If you’re not sure how to use FTP, watch our video tutorial on using an FTP client. You need to copy the file using an FTP application.

This isn’t something you can do from the dashboard editor. When you want to change a template file you need to copy the file to your child theme. Don’t stress out, this is perfectly normal. When you open up your child theme for the first time you might be surprised to see only one or two files, usually style.css and functions.php. Go to Appearance → Editor in your WordPress dashboard and choose the child theme you have activated. If you followed the two links above you now understand the basics of how HTML, PHP, and WordPress work together and you’ve also activated a child theme. It’s the modular and bulletproof way to edit a WordPress theme. Also, when you edit a child theme, you can undo your changes more quickly. Child themes are important, because they protect your original theme files. Always use a child themeīefore you start editing your WordPress theme create a child theme.

If you’re looking to make styling changes to your theme using CSS you’ll want to read our guide on how to customize a WordPress theme. Once you understand those basic concepts, you’re ready to learn how to edit your WordPress theme HTML. Once you understand the basics of how a WordPress theme actually works, the mystery starts to unravel.įor a quick primer on how HTML, WordPress, and PHP work together read our tutorial on converting HTML to WordPress. They just do it using PHP, which can be confusing at first.

Slow down! It’s important to remember WordPress themes create fully functioning HTML pages. Immediately, you see a bunch of PHP code and start running for the hills. Here’s how it usually unfolds: You get really excited to make a change to your website and open up a template file to make some edits. If you’re new to working with WordPress themes, learning how to edit WordPress theme HTML can be intimidating.

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