Install A WordPress Theme

on April 10, 2011 46 Comments

Upload the .zip file of your Organic Theme, and activate the theme.

Installing an Organic Theme is a painless process. Follow the instructions in our tutorial to properly upload and install your WordPress theme.

  1. Navigate to Appearance > Themes within the WordPress admin.
  2. Select the “Install Themes” tab at the top.
  3. Choose the Upload option near the top.
  4. Choose the .zip file of your Organic Theme from your computer and click “Install Now” (Do not upload a .zip file containing multiple themes).
  5. Activate the theme after it has uploaded successfully.

Note: Do not upload a .zip file containing more than 1 theme or you will receive an error. Many of our themes include multiple variations of the same theme. If this is the case with your purchased theme, extract your downloaded .zip file, and upload the .zip files for the theme variations individually.

46 Comments on “Install A WordPress Theme”

    •  by  organic

      Hi Stephen,

      Unfortunately our themes are not compatible with the wordpress.com blogging community. They are created for installations of the full WordPress platform from wordpress.org. In comparison, wordpress.com offers a solution like Blogger in which they have control over the resources, content, themes and plugins. A full installation of the platform allows for full control and ownership of your website giving you greater power and flexibility. This is accomplished by acquiring web hosting, a domain name and having the WordPress platform installed on your server. We offer this service through our WordPress Hosting company http://www.kahunahost.com, should you be interested.

      Reply
      •  by  HenryBlack

        Really, really wish wordpress.com and wordpress.org theme folks wouldn’t play hide the ball when it comes to themes. I too purchased your theme for a wordpress.com blog/website and now I am faced with either throwing $69.00 down the drain or taking on a hosting company to support a blog for a non-profit and learning wordpress.org. Is it too much to ask to note that this is for wordpress.org only?? I clicked on this theme through a wordpress.com site. Truly disappointed.

        Reply
  2.  by  Mark Hanson

    My theme file didn’t download as a Zip file, so is there another way to upload to wordpress?

    Reply
    •  by  David

      What did your theme download as? All our themes are packaged as ZIP files. If it is something else, it may have been an incomplete download, in which case we would recommend downloading the theme again.

      Reply
      •  by  Jyg

        I have the same problem (perhaps because using a Mac).
        How can I download the theme again as suggested?

        Reply
        •  by  David

          We zip all our themes on a Mac. It may have something to do with the browser you are using to download the file. Try using a different browser to download the file.

          Reply
          •  by  borge

            I have the same problem (perhaps because using a Mac).
            How can I download the theme again as suggested? How can i download it again in a different browser? A can’t use my purchase code more than once, can I?
            I received my news theme in .php files, and I can not install it in WP. Please help!

            borge

    •  by  David

      Theme updates are available in our support forums. If you have downloaded the latest version, delete your old version of the theme and install the new version. Save any customizations you have made, and remake them to the latest version of the theme. Thanks!

      Reply
  4.  by  Dave

    I had the same problem with the file not downloading as a ZIP. I switched browsers (from Safari to Firefox) and re-downloaded the file and it worked fine. Hope this helps!

    Reply
  5.  by  jordan

    just downloaded the health and beauty theme.

    Uploaded to wordpress and it is completely blank…

    No menus, no links, nada

    what gives ?

    Reply
  7.  by  Melanie

    Am trying to upload your custom theme Showcase to GoDaddy, where i have my domain names registered. Supposedly WordPress is already installed but where do I go to upload the custom theme? Do you have anything on installing to GoDaddy? Did I just waste $69 and hours trying to use a custom theme that I thought would make this easier?

    Reply
    •  by  David

      If WordPress is installed on your GoDaddy server, the installation process should be the same as listed above as long as you are logged in to WordPress. Our themes will work with any hosting provider if the WordPress platform from wordpress.org is installed on the server. If you are having issues with your WordPress installation, you will need to contact your hosting provider.

      Reply
  8.  by  erica

    Hello,

    I am trying to upload the theme into my wordpress.org site. Do I have to buy ” custom design” under themes to be able to use the bold theme?

    Thanks!

    Reply
  9.  by  Cody

    Organic Shop Theme v1.0.2
    http://www.organicthemes.com

    INSTALL:
    1. Upload the theme by navigating to Appearance > Themes > Install Themes within the WordPress admin. Select the theme zip file to upload.
    2. Within your WordPress dashboard select Appearance > Themes.
    3. Select the Organic Shop theme.
    4. Configure the theme options within Appearance > Theme Options.

    This was my basis for buying this theme. Only to find out that it is far more in depth. I wanted to get a site set up today and after registering my domain and paying for hiosting for a year with WordPress I downloaded your theme.
    I then had to open a new host account and ICANN regulations only allow for me to change the registar every 60 days. So I changed the name servers and not only is my site down I cant access my FTP to upload this “Theme”.
    Frnakly I only sell a few items but based on the above statement I thought it would be worth the money.

    I no longer think so. Are refunds available?

    Reply
    •  by  David

      Hi Cody,

      These instructions are provided assuming you already have a hosting provider, domain name and the WordPress platform installed on your server. That is the prerequisite for any WordPress site, not just our theme.

      Finding a hosting provider and manually installing WordPress can be a long, confusing process for beginners, which is why we created our hosting company http://www.kahunahost.com, in which WordPress is automatically installed for you upon the purchase of a hosting package. This service is not typical of other hosting providers, and we are not responsible for your experience with other hosting services.

      I’m sorry for your poor experience with another hosting provider, but the issue is not theme related. We can recommend canceling your existing hosting service and using http://www.kahunahost.com for a much easier and faster solution. You can contact us directly with any more questions.

      Thanks!

      Reply
  10.  by  Tiffany

    HI I am having trouble configuring the feature article area. It seems that it is not picking up any images I paste there or the full article. Any help with this would be great.

    Thanks
    Tiffany

    Reply
  11.  by  TutorBee

    I just tried installing the TECH Theme that I purchased but it says:

    “The package could not be installed. The theme is missing the style.css stylesheet.
    Theme install failed.”

    Please HELP!

    Reply
    •  by  TutorBee

      Figured it out! Turns out there was a black and white theme. Read that in your instructions after, thank you!

      Reply
  12.  by  Suzan Izzet

    I just tried installing the organic_magazine Theme that I purchased but it says:

    “The package could not be installed. The theme is missing the style.css stylesheet.
    Theme install failed.”

    Please HELP!

    TutorBee – how did you figure it out? What is this black and white these? Where’s the instructions?

    Reply
  13.  by  traci

    I downloaded a theme not realizing it was not compatible with wordpress.com I host with godaddy is there a way to switch to wordpress.org so I can use it

    Reply
  14.  by  Denae

    I purchased the Organic Studio theme. I am trying to install it to my wordpress.org site. I downloaded a zip file, and I’m following the instructions above; however, when I hit browse, select my zip file, and click Install Now, nothing happens. I’ve tried to refresh the site, close it down and reopen the window. No luck. Help please!

    Reply
  15.  by  Sasha

    I have uploaded your Natural Theme and followed your tutorial and it doesn’t not look like the demo site. Why?

    Reply
    •  by  Jeremy

      Hi Sasha,

      Make sure your reading settings (Settings –> Reading) are set to ‘show your latest posts’. From there it’s simply a matter of creating content, and configuring the theme via Appearance –> Theme Options. If you aren’t sure about how to do this you could download the demo content from the Natural Theme forum, to get a sense of how everything works.

      Thanks!

      Reply
      •  by  Sasha

        Thank you Jeremy,

        however i can’t register for the forum, it’s telling me my transaction id for the purchase is not corre

        Reply
    •  by  Phylls

      Also, Why doesn’t Organic Themes give instructions on how to make it like the demo site. Countless hours trying to figure it out. I am not happy with this your theme. Don’t buy Natural Theme you will regret it.

      Reply
      •  by  David

        Actually, we do provide the demo content and instructions for installing the content within our support forums. We are happy to help if you ask, rather than making the false assumption the instructions and support don’t exist.

        Reply
  16.  by  Sasha

    I have tried the transaction id from my pay pal receipt and from the email where i downloaded the theme neither one work for registering for the forum. I also feel i am not getting what i paid for, i have downloaded themes before for word press and when i upload them they look exactly like the demo. I am a little aggravated that i paid 70 bucks for a blank theme. please help

    Reply
    •  by  Jeremy

      Hi Sasha,

      My apologies for any confusion :)

      You’ll need to install and save your theme options at least once, and the theme will ‘fill out’ as it shows in the demo. It’s appearing like it is simply because no content has been configured to show.

      I received your e-mail regarding your trouble signing up for the support forum — we’ll continue that there :)

      Cheers!

      Reply
  17.  by  Sasha

    Hi Jeremy,

    I have tried your suggestions and nothing changes. I have also uninstalled WP completely from my host and re installed everything including the theme and followed your instructions to the T and it still does not look like the demo site for “Natural Theme”. Not sure what the issues is but once again I am not getting what I paid for. I have used template monster, uploaded the theme and it looks exactly like the demo template I purchased. This is why people by themes because they do not know how to build. I need the theme to look like the demo that i purchased, it’s also quite aggravating that you have no live support to assist with problems.

    Do you think there is something wrong with my download?
    Also would it be possible to speak with some one to help and walk me through?

    Kind Regards,

    Reply
    •  by  Jeremy

      Hi Sasha,

      Looking at your site now, it’s displaying properly. The only thing you need to add is content, to fill out the theme. if you want to e-mail ‘support@organicthemes.com’, I can help you get the theme setup (we can arrange a Skype meeting, or something of the sort).

      Thanks,

      Jeremy

      Reply
      •  by  Sasha

        Thank you I will do that, I have figured out how to add a few items like the calendar to the side bar just by clicking around but like i said i expected to upload the theme and everything that was in the demo populate my site then I could change it from there.

        But again thank you for the option to arrange a skype meeting with me, I appreciate that.

        Reply
        •  by  Jeremy

          Hi Sasha,

          Ah yes — you would need to upload and setup the demo content for it to look exactly like the theme.

          Cheers!

          Reply
  18.  by  Dave D.

    I’m trying to register and it keeps telling me that i have an invalid transaction ID. also, i cant find the the contacts widget from gravity…

    Reply
    •  by  Jeremy

      Hi Dave,

      If you e-mail ‘support@organicthemes.com’, we’ll get your access permissions sorted. As to the Gravity Forms widget, you’ll need to purchase the Gravity Forms plugin before you can use it.

      Thanks!

      Reply
  19.  by  Thu Helie

    I think other website owners should take this site as an example , very clean and superb user genial design .

    Reply
  22.  by  Oriol Teixido

    I have Portfolio theme version 4.1.1 installed. And I downloaded the new version 4.1.2. How can I update the new version if I had modified the style.css file code.
    Thanks!

    Reply
    •  by  Jeremy

      Hi Oriol,

      Ideally you would move your customizations into a child theme, then archive your existing theme (re-naming the theme folder through FTP) while uploading the new theme (also through FTP). If you haven’t performed customizations through a child theme, you will either need to create one before you upgrade, or re-do the customizations on the new theme (child theme highly recommended).

      Thanks,

      Jeremy

      Reply

Leave A WordPress Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

You may use these HTML tags and attributes: <a href="" title=""> <abbr title=""> <acronym title=""> <b> <blockquote cite=""> <cite> <code> <del datetime=""> <em> <i> <q cite=""> <strike> <strong>

Shopping Cart

Customer Testimonials

You do such a nice job! I feel like a baseball card collector, I want to make sure I have them all!
Jake Gonzalez
Thank you Organic Themes for creating the lovely theme websites. Our website will now attract more people who want to learn Wushu as a martial arts at Harvard. This wouldn't have happened without all your help!
Justine Agaloos http://www.hcs.harvard.edu/~hwushu/

Organic Newsletter

@dmautz It’s a base theme. A starting point for future themes :)