Title: Child theme
Last modified: August 21, 2016

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# Child theme

 *  Resolved [cathay98](https://wordpress.org/support/users/cathay98/)
 * (@cathay98)
 * [11 years, 12 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/child-theme-86/)
 * After I created the child theme (just a style.css under the child theme folder),
   I found the navigation menu I created earlier in the parent theme disappeared
   on the website. What else I should put into the child them folder? I also changed
   the footer.php in the parent theme earlier, should I also create a footer.php
   under the child theme folder? If yes, it should be under the virtue child them
   folder directly or child theme\template\footer.php?

Viewing 7 replies - 1 through 7 (of 7 total)

 *  [stephencottontail](https://wordpress.org/support/users/stephencottontail/)
 * (@stephencottontail)
 * [11 years, 12 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/child-theme-86/#post-4920637)
 * WordPress considers a child theme a separate theme, so you’ll have to reapply
   any custom menus or sidebars to the new theme by going to the Dashboard and selecting
   Widgets and Menus under Appearance, just like you did with the parent theme.
 * As for your second question, I’m not familiar with Virtue’s folder structure,
   but generally speaking, if the parent theme’s `footer.php` is located at `parent
   theme/template/footer.php`, then the child theme’s equivalent file should be 
   at `child theme/template/footer.php`. If the parent theme’s `footer.php` is located
   in the parent theme’s folder, then the child theme’s equivalent file should be
   located in the child theme’s folder.
 *  [Ben Ritner – Kadence WP](https://wordpress.org/support/users/britner/)
 * (@britner)
 * [11 years, 12 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/child-theme-86/#post-4920763)
 * Yes folder structure needs to be the same as parent with virtue so you just need
   to create a template folder and put the footer.php file there.
 * Kadence Themes
 *  Thread Starter [cathay98](https://wordpress.org/support/users/cathay98/)
 * (@cathay98)
 * [11 years, 12 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/child-theme-86/#post-4920783)
 * Thanks for both of your kind reply!
 * The sidebars look ok, nothing missing in the sidebars after I activated the child
   theme. Do I still need to reapply the sidebars by adding the widgets again?
 *  [stephencottontail](https://wordpress.org/support/users/stephencottontail/)
 * (@stephencottontail)
 * [11 years, 12 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/child-theme-86/#post-4920784)
 * If the sidebars look fine to you, then there’s no need to change anything.
 *  Thread Starter [cathay98](https://wordpress.org/support/users/cathay98/)
 * (@cathay98)
 * [11 years, 12 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/child-theme-86/#post-4920798)
 * Thanks all for the answers!
 * As I am a newbie, the question I asked maybe silly. :p
 * Is my understanding correct that in the future if i need to change any codes 
   in php docs or css (any docs in the parent theme), I need to copy it to the child
   theme in the relevant folder? What if i want to change the existing doc in child
   theme, for example, footer,php (already in child theme, also in parent theme),
   I just need to edit the footer.php in child theme is enough? no need to change
   the footer.php in parent theme any more? Please correct me if my understanding
   is wrong. Thanks a lot!
 *  [stephencottontail](https://wordpress.org/support/users/stephencottontail/)
 * (@stephencottontail)
 * [11 years, 12 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/child-theme-86/#post-4920803)
 * That’s correct. As Kadence Themes mentioned, don’t forget to maintain the same
   folder structure as the parent theme.
 *  Thread Starter [cathay98](https://wordpress.org/support/users/cathay98/)
 * (@cathay98)
 * [11 years, 12 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/child-theme-86/#post-4920809)
 * Thanks so much! Have a great weekend!

Viewing 7 replies - 1 through 7 (of 7 total)

The topic ‘Child theme’ is closed to new replies.

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## Tags

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

 * 7 replies
 * 3 participants
 * Last reply from: [cathay98](https://wordpress.org/support/users/cathay98/)
 * Last activity: [11 years, 12 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/child-theme-86/#post-4920809)
 * Status: resolved