How to Update Your WordPress Theme While Preserving Custom CSS ⚠️

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Ah the joy of customizing a WordPress site.

You’ve finally got it looking just right the colors are perfect the layout is flawless and you’re ready to show it off.

Then bam! A notification pops up about a critical security update for your theme.

You’re caught between a rock and a hard place.

Update and risk losing your painstaking customizations or ignore it and leave your site vulnerable.

It’s a classic dilemma and one I’ve faced more than a few times myself.

But you know what? Updating your theme is vital.

It keeps your site safe compatible and packed with new features.

Those updates often include security patches ensure your site works seamlessly with the latest WordPress core and plugins and introduce new features to improve your site’s design and user experience.

However if you’ve added custom CSS to your theme things can get a bit tricky.

You want that update but you don’t want to lose your beautiful customizations or risk causing problems with your site.

Don’t worry my friend I’ve got you covered.

We’re going to dive into a step-by-step guide on how to safely update your theme while keeping all your custom CSS intact.

We’ll explore child themes the magic of staging environments and how to update via the dashboard or file transfer.

And to top it off I’ll even share some insider tips on how Pressable can help streamline the whole process making theme updates a breeze.

Ready to level up your WordPress skills? 🤯 Learn how to update your theme safely and keep your custom CSS intact without losing your mind 😎

The Importance of Preserving Custom CSS




Ready to level up your WordPress skills? 🤯 Learn how to update your theme safely and keep your custom CSS intact without losing your mind 😎

Losing your custom CSS during an update can be a real nightmare.

Imagine your carefully crafted styles vanishing leaving your site looking bland and unprofessional.

For a WooCommerce store this could mean losing customers which is not a good thing!

Mastering the Art of Theme Updates: A Step-by-Step Guide

Updating your WordPress theme doesn’t have to mean sacrificing your custom CSS.

With the right approach you can keep your site secure and up-to-date while preserving your unique design.

Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you conquer those updates with confidence:

1. Back It Up! Back It Up!

Before you even think about updating your theme make sure you have a full backup of your entire website.

We’re talking database theme files plugins and uploads the whole shebang.

This ensures a smooth rollback if anything goes wrong.

2. Harness the Power of Child Themes

If you’ve been adding custom CSS directly to your theme it’s time to switch to a child theme.

Child themes are essentially mini-themes that inherit the functionality and styling of their parent theme but they also provide a safe space for customizations.

Here’s how child themes work their magic:

  • Separate Styles: Child themes have their own style.css file where you can add custom CSS. This means that when the parent theme is updated your custom CSS in the child theme remains untouched.
  • Safe Space for Customization: Child themes are like your sandbox for adding unique features and styles. Any changes you make to the child theme won’t affect the parent theme when you update.

Creating a Child Theme:

Here’s a quick guide to creating a child theme:

  1. Create a New Directory: In your WordPress theme folder create a new folder. Name it after your theme followed by “child” – for example “my-theme-child.”

  2. Add a Style.css File: Create a file named “style.css” inside the new folder. This file will house your custom CSS.

  3. Add a Functions.php File: Create a file named “functions.php” inside the new folder. This file will help you add custom functionality to your child theme.

  4. Add Required Header Comments: At the top of your style.css file add these header comments:

     /*
 Theme Name: Child Theme
 Template: my-theme (replace "my-theme" with your parent theme name)
 Author: Your Name
 */

  5. Activate the Child Theme: In your WordPress dashboard go to Appearance -> Themes and activate your newly created child theme.

3. Test Test Test: The Power of Staging Environments

Before you unleash any updates on your live site take advantage of staging environments.

A staging environment is essentially a private copy of your live website a safe sandbox where you can test updates fix any errors and make sure everything works as intended before launching it to the world.

Pressable makes creating staging environments a breeze.

With just a few clicks you can create a mirror of your live site and test your updates in a safe space.

4. Updating Your Theme: Two Methods to Choose From

Now that you’ve got a secure staging environment it’s time to update your theme.

You’ve got two options:

Method 1: The Dashboard Way (The Easy Option)

  1. Login to your WordPress Dashboard: Go to your dashboard click on “Appearance” and then “Themes.”
  2. Locate the Theme to Update: Find the theme you want to update in the list.
  3. Check for Updates: Click on the “Update Now” button next to your theme if an update is available.
  4. Complete the Update: WordPress will handle the update process and you’ll be prompted when it’s finished.

Method 2: SFTP: For a More Control Freak

SFTP (Secure File Transfer Protocol) gives you more control over the update process but it does require a bit more technical knowledge.

Here’s how to update your theme using SFTP:

  1. Connect to Your Server: Using an SFTP client like FileZilla or Transmit connect to your WordPress server. You’ll need your server’s IP address username and password.
  2. Locate the Theme Folder: Navigate to the “wp-content/themes” folder on your server.
  3. Download the Latest Theme Files: Download the latest version of your theme files from the theme developer’s website.
  4. Overwrite the Existing Files: Upload the downloaded theme files to your server overwriting the old files in the “wp-content/themes” directory.
  5. Activate the Updated Theme: Go to Appearance -> Themes in your WordPress dashboard and activate the updated theme.

A Note of Caution: Make sure you have a backup before using SFTP! Also be careful when overwriting files; ensure you’re uploading the correct files to avoid conflicts or data loss.

5. Test Everything Thoroughly

After updating your theme it’s essential to test everything thoroughly.

This is crucial to catch any issues before they affect your live site.

Here’s what to focus on:

  • Check for Design Issues: Look for any layout shifts missing design elements or broken responsiveness.
  • Plugin Compatibility: Make sure your essential plugins are still compatible with the updated theme.
  • Performance Checks: Run a performance check using a tool like Google PageSpeed Insights to ensure the update hasn’t negatively impacted your site’s speed.

6. Push the Update to Your Live Site

Once you’re confident your theme update is working flawlessly on your staging environment it’s time to push it to your live site.

Choose a low-traffic period to minimize disruption.

  1. Activate the Theme: In your WordPress dashboard go to Appearance -> Themes and activate the updated theme.
  2. Monitor Closely: After the update carefully monitor your live site for any issues. If you encounter any problems you can revert to your backup quickly.

7. Choosing the Right Hosting Partner

A reliable hosting partner can make all the difference in managing theme updates smoothly.

Pressable stands out with its unique features designed for safety and efficiency:

  • Automated Backups: Pressable provides daily automated backups so you’re always covered.
  • Staging Environments: Pressable’s staging environments make testing a breeze.
  • 100% Uptime Guarantee: Your site stays online during updates thanks to Pressable’s 100% uptime guarantee SLA.
  • Auto-Scaling: Pressable’s auto-scaling capabilities handle any post-update traffic spikes ensuring seamless performance.
  • 24/7 Support: If you encounter any issues Pressable’s expert support team is available 24/7.

Switching to a New Theme: Keeping Your Custom CSS Intact

Sometimes you might want to switch to a completely new theme.

Here’s how to preserve and transfer your custom CSS:

  • Copy CSS from the Child Theme: Open the style.css file of your current child theme and copy your custom CSS rules.
  • Create a New Child Theme: Create a new child theme for your new parent theme.
  • Paste the CSS: Paste the copied CSS rules into the style.css file of your new child theme.
  • Test Thoroughly: Test the changes on a staging site before pushing them to your live site.

Advanced Tip: Adding CSS via Functions.php

For more granular control you can add custom CSS directly to the functions.php file of your child theme.

This approach lets you add CSS based on specific conditions.

Here’s an example:

// Add custom CSS to the header
function my_custom_css() {
    echo "<style>";
    echo ".my-custom-class {
          background-color: #f0f0f0;
          color: #333;
          padding: 10px;
      }";
    echo "</style>";
}

add_action( 'wp_head' 'my_custom_css' );

Remember to test these changes thoroughly on a staging site first as some CSS may need to be adjusted to work with your new theme’s structure.

Conclusion: A Smooth Ride for Your WordPress Theme Updates

By following these steps and using the right tools you can update your WordPress theme with confidence preserving your custom CSS and ensuring a smooth experience for you and your site visitors.

Don’t forget to leverage Pressable’s incredible features to make the process even easier and more secure.

Remember keeping your site secure and up-to-date is crucial.

Now go forth and update with confidence!




Ready to level up your WordPress skills? 🤯 Learn how to update your theme safely and keep your custom CSS intact without losing your mind 😎

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