Title: Changing custom theme to default theme
Last modified: August 21, 2016

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# Changing custom theme to default theme

 *  [heyerinelisabeth](https://wordpress.org/support/users/heyerinelisabeth/)
 * (@heyerinelisabeth)
 * [12 years, 4 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/changing-custom-theme-to-default-theme/)
 * Hi, I am in the process of trying to update the site of a nonprofit I am interning
   for. They have a custom theme that was made for them but it isn’t serving their
   purposes anymore . I am wondering if it would be possible to activate another
   theme that I have uploaded, try it out, and if it doesn’t work, I could switch
   back to the custom theme. Does activating a default theme make it impossible 
   to “press undo” and just go back to the old theme?
 * I can’t make the changes they need myself because I have no CSS, HTML, whatever
   experience.
 * I’m reading about plugins and widgets which all seem really helpful! But I don’t
   seem to know how to figure out if the current (custom) theme is “widget enabled”.
   SOMEONE HELP.

Viewing 4 replies - 1 through 4 (of 4 total)

 *  [Andrew Nevins](https://wordpress.org/support/users/anevins/)
 * (@anevins)
 * WCLDN 2018 Contributor | Volunteer support
 * [12 years, 4 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/changing-custom-theme-to-default-theme/#post-4491591)
 * In your situation I would seriously consider setting up WordPress locally – to
   replicate the live site – so that you can develop or test in peace. [Are you doing this?](http://codex.wordpress.org/WordPress_Installation_Techniques)
 * _EDIT: Hi Josh 🙂_
 *  [Josh](https://wordpress.org/support/users/josh401/)
 * (@josh401)
 * [12 years, 4 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/changing-custom-theme-to-default-theme/#post-4491592)
 * Okay… to see if you have widgets in your theme.. go to your admin panel -> appearance-
   > widgets.
 * If you see an area for widgets over on the right… slide a text widget over there.
   Type in some test text.. and click Save.
 * Now, go to the front-end of your site and see if you notice a new widget at the
   top, left, right, or bottom of the website.
 * EDIT: And, of course, Mr. Nevins suggestion as well 😉
 *  Thread Starter [heyerinelisabeth](https://wordpress.org/support/users/heyerinelisabeth/)
 * (@heyerinelisabeth)
 * [12 years, 4 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/changing-custom-theme-to-default-theme/#post-4491602)
 * Nope, no widget tab under appearance.
    Andrew – wow, I looked into setting up
   locally and I just know that I do not have the knowhow to do that. Major WP/computer
   geek newbie here. Sorry guys. So it’s not an easy “yes/no” answer to whether 
   I can switch from a custom theme to default theme and back?
 *  [Andrew Nevins](https://wordpress.org/support/users/anevins/)
 * (@anevins)
 * WCLDN 2018 Contributor | Volunteer support
 * [12 years, 4 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/changing-custom-theme-to-default-theme/#post-4491604)
 * You do have the option in the dashboard to easily switch back at the click of
   a link – however that’s assuming nothing goes wrong when you do switch.
    _[http://codex.wordpress.org/Using\_Themes#Selecting\_the\_Active\_Theme](http://codex.wordpress.org/Using_Themes#Selecting_the_Active_Theme)_

Viewing 4 replies - 1 through 4 (of 4 total)

The topic ‘Changing custom theme to default theme’ is closed to new replies.

## Tags

 * [custom theme](https://wordpress.org/support/topic-tag/custom-theme/)
 * [default theme](https://wordpress.org/support/topic-tag/default-theme/)

 * In: [Fixing WordPress](https://wordpress.org/support/forum/how-to-and-troubleshooting/)
 * 4 replies
 * 3 participants
 * Last reply from: [Andrew Nevins](https://wordpress.org/support/users/anevins/)
 * Last activity: [12 years, 4 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/changing-custom-theme-to-default-theme/#post-4491604)
 * Status: not resolved

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