How to Add a New Theme in WordPress 3.0

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The domain is registered, hosting is a go, and WordPress 3.0 is installed. Now, how do you get your favorite theme available for use?

Picking a theme is a personal decision. We all have a dream vision of what we want the blog to look like in its final form.  How many pages, how many sidebars, a footer, a header and many more decisions to be made.

Finally they are made and you have found the dream theme. When the dream theme is found make sure it’s saved on your computer in a zipped file.  Now get it into WordPress 3.0 and running without using FTP.  Learn with me as we add a new theme into WordPress.

1. Login to the WordPress Dashboard

Log into WordPress through the admin side

Typically the url is:  http://yourdomain/wp-admin

Once logged in you will be at the Dashboard.

2. Navigate To Your Site’s Themes

On the left side of the Dashboard will be lots of options.  They may be open or closed.  Look for the area that says “Appearance”.  If the section is closed then click it to open it.  If it is open, click “Themes”.  The pictures shows and example of a closed section and an open section.

3. Navigate To Your Site’s Themes

Click Themes.  This will take you to another page within the dashboard.  The top of the screen will have two tabs.  One tab will say, “Manage Themes”, and second tab says “Install Themes”.  The install themes tab will be on the right hand side and will not be quite as bright as the Manage Themes tab.  The brightest tab is the one that is currently active.

Click the Install Themes Tab.  Once the Install Themes Tab is darker and to the front you should see a replica of the picture to the left.

Click on Upload – seen here in the blue circle with the blue arrows.  The screen will change; to a prompt that allows you to browse your computer for the zipped file that has the theme.

4. Install and Activate Your Dream Theme

Click the browse button, highlighted in the picture.  Once clicked a standard windows screen will appear.  Once the zipped file is located; simply highlight the file and then click open in the Windows screen.  The Windows screen will close and the file path will now show  in the  file area directly to the left of the browse button.

Click “Install Now”. You can see both buttons in the picture above.

Once the theme is installed the screen will show you its progress as it unpacks the theme, installs the theme, and integrates your new dream theme with WordPress 3.0.  Once the theme is installed and ready to go, click Activate.  WordPress makes this very easy by telling you to click here to finish the installation of the theme and activate it.