What Version Of My Themeforest Template Am I Using

ten Mutual WordPress Theme Issues & How To Fix Them

Last updated on: March 18, 2019

There are thousands of forum posts opened everyday not merely on WordPress.org just too on other forums and of course most every theme developer's support site regarding very common bug that tin be solved very quickly and hands. I'thousand sure theme developers and customs members are pretty bored of answering these questions over and over again, and so I've decided to write the following mail which addresses some of the well-nigh common WordPress theme issues and so you tin can bookmark it and have it prepare at your disposal.

1. Stylesheet Is Missing

Yous've just downloaded or purchased a super crawly theme and you lot go to install information technology and see the lovely message below:

Stylesheet Is Missing

Well your kickoff thought might be…

"the developer screwed me and gave me a theme without a stylesheet"

Of grade information technology is possible the null file you received didn't have a way.css file, but more likely the issue is you didn't upload the root theme folder.

Missing Stylesheet Error Solution

Locate the folder you have of the theme on your desktop and open information technology (if it is zipped, unzip and open it). At present when yous open up it you should come across all your files in at that place, if non the theme is likely in a sub-directory. For example our premium themes all accept the theme within an "Installable Theme" folder. Generally it'south somewhere obvious and the actual theme folder will likely be named the same equally the theme. One time found cypher information technology and upload via WordPress or upload the unzipped binder via FTP.

two. Sample Data Import Errors

You've got your theme installed and now you are uploading a sample .xml file the theme programmer was and then nice to provide you with and even so again y'all go an error!

Sample Data Import Errors

Failed to Import Mistake Solution 1

The "failed" to import fault is usually 1 of 2 things. The first is that it could exist trying to load posts or taxonomies from custom mail types that do not exist all the same.

Actuate Theme: Make sure the theme yous are going to use is active.
Double Bank check Theme: Make sure the theme actually includes these custom post types and taxonomies – maybe enquire the developer or if you know how await yourself

Failed to Import Error Solution ii

For errors that show "Failed to import Media" the images aren't being downloaded.

Did yous check the box to import attachments? Before running the import did you lot you need to cheque the box that reads "download and import file attachments".
Are the images accessible? It'southward possible the mages aren't attainable from the server. You could open the sample information in a text editor and try and locate ane of those files and examination the link in your browser. Only the easiest is probably to contact the theme developer and let them know that the images aren't downloading.

three. Homepage Doesn't Look Like The Demo

It would be bully if any theme you activated looked exactly like the demo one time it was activated? Our Total WordPress theme does this when you utilise the born demo importer, but not every theme can be equally awesome equally Full.

So if you've installed a theme (and it's sample data) just your site isn't matching up to the theme demo at that place are a couple very common reasons why your homepage might expect different.

Homepage Display Mistake Solution 1

Homepage Reading Setting

Reading settings are wrong. This means your theme either does or doesn't crave a home page to exist fix, and yous have your site set to the opposite. So get to Settings > Reading and check the options nether "Forepart Page Displays."

If your theme doesn't require any page template for the homepage layout brand sure this option is set to"Your latest posts." If your theme does utilise a homepage template, accept your site set to use a static homepage.

Homepage Display Mistake Solution 2

Homepage Template

You need to use a homepage template.A lot of theme developers utilize custom page templates for their homepage layouts. So you should first of course read the documentation files, but if there aren't any head over and create a new page, while in the editor under Page Attributes > Template check to see if there is a Home, Homepage, Frontpage or similar template. If so, then you lot probable need to create a page using this template, save/publish it, then head over to Settings > Reading to fix it as your static front page option.

iv. My URL'southward Are "Ugly"

Past default the default WordPress url structure isn't very "pretty" much less SEO-Friendly. So when yous kickoff setup your website URLS might look ugly (a mish-mash of the post ID, publish date, mail service title and fifty-fifty the category). Don't worry – it's easy to fix.

Ugly URLs Fault Solution

Permalink Settings

So if your urls aren't looking that cracking (yourwebsite.com/?p=1) merely go to Settings > Permalinks and change your setting to the "Post Name" choice (or any of the others – but choose the one that best works for y'all).

5. My Posts Are Returning 404 Errors

Github 404 Error

If you lot take posts that are now returning a 404 error page, don't panic (still) most of the fourth dimension your posts are still at that place and you just need to update your permalink settings to fix the issue. This is very common with themes that use custom mail service types. Whenever you activate a new theme that uses custom mail service types you should reset your permalink settings.

Posts Showing 404 Fault Solution

The simplest gear up is to just get to Settings > Permalinks and click the save push button. Unremarkably this will do the play a joke on. Only if this doesn't work you might take to update your .htaccess file manually (note: we do not recommend tackling this on your own if you're brand new to WordPress, instead y'all might demand to contact a freelance developer for help). You can read more about using WordPress permalinks in the WordPress codex.

6. My Menu Is Blank

For those who use WordPress on a daily basis you will probable not accept this consequence, merely if you lot are very new to WordPress or you used WordPress a few years ago and just getting dorsum it you might be confused every bit to why your menu is bare when you lot install the theme.

Missing Menu Error Solution

The default WordPress theme has a fallback for the WordPress menu in case at that place isn't whatsoever setup, however, non all theme developers have added this to their own themes.

To make sure your menus are working, head over toAppearance > Carte du jour to setup your carte.

Brand sure you accept a menu. If y'all don't, you'll demand to create one (checkout this post to larn how to setup menus in WordPress)
Brand sure the menu is assigned to a location. Below your bill of fare you should see "Display Locations" – these are the carte areas built into your theme. Some themes may only have one main carte du jour location, others might have tons of locations. Just be sure to check the choice for where you want your menu to appear so save.

7. New Theme Uses Featured Images Only I Take a Ton Of Posts Without Them

Prior to WordPress ii.9 there wasn't featured image (post thumbnails) support in WordPress so many themes used meta options or custom fields for defining featured images or they didn't have any sort of default mail image.

And then perhaps you lot are switching from an older theme to a new one that does support featured images or perhaps your prior theme was only very minimal and didn't use them. We'll you aren't going to take hours to get through your hundreds of posts to set the featured image (or maybe y'all are) so in that location is a quick solution for this and it comes in the form of a plugin!

No Featured Images Error Solution

A simple solution is to use the "Easy Add Thumbnail" plugin to automatically set featured images on former posts. Just install, activate and follow the instructions to add images to one-time posts. Going forward, just remember to add together your featured images when you publish new posts.

8. Slides, Accordions, Toggles, Tabs…Not or Stopped Working!

A lot of WordPress themes these days brand use of java-script/jQuery to raise the themes adding things such as paradigm sliders, toggles, accordions, tabs, mobile menus, image hovers…etc.

If the these features are not working on your theme or all of a sudden stopped working its most likely do to some sort of javascript error causing everything to break.

Broken Slides, Toggles, Tabs, etc Error Solution

WP Engine Cache

The first matter y'all should do is disable all your plugins, clear your cache (all of them) and re-load your site to check if everything is working how it should be. If it is, then now you can activate your plugins back i by 1 and every bit soon as it breaks you'll know that last plugin was the i causing issues (make note of this plugin, deactivate and then keep doing the same).

Once you know which plugin/plugins are causing the event you lot can either search for new plugin with the same functionality that is uniform, or you can contact the plugin or theme developer to permit them know of the conflict (get-go audit the folio to come across what the actual issues are and so you tin contact the appropriate person – if its a plugin error send a note the plugin dev, or if its a theme error the theme dev).

9. Styling Changes Aren't Doing Anything

So you take your theme all setup and now you lot want to change the mode information technology looks to give it more than of your own "personality" and actually make it match your brand, concern, niche…etc. So you've started adding some custom CSS to your site or modifying the stylesheet just whenever you refresh your site none of your changes are taking bear upon!

Missing Style Edits Error Solution

WordPress Live Customizer

At that place are a few steps you lot tin accept to ensure your edits are applied:

Disable Enshroud:The well-nigh common issue is that you have some sort of caching plugin such as W3 Total Cache installed and caching your CSS. If yous do, you should disable it.
WordPress Customizer: If using the theme customizer you should endeavor clicking the salve push button and so refreshing the page to meet if your changes take affect.
Background non irresolute: If y'all are simply trying to alter the background using the WordPress background dashboard you might be having issues if the theme yous are using has an image fix for the background. Try uploading a new epitome just to test because that should override it. Uploading a 1px solid color and setting it to echo might be a decent option as well.
WordPress Editor Changes: If you are trying to make changes via the WordPress editor at Appearance > Editor the changes might not actually exist saving due to server permissions, but if this is the case you will receive an fault. Yous can larn more about setting file permissions here.

10. I've Updated My Theme And All My Changes Are Gone!

The almost likely cause of this mistake is that you made manual changes to your template files such as the style.css file (unremarkably). And so when you updated your theme your edited files were overwritten past the default theme code. This is why we NEVER recommend making changes to original theme.

Theme Changes Are Gone Error Solution

Adding Custom Code to WordPress

Unfortunately your edits may be gone forever unless yous have a backup of your website that you tin can apply to restore information technology. Some hosting companies offer 30-days worth of website backups, then try contacting your host if you lot need help locating and/or reverting to a backup. If you take your own transmission fill-in, you should be able to restore your theme files via FTP.

While you might non be able to prepare this issue presently you can have precautions to be sure y'all're not in this situation again. In the time to come, when you desire to make edits to your themes you should exist using ane (or more) of the following:

Custom CSS Plugin. If you lot only demand a few modest tweaks you could utilize a custom CSS plugin to make your tweaks and ensure they aren't deleted during a theme update. Here are a two we like:
- Yellowish Pencil CSS Editor
- CSSHero Visual CSS Editor
Create A Kid Theme. Creating a child theme is probably the best method of customizing your theme and volition allow the greatest flexibility and fifty-fifty let yous to edit template files (also just manner.css), remove or add together new scripts too as add custom functions.
- Checkout this commodity to larn how to create a WordPress child theme.
Maintain Full Website Backups. In case something goes wrong information technology'south always a practiced idea to go along backups of your website. For this we highly recommend you backup your WordPress website (which is different from the server backups your hosting company might offer) using one of the following:
- VaultPress – WordPress Backup and Security
- BackupBuddy WordPress Fill-in Plugin
- Updraft Plus Complimentary WordPress Backup Plugin
Go on A Changelog. Whether you are editing the template files manually (best no to) or using a child theme, creating a changelog is the best way for y'all to keep track of all the tweaks you've made to the theme. It's especially useful if something breaks so you can back-track and see where you might have made a mistake.

Wrapping Upwardly

There yous take information technology – ten common WordPress errors plus solutions then you can fix them. But these are just a few of the errors we meet folks meet about often. For more than tips yous should also have a look at this guide nosotros wrote on how to install your Themeforest WordPress theme (though the guide has tips that would apply to about themes).

If you're having other issues your first footstep should be to exercise a quick Google search to come across if you tin can find an answer yourself. If later on researching on your own yous withal can't find an answer, try contacting the theme or plugin author (if it'south an issue with their production) or visit a forum like Reddit or Envato to see if a customs fellow member can help. Chances are the mistake y'all're getting is more than mutual than you call up!