Edit a template

You can edit any template on your site to customize how your pages and posts are laid out. Changes you make to a template affect every page or post that uses it. In this guide, you will learn how to open a template, make changes, save your work, and restore a previous version.

This guide requires a theme that supports the Site Editor. Check for Appearance → Editor in your site’s dashboard. If you see Customize instead, you’re using a classic theme. Consider switching to a block theme.

Your theme includes a set of templates that you can edit. To open a template, follow these steps:

1. Visit your site’s dashboard.
2. Navigate to Appearance → Editor.
3. In the left sidebar, click the Templates option.
4. Click a template thumbnail to open it in the editor.
   • You can also click the ellipsis (three dots) at the top right of a template and select Edit.

You can also open a template while editing a page or post:

1. While editing a page or post, open the settings sidebar.
2. Click the template name to open the template options.
3. Click “Edit template” from the menu that appears.

4. Make your changes. They will apply to every page or post that uses this template.
5. To return to the page or post editor, click ‹ Back next to the template name at the top of the editor.

When you open a template, you will see the template name at the top of the screen and the template type in the Settings sidebar on the right:

To view the structure of your template, click the List View icon at the top left of the screen (it looks like three horizontal lines). List View shows all the blocks in the template and lets you click any block to move, remove, or change it:

Click on any block to adjust its content or settings. Some things you can do include:

• Edit the header elements, such as the title, tagline, and logo. Visit Customize Your Header to learn more.
• Add or edit your menu using the Navigation block.
• Add a sidebar using columns.
• Control the appearance of your posts.
• Hide page or post titles.
• Edit the appearance of your footer.

Your template likely includes a Content block. This block is a placeholder that shows the specific content you have added to each page or post. If your page is not displaying the expected content, make sure to add the Content block to your template.

If you want to undo changes you made to a template, you can restore it to a previous version.

To restore a template revision:

1. Visit your site’s dashboard.
2. Navigate to Appearance → Editor.
3. In the left sidebar, click the Templates option.
4. Click the three dots (⋮) at the top right of a template you want to restore a revision for.
5. Select the “View revisions” option from the drop-down:

6. On the Compare Revisions page, use the slider to browse through previous versions of the template.
7. When you find the version you want, click “Restore This Revision“.
8. Click Save to apply the restored version. The template now uses the revision you selected.

• Create a template: If you need a new template with a different layout, create one from the Site Editor, the page editor, or by duplicating an existing template.
• Apply a template to a page: If you want to use a different template for a specific page or post, change which template it uses.
• Reset a template: If you want to undo all your changes at once rather than restoring a specific revision, reset the template to its original design.
• Delete a template: If you created a custom template you no longer need, delete it.
• Edit specific templates: For step-by-step guidance on customizing commonly used templates:
  • Edit the Index and All Archives Templates
  • Edit the Pages template
  • Edit the default homepage