How to install, change or delete a WordPress theme

A theme controls how your WordPress website looks. You can switch themes at any time; your posts and pages stay the same.

Install a free theme from WordPress.org

1. Log in to your WordPress dashboard at https://yourdomain.com/wp-admin. See how to log in to WordPress.
2. Go to Appearance › Themes.
3. Click Add New Theme.
4. Search or browse for a theme. Click Preview to see how it looks.
5. Click Install, then Activate.

Upload a theme you bought

1. Download the theme’s .zip file from the company you bought it from. Don’t unzip it.
2. Go to Appearance › Themes › Add New Theme and click Upload Theme.
3. Click Choose File, pick the .zip file and click Install Now.
4. Click Activate.

Delete a theme you don’t use

1. Go to Appearance › Themes.
2. Click the theme you want to remove (it can’t be your active theme).
3. Click Delete in the bottom-right corner and confirm.

Keep one default WordPress theme (such as Twenty Twenty-Five) installed as a backup, and delete other themes you don’t use. Unused themes still need updates.

Take a backup before making big changes, so you can go back if something goes wrong.