Looking to install a WordPress theme?
There are thousands of WordPress themes (Paid & Free) that you can install on WordPress website. There are WordPress themes designed for specific industries and niches.
Select a few WordPress themes, and install them to check which one looks best.
Installing a theme is as simple as installing a WordPress plugin. In this tutorial, I will show you how to install a WordPress theme.
How to Install a WordPress Theme
There are multiple methods to install a theme for WordPress. In this tutorial, I will talk about the two most beginner-friendly methods.
Install a Theme using WordPress Theme Search
Installing a WordPress theme using the theme search method is the easiest way. Although to use this method, the theme has to be present in the WordPress theme directory.
You need to visit the Theme page to install the theme from the WordPress theme directory.
Find the Appearance >> Theme in the sidebar of the WordPress admin dashboard.
The next screen will display all the themes that are already installed on WordPress. If it is a freshly installed WordPress, you will only find the default themes.
Click on the Add New button on the top.
At next page, you get the option to sort the themes (available in WordPress directory) by Featured, Popularity, Latest, and Favourites.
Enter the theme name, or any feature to search for the themes.
I use the word ‘Writer” to search the directory and it returned all the themes listed for the word ‘writer’.
Preview the themes, and pick the one that seems best for you. Try and take test of the few themes. In this tutorial, I am going to install the first one.
Click on the Install Now button. WordPress will download the file from the directory and install it to your WordPress.
After the successful installation, you have to activate the theme.
After activation, the theme may ask you to install additional plugins and settings. Then you have to configure and customize the theme. Each theme has its own configuration, and I am not covering that in this tutorial.
Though, all the theme provider provide the documentation and tutorial that you can follow to properly customizing the theme.
Also read: How to Uninstall and Delete a WordPress Theme?
Install a Theme using the WordPress Theme Plugin Upload
As I already mentioned, the search method only works for the WordPress themes present in the WordPress theme directory.
But this is not always the case. Many theme providers sell their theme independently, or via third-party sellers.
You can install such WordPress themes with the upload option.
I will show you how to install a WordPress theme using the upload function available on the WP dashboard.
First of all, download the theme from the source. Similar to plugins, WordPress theme comes in ZIP format.
Login to your WordPress dashboard, and open the Appearance >> Themes.
Click on the ‘Add New’ button on the top. Clicking the ‘Upload Theme’ will reveal the uploading option.
Click on ‘Choose File’ and upload the ZIP file of Themes that you downloaded to your computer.
After selecting the file, click on ‘Install Now’ button. Now, WordPress will upload the theme file, and install it to WordPress.
You will see a notification displaying ‘Theme Installed Successfully’.
After installation, you will see the Activate link. Click on it to start customizing the theme.
Next step is to configure the setting of the theme, that vary from theme to theme. I am not covering that in the tutorial.
Take Away
There are two beginner-friendly methods of installing a WordPress theme.
- WordPress Theme Search: Visiting the Theme directory, and searching the theme you need to install. Then install it from the button beside the listing.
- Uploading Theme: Downloading the WordPress theme ZIP file from the third-party. Uploading it with uploading function of WordPress.
I hope this tutorial helped you learn how to install a WordPress theme. If there are any questions or queries, leave it in the comment box.
