Installing and Activating WordPress Themes
A WordPress theme controls the visual appearance and layout of your website. Thousands of free and premium themes are available, and installing them is straightforward.
Installing from the WordPress Theme Directory
- Log in to your WordPress admin panel at
yourdomain.co.uk/wp-admin. - Navigate to Appearance > Themes.
- Click the Add New Theme button at the top.
- Browse or search for a theme using the search bar or filter by features, popularity, or latest.
- Hover over a theme and click Preview to see how it looks, or click Install to download it.
- Once installed, click Activate to apply the theme to your site.
Uploading a Premium Theme
If you purchased a theme from a marketplace like ThemeForest, you will receive a .zip file. To install it:
- Go to Appearance > Themes > Add New Theme.
- Click the Upload Theme button at the top of the page.
- Click Choose File, select the theme
.zipfile from your computer, and click Install Now. - Once uploaded and installed, click Activate.
Recommended Themes
- Astra: Lightweight, fast, and highly customisable. Great for any type of website.
- GeneratePress: Performance-focused with clean code and flexible options.
- Kadence: Modern design with an excellent free version and built-in header/footer builder.
- OceanWP: Feature-rich with WooCommerce compatibility built in.
Best Practices
- Delete unused themes — keep only the active theme and one default theme as a fallback. Unused themes can be security risks if not updated.
- Always use themes from reputable sources. Avoid downloading "nulled" or pirated themes as they often contain malware.
- Use a child theme if you plan to make custom code changes, so your modifications are not lost during theme updates.