WordPress is incredible, it is easy, and it is highly customizable. But do you know what makes it so customizable? Well, Themes and Plugins. Today, we will talk all about themes, including how to find a new theme, how to install a new theme, and more importantly, how to update the WordPress theme? There are more than one spots where you can find a new shiny theme for your WordPress website and also more than one method you can use to install and update your theme.
How to Find a New Theme for WordPress Website?
Alright, let’s get down to business. You have decided that you need WordPress for your new website (blog, eCommerce store, or a forum). Now is the time to make your site look pretty, professional, and organized. Themes are the best place to start. WordPress comes pre-installed with default themes; usually, they correspond with the year, like 2019, 2020, and 2021. These themes are fully compatible with the most recent WordPress (WP) Content Management System (CMS) version. In addition to these, there are thousands of free and paid themes. You will find many themes that suit your needs, and if a feature or a color scheme is missing, you can easily customize WP themes.
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The WordPress Theme Marketplace:
The easiest, most reliable place for finding authentic and original themes is right in your WP dashboard. Head to Appearance and then Theme on the management ribbon when you are logged in to the backend of your WordPress website.
On the next screen, you will see all the existing (default) themes. Just beside the page heading (Themes), there is a button “Add New.” After you click Add New, you will be shown all the themes you can install on your site.
The first tab is for Popular themes, the next one is for the Latest Additions, and the last one is Favorites which contain any themes you like previously. Choosing a suitable theme can be difficult. This can be made easy by clicking on “Feature Filter.” It is an advanced filter where you can define what you are looking for in a theme. Once you have decided on the “Subject,” “Features,” and “Layout,” click on Apply Filter, and you will only see themes that fulfill the criteria.
Paid Theme Marketplaces (like Theme Forest):
The default WP marketplace isn’t the only place you can find new and attractive themes. Marketplaces like Theme Forest are an excellent alternative where you can find amazing paid themes that comes equipped with tons of features and customizations. You can purchase a theme (and plugins) from these marketplaces.
How to Install a New WordPress Theme?
Installing a theme on WordPress is inherently hassle-free. Whether you use the default theme marketplace or a private theme, you can do it in just a few steps.
Installing a theme from the built-in marketplace:
If you wish to install a free theme from the built-in marketplace, just head to Appearance, Themes, and then click Add New. Find a theme that you love and click on Install. As soon as you click Install, the text will change from “Install” to “Installing.” As soon as the theme is installed (background process), the same “Installing” button will now show “Activate.” If you wish to use the new theme right away, just click Activate.
Installing a Purchased theme from somewhere else:
Whether you purchased a theme from any marketplace or a custom-built one, you can install it using the following method. As mentioned above, head to Appearance, Themes, click on Add New. Here instead of choosing a theme from those displayed, click on “Upload Theme.”
A dropdown will appear; here, you can either drop the “Zip” file or click on “Browse” and select from the location where it is stored on your computer. Once located, click “Upload” and wait for the file to be uploaded. As soon as the file is uploaded, it will be extracted, and you will be given an option to “Activate” the newly uploaded theme.
How to Update WordPress Theme?
WordPress offers the easiest updates for core, themes, and plugins. If there is an update available for any of the three aforementioned items, you will see the number of updates available when you head to “Dashboard” and “Updates.” Once you click the Updates, you will be able to see which updates are available.
Another way to know if an update is available is to click on “Appearance” and then choose “Themes” on the left management bar.
Updating themes installed from default marketplace:
If an update is available for your theme, you will be notified at both the “Dashboard -> Updates” and “Appearance -> Themes.” Each item you wish to update can be updated by selecting it and clicking on Update. Yes, it is that easy.
Updating theme purchased elsewhere or manually installed:
If the theme you bought elsewhere and manually installed does not support “Push” updates, you can update them manually. The theme provider will usually send you an email about the update being released. You can download the updated theme in a Zip file.
Just like you installed the theme, you will execute the same methods and upload that file. WordPress will let you know there is an existing file with the same name, show you its version and other information if any. All you need to do is allow it to replace the existing one with the newer file, and you are done.
This is how you can choose, install, and update WordPress themes.