Written by Admin on 2025-05-06

How to Download a Blank Theme for WordPress

If you want to create a custom WordPress theme, one of the easiest ways to get started is with a blank or "bare bones" theme. These types of themes provide a basic structure to build upon, and allow you to create a completely unique design without having to start from scratch.

Fortunately, there are plenty of free blank WordPress themes available for download. In this article, we'll show you how to find and download a blank theme for WordPress.

Step 1: Choose a WordPress Blank Theme

First, you'll need to choose a blank theme that suits your needs. Some popular options include:

• Underscores (by Automattic)
• Starkers (by Elliot Jay Stocks)
• _s (by Automattic)

Each of these themes is designed to be a starting point for your own custom theme, and comes with minimal styling and functionality.

Step 2: Download the Blank Theme

Once you've chosen a blank theme, head to the theme's website and look for a download link. Most blank themes will be available for free, but some may require a donation or purchase.

Once you've found the download link, click it and save the theme files to your computer.

Step 3: Upload the Theme to WordPress

To use your new blank theme in WordPress, you'll need to upload it to your site. Here's how:

1. Log in to your WordPress dashboard.

2. Go to Appearance > Themes.

3. Click the "Add New" button at the top of the screen.

4. Click the "Upload Theme" button.

5. Choose the blank theme file you downloaded earlier, and click "Install Now".

6. Once the theme is installed, click the "Activate" button to make it your active theme.

Step 4: Customize Your Blank Theme

Now that your blank theme is installed, it's time to start customizing it to fit your needs. You can do this by modifying the theme files directly, or by using a child theme to avoid making changes to the parent theme.

Here are some common customization tasks you may want to tackle:

• Adding your own CSS styles to the theme's stylesheet.
• Creating custom templates for different parts of your site.
• Adding custom features, such as widgets or shortcodes.

Conclusion

Using a blank theme for WordPress is a great way to get started with theme development, without having to start from scratch. By choosing a suitable blank theme and customizing it to fit your needs, you can create a completely unique design for your site. Just remember to always back up your files and test any changes thoroughly before making them live.