Quick WordPress Theme Editor Tutorial | WP Learning Lab

The Wordpress theme editor is great for making small and quick changes to the template files on your WordPress site. I recommend you know some basic PHP before playing in the WordPress theme editor because there is no undo functionality.

Getting to the theme editor is really easy. Log into your WordPress dashboard.

Then click on Appearance and then Editor.

That will take you to the editor with the stylesheet open for editing.

If you want to edit a different file, simply find it in the list of files on the right and click it to open it.

Once you've made the changes you want click on the blue Update File button below the editor to save.

Make sure you know some basic PHP before attempting to make changes in the theme editor because there is a lot that can go wrong and there's no "undo" button.

Using the theme editor you can edit any file in the theme and you can use the drop down menu in the top right corner to select inactive themes, or child themes to make edits in those.

If you want a safer way to make edits like this use the File Manager or an FTP client to make changes. Both of those will allow you to undo changes in case something breaks.

I hope this information helps you! If you have any questions leave a comment below or ping me @WPLearningLab on Twitter.

--------------

If you want more excellent WordPress information check out our website where we post WordPress tutorials daily.

Connect with us:

[eTraxx]

One "trick" as a safety blanket is to take a line you are going to edit .. example

padding-right: 15px; // say this is the original and you want to experiment with changing the padding ...

highlight the line and copy (Cntl + C in Windows, Command + C on Mac) then paste above or below the original. Now comment out the original so you have a copy and modify the copy (same as copy but use "V" to paste)

// padding-right: 15px;
padding-right: 10px;

this way you don't lose the original code and you can simply go back, delete the new code and un-comment the old and save

[PaulTurnerChannel]

Very helpful overview. Very well explained. Thank you!

[mikeb]

Is there a way to add a file into the theme inside the theme editor? For example, I want to add a new template, using existing code from a template I already have, but make some minor changes.

[OmarKhaled-dwoi]

Thank You Very Much man !, much appreciated

[KatrineBrandborg]

What can I do, if editor isn't available in Appearance? Can I somehow add it? My theme is "Ultra", a free theme in WP

[mzub-]

Hi how can I use WordPress editor on multisite mot showing

[norbertvillas]

the video is kinda blurry even if it is 720p :(

[jerrr]

Great video. Could I ask you to do a video on how to create a request for work for a service company with the day time & hour and special needs. That would be great if you would.

[littletinylion]

CTRL+Z is how you undo, you might have to do it a few times...