How to Change Templates in Wix After You’ve Already Started

Choosing the right template is one of the most important steps when building a website on Wix. Wix offers hundreds of professionally designed templates tailored for different industries and purposes, making it easy to get started. However, after you’ve started building your website, you might find that the template you initially chose no longer fits your needs, or you may come across another design that suits your brand better.

In this guide, we’ll explore how to change templates in Wix after you’ve already started building your site, as well as address whether it’s possible to directly switch templates and the best practices to follow if you decide to start over with a new template.

Can You Change Templates in Wix After You’ve Started?

One of the most common questions Wix users ask is whether they can switch templates after they’ve already begun designing their site. Unfortunately, Wix does not allow you to directly change templates for an existing website once it’s been started. Unlike some other platforms, Wix templates are not interchangeable after you’ve begun editing a site.

That said, there are still ways to switch to a new template without losing all your hard work. While you can’t directly swap out one template for another, you can create a new site using the new template and transfer content manually from your old site to the new one.

Let’s walk through the process of switching to a new template on Wix, starting with how to approach this challenge.

Step-by-Step Guide to Changing Templates in Wix

Step 1: Review Your Current Site and Plan the Switch

Before you start switching to a new template, it’s important to carefully review your current website. Here are a few things to consider:

1. Evaluate Your Current Content: Identify the content you want to keep, such as text, images, videos, and forms.
2. Make a Backup: While Wix doesn’t offer a built-in backup feature, you can manually copy content, images, and text into a separate document (e.g., a Google Doc or Word file) for safekeeping.
3. Assess the New Template: Browse Wix’s Template Library to find a template that better suits your needs. Keep in mind the structure and design of the new template and how your existing content will fit into it.

Step 2: Create a New Wix Site with the Desired Template

Since Wix doesn’t allow direct template changes, you’ll need to create a new site with your desired template. Follow these steps:

1. Log in to Your Wix Account: Go to the Wix Dashboard and log in to your account.
2. Start a New Site: From the dashboard, click on Create New Site.
3. Choose a Template: Browse the Template Library and choose the template you want for your new site. Wix offers templates across different categories such as business, portfolios, online stores, blogs, and more.
4. Select Your New Template: Once you find a template you like, click Edit to start building your new site.

Tip: Make sure to pick a template that aligns with your goals, has a similar layout to your previous site if possible, and works well with your content.

Step 3: Transfer Content from Your Old Site

Now that you have a new site with your preferred template, you’ll need to transfer your content manually. This can be time-consuming but is necessary since there’s no direct “template switch” feature in Wix.

1. Copy Text: Open your old site in the Wix Editor, and manually copy the text from each section. Paste it into the corresponding sections of your new site.
2. Download and Upload Images: Download images and media files from your old site and re-upload them to your new site. If you have custom image galleries, you’ll need to recreate those as well.
3. Rebuild Forms and Widgets: If your old site contains forms or widgets, you will need to add these to your new site using Wix’s Add button. You can easily recreate contact forms, booking tools, and other interactive elements.
4. Reapply Custom Code (if applicable): If you used any custom code (via Velo by Wix or embedded HTML), make sure to transfer the code to your new site.

Step 4: Customize the New Template

Once you’ve transferred your content, it’s time to customize the new template to match your brand and requirements:

1. Update Colors and Fonts: Match your brand’s style by adjusting the color scheme and fonts. You can do this in the Theme Manager within the Wix Editor.
2. Adjust Layouts: Use the drag-and-drop interface to rearrange elements, ensuring that the new design looks and feels the way you want.
3. Optimize for Mobile: Don’t forget to check the mobile version of your site! Wix allows you to customize the mobile view separately to ensure a seamless experience across devices.

Step 5: Test and Publish Your New Site

After customizing the new template and transferring your content, it’s important to thoroughly test the site before publishing it:

1. Preview Your Site: Use the Preview mode in the Wix Editor to view your new site and test its functionality. Check all pages, links, forms, and media to ensure everything works as expected.
2. Test Responsiveness: Make sure the site looks great on both desktop and mobile devices.
3. Check SEO Settings: If you had SEO settings in place on your old site, such as page titles, meta descriptions, and alt text for images, be sure to reapply those to your new site.
4. Publish Your New Site: Once you’ve confirmed that everything is working perfectly, click Publish to make your new site live.

Read More: Does Go Hi Level Work with Wix Websites?

Conclusion

While Wix doesn’t offer a direct way to switch templates after you’ve started editing your site, the process of moving to a new template can still be done by creating a new site and manually transferring your content. By following the steps outlined in this guide, you’ll be able to update your website’s design with minimal disruption and ensure that your content and functionality are preserved.

Carefully planning the switch, choosing a template that fits your needs, and methodically transferring content will ensure a smooth transition. With Wix’s user-friendly interface, you’ll have your newly designed site up and running in no time!

Happy site-building!

Optimizing your Wix website can significantly improve your online visibility and performance. As an SEO expert, I can provide tips on design, SEO strategies, or advanced integrations. If you’re looking for a Wix SEO expert, contact me today!

FAQs About Changing Templates in Wix

1. Can I Save My Old Template?

No, Wix does not allow you to save or revert back to an old template once you’ve started editing. However, you can manually recreate the old design in a new site if necessary.

2. Will I Lose My Content If I Change Templates?

Technically, you won’t lose your content, but you will need to transfer it manually to the new template. This is why it’s important to plan the switch carefully and back up your content before starting the process.

3. Are There Any Shortcuts to Changing Templates?

Unfortunately, there are no shortcuts to directly changing a template in Wix. The only option is to create a new site with a new template and manually transfer the content. Using Wix’s drag-and-drop editor, however, makes the process as seamless as possible.

4. Can I Use a Premium Plan with the New Site?

Yes. If your existing Wix site is tied to a premium plan (such as connecting a custom domain or using advanced features), you can transfer that premium plan to the new site. Here’s how:

1. Go to your Wix Account Settings.
2. Select Billing and Payments.
3. Choose the Transfer Site option under your premium plan to assign it to the new site.

This ensures that you don’t lose any features associated with your premium plan.

5. Will SEO Be Affected by Changing Templates?

Changing templates can affect your site’s SEO if you don’t carefully reapply SEO settings, such as page titles, meta descriptions, and alt text for images. Make sure to copy over your existing SEO settings from your old site to your new one.