There are two ways to install a WordPress theme – the first is to use the inbuilt Theme installer (this is only available in newer versions of WordPress) and the second is to download a theme and install it using an FTP program. In most cases the inbuilt theme installer should be enough, and in this post, I will provide you with instructions on how to install a theme using it.
The themes are available through the Appearance sub menu.
Click on the small arrow to the right of the word Appearance, this will expand the menu to reveal more options.
Now click on the Add New Themes option. This will open the Install Themes page (click the image for the full size version).
On the Install Themes page there are a range of options for you to choose from to help you find the best WordPress theme for you to install.
You can perform a search even if you do not add any information to the search page – just hit the search button. I believe the results to be the most popular themes at the time, but I stand to be corrected on that?
If you know the type of theme you are looking for you can tick the various boxes on the screen to narrow down the results. You can search by colour, layout, subject matter or additional features. You can also search by theme author name or by entering a specific tag. These options are available from the drop down menu.
Once you have found the WordPress theme you would like to use, click on the Install linkand then Install Now in the newly opened window. The theme will now install itself.
Once the installation has completed you should see a message similar to this:
At this stage you can preview or activate the new theme, or you can go back to the Theme Installer and choose another.
There is no upper limit on the amount of WordPress themes you can have in your theme library, but you can only have one theme active at any time.
To manage your themes you should choose the Themes option in the Appearance sub menu. This will display thumbnails of your installed themes:
Themes can be activated or deactivated at any time using the appropriate links.
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