large

If WordPress reports that the upload exceeds the maximum permitted file size, your PHP upload limit may need to be increased.

The main PHP settings involved are:

upload_max_filesize

and:

post_max_size

Cheap Host has a separate knowledgebase guide explaining how to change the maximum PHP upload file size.

Install a Theme Using File Manager

If necessary, a theme can also be installed using your hosting File Manager.

Upload the extracted theme folder to:

wp-content/themes

For example:

wp-content/themes/example-theme

Then:

1. Log in to WordPress.
2. Go to Appearance > Themes.
3. Find the uploaded theme.
4. Click Activate.

Customising Your Theme

Depending on the theme and WordPress version, customisation options may appear under:

Appearance > Editor

or:

Appearance > Customise

You may be able to change settings such as:

• Logo
• Colours
• Fonts
• Header
• Footer
• Menus
• Homepage layout
• Widgets
• Site identity

The exact options available depend on the theme you are using.

Using a Child Theme

If you need to make significant code changes to a theme, it is usually better to use a child theme.

A child theme allows you to customise the website without directly modifying the main theme files.

This is important because updating the main theme can overwrite changes made directly to its files.

Keep Your Theme Updated

Themes should be kept up to date for security, compatibility and stability.

Go to:

Appearance > Themes

WordPress will normally display a notification when a theme update is available.

You can also check:

Dashboard > Updates

Remove Themes You No Longer Use

Unused themes should normally be removed if you no longer require them.

To delete a theme:

1. Go to Appearance > Themes.
2. Select the theme you want to remove.
3. Open the theme details.
4. Click Delete.

You cannot normally delete the currently active theme.

It can be useful to keep one current default WordPress theme installed for troubleshooting purposes.

Check Your Website After Changing Theme

After activating a new theme, check the main areas of your website.

Pay particular attention to:

• Homepage layout
• Navigation menus
• Page formatting
• Images
• Contact forms
• Sidebars
• Footer content
• Mobile layout

Some themes use different menu locations or widget areas, so you may need to reassign them.

If Your Website Looks Broken

If your website does not display correctly after changing theme:

1. Return to Appearance > Themes.
2. Reactivate your previous theme.
3. Check whether the website returns to normal.

If you cannot access the WordPress Dashboard, the theme may need to be disabled through File Manager.

WordPress themes are stored inside:

wp-content/themes

Renaming the active theme directory may force WordPress to fall back to another installed theme.

Only Use Themes From Trusted Sources

Avoid downloading premium themes from unofficial websites.

Modified or "nulled" themes can contain:

• Malware
• Backdoors
• Spam links
• Hidden administrator accounts
• Other malicious code

Where possible, download themes from the official WordPress directory, the original developer or a reputable marketplace.

Conclusion

WordPress themes make it easy to change the appearance and layout of your website.

You can install themes directly from the WordPress Dashboard or upload a theme supplied by a developer.

Before changing an established website, make sure you have a recent backup and check the website carefully after activating the new theme.

If you experience a problem installing or changing a WordPress theme, please log in to your Cheap Host account and submit a support ticket for assistance.