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Changing themes

  1. zoestephen
    Member

    I am looking to change my theme but im scared if I do I will loose all the widgets I have spent so long sourcing. If I change themes is there a way to go back to my old one and move them across or would I just loose them altogether?

    The blog I need help with is zoestephen86.wordpress.com.

  2. timethief
    Member

    You will not lose widgets. When we change themes all widgets in use automatically migrate into the Inactive Widgets box here > Appearance > Widgets. When the new theme display what you see is a "default sidebar display" - they aren't actual widgets at all. So you go here > Appearance > Widgets > Inactive Widgets box and place them in the sidebar and footer areas and that's that. Your choices override the defaults sidebar display.

  3. michiecat
    Theme Wrangler

    Hi @zoestephen,

    We've recently made some changes that allow you to retain your widgets in your sidebar when switching themes. So no, you won't lose your widgets.

  4. bitesofsweetandspice
    Member

    I am worried about that too. I want to try other new themes but I'm not sure how that'll affect the layout of my blog. So all my widget's will still be there?
    What about the header? And will it affect my posts in any way?

  5. raincoaster
    Member

    The widgets will still be there. The header will change; look at the Preview to see how. Your posts may change if the theme gets narrower. Look at the Preview again to see how.

  6. panaghiotisadam
    Member

    But computer rule number one is backup. For widgets to which you add content (such as text or image widgets) better keep a backup file, just in case.

  7. bitesofsweetandspice
    Member

    Thanks for the backup idea!

  8. ingridcc
    Member

    But is a gizmo like Flag Counter "content"? Timethief referred me to this thread --i was busily copying my widget contents in prep for switching themes but didn't know what to do with my flag counter, was leery of 'copying' it...

  9. raincoaster
    Member

    Widgets are not "content" in terms of export, but they are in terms of things you should back up.

    The flag counter won't reset as long as you keep the same URL.

  10. panaghiotisadam
    Member

    Yes it's content, because it's some code you pasted yourself. When you add some other widgets, for instance the Categories widget or the Recent Posts widget, you don't type or paste any content: you just enable an automatic functionality.

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