How to Customize WordPress Theme
If you’re new to WordPress, you may have noticed that there are a lot of different themes available to use on your website. While many themes come with pre-designed templates and layouts, you may find that you want to customize your theme to make it truly unique. In this beginner’s guide, we’ll go over some tips for customizing your WordPress theme and making it your own.
Choose a customizable theme
Before you start customizing your theme, make sure that it’s one that can be customized. Some themes are designed to be used as-is, with little room for modification. Look for a theme that offers customization options in the WordPress customizer or has a built-in page builder, like Elementor or Beaver Builder.
Create a child theme
Before making any changes to your theme, it’s important to create a child theme. A child theme is a separate theme that inherits the functionality of the parent theme but allows you to make changes without affecting the original theme.
This is important because if you make changes directly to the parent theme, they will be overwritten when the theme is updated.
To create a child theme, follow these steps:
Create a new folder in your themes directory and name it something like “mytheme-child”
Create a new file in the folder and name it “style.css”
In the style.css file, add the following code:
/*
Theme Name: My Theme Child
Template: mytheme
*/
Replace “My Theme Child” with the name of your child theme and “mytheme” with the name of the parent theme.
Save the file and activate the child theme in the WordPress dashboard.
Customize your theme using the customizer
Most WordPress themes come with a built-in customizer that allows you to make changes to your site’s appearance in real-time. To access the customizer, go to Appearance > Customize in the WordPress dashboard. From there, you can change your site’s colors, fonts, background, and more.
Keep in mind that not all themes offer the same customization options. Some may have limited options, while others may offer more advanced settings. If you can’t find what you’re looking for in the customizer, you may need to use a plugin or custom code to make the changes you want.
Use a page builder
If you want even more control over your site’s design, consider using a page builder plugin. Page builders allow you to create custom layouts and designs for your pages and posts without needing to know any code. Some popular page builder plugins include Elementor, Beaver Builder, and Divi.
Learn some CSS
If you want to make more advanced changes to your site’s design, you’ll need to know some CSS. CSS stands for Cascading Style Sheets, and it’s the language used to style web pages.
You don’t need to be an expert in CSS to customize your theme, but having a basic understanding will help you make more advanced changes.
You can add custom CSS to your site by going to Appearance > Customize > Additional CSS in the WordPress dashboard. From there, you can add your own CSS code to make changes to your site’s appearance.
WordPress Theme FAQ:
What is a WordPress theme?
A WordPress theme is a collection of files that determine the design and layout of your website.
Can I customize my WordPress theme without knowing any code?Yes, you can use a page builder plugin like Elementor or Beaver Builder to create custom layouts and designs without needing to know any code.
What is a child theme?
A child theme is a separate theme that inherits the functionality of the parent theme but allows you to