Title: Child Theme Help
Last modified: August 22, 2016

---

# Child Theme Help

 *  Resolved [MyMamaAdventure](https://wordpress.org/support/users/mymamaadventure/)
 * (@mymamaadventure)
 * [11 years, 3 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/child-theme-help-please-1/)
 * I have read and re-read all the posts I could find about changing a parent theme
   into a child theme. I literally need the step-by-step process. I’m not dumb about
   HTML and coding, but I’m very new to WP and do not at all understand the instructions
   in the codex or how to save a file as child theme to override the parent theme.
   At this point, I’ve added this in the coding (obviously, replacing my information
   where appropriate):
 *     ```
       Theme Name: Twenty Twelve
       Theme URI: http://mydomain.com/twenty-twelve-child/
       Author: My Name
       Author URI: http://mydomain.com/
       Description: Twenty Twelve Child Theme
       Version: 1.6
       License: GNU General Public License v2 or later
       License URI: http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-2.0.html
       Tags: light, gray, white, one-column, two-columns, right-sidebar, fluid-layout, responsive-layout, custom-background, custom-header, custom-menu, editor-style, featured-images, flexible-header, full-width-template, microformats, post-formats, rtl-language-support, sticky-post, theme-options, translation-ready
       Text Domain: twentytwelve
       ```
   
 * But pretty sure I’m missing a step and as of now, I understand that I will NOT
   be able to do any theme updates until I figure this out. Again, a step-by-step
   process would be good, I mean child-theme for dummies process please! I’m sure
   it’s easier than I think it is, but I’m not used to WP and I’m so confused about
   the whole thing. Last time I asked, I got no response on this and Google has 
   been no help. Thank you!!

Viewing 15 replies - 1 through 15 (of 24 total)

1 [2](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/child-theme-help-please-1/page/2/?output_format=md)
[→](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/child-theme-help-please-1/page/2/?output_format=md)

 *  [Balint Toth](https://wordpress.org/support/users/tothbalint/)
 * (@tothbalint)
 * [11 years, 3 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/child-theme-help-please-1/#post-5761818)
 * Hello!
 * [Here is ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-c9MJ5K4pfo)a video I have made a 
   while ago related to this, so please check this out, but if You have any specific
   questions, feel free to ask them here and I am happy to guide You through the
   process, even it is step-by-step 🙂
 * Also, if You could share a link to Your website so I could follow Your progress,
   that would be awesome.
 * Cheers,
    Balint
 *  [WPyogi](https://wordpress.org/support/users/wpyogi/)
 * (@wpyogi)
 * [11 years, 3 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/child-theme-help-please-1/#post-5761820)
 * EDITED – sorry, cross-posted – but info written out here –
 * You will need to create two new files using a plain text editor (not Word) on
   your local computer – one called style.css – and put this code in that file:
 *     ```
       /*
        Theme Name:   Twenty Twelve Child
        Theme URI:
        Description:  Twenty Twelve Child Theme
        Author:
        Author URI:
        Template:     twentytwelve
        Version:      1.0.0
        License:      GNU General Public License v2 or later
        License URI:  http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-2.0.html
        Tags:
        Text Domain:  twenty-twelve-child
       */
       ```
   
 * You can fill in the blanks if you wish.
 * The second one will be called functions.php and put this code in it – make sure
   there are NO empty spaces at the top of the file –
 *     ```
       <?php
       add_action( 'wp_enqueue_scripts', 'theme_enqueue_styles' );
       function theme_enqueue_styles() {
           wp_enqueue_style( 'parent-style', get_template_directory_uri() . '/style.css' );
   
       }
       ```
   
 * Then create a folder on your computer – named twentytwelvechild and put those
   two new files inside the folder.
 * Then you will need to use FTP (ask your hosts) to upload that new folder to your
   themes folder on the server here:
 *     ```
       wp-content
           themes
               twentytwelvechild
               OTHER THEMES WILL BE IN HERE AS WELL
       ```
   
 * Then go to your Dashboard and find the new theme and activate it.
 *  Thread Starter [MyMamaAdventure](https://wordpress.org/support/users/mymamaadventure/)
 * (@mymamaadventure)
 * [11 years, 3 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/child-theme-help-please-1/#post-5761906)
 * Website is [My Mama Adventure](http://mymamaadventure.com)
 * Thank you so much for the video and other suggestions! I’ll take a look and let
   you know if I have any more questions.
 *  Thread Starter [MyMamaAdventure](https://wordpress.org/support/users/mymamaadventure/)
 * (@mymamaadventure)
 * [11 years, 3 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/child-theme-help-please-1/#post-5761919)
 * Okay, so I’ve followed all the steps, have gotten in touch with my host about
   the FTP. If I were to change to a different theme, would I just need to follow
   the same steps again? Are all WP themes able to be put into a child-theme? Example,
   I originally had the Pinboard theme and I loved it! But the codex had mentioned
   used the Twenty- themes for creating a child theme, so I switched. Can I do this
   same process with the Pinboard theme?
 * Thank you! You have both been VERY helpful! I knew this would be easier than 
   I was making it out to be.
 *  [Balint Toth](https://wordpress.org/support/users/tothbalint/)
 * (@tothbalint)
 * [11 years, 3 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/child-theme-help-please-1/#post-5761921)
 * You are welcome 🙂
 * Almost all themes allow creating child themes, the exceptions are the themes 
   created with the Genesis Framework, but that is not so common. So, generally,
   about 98 percent of the themes do allow child-theming.
 * Cheers,
    Balint
 *  Thread Starter [MyMamaAdventure](https://wordpress.org/support/users/mymamaadventure/)
 * (@mymamaadventure)
 * [11 years, 3 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/child-theme-help-please-1/#post-5761930)
 * Okay, my host is being useless in helping me. I use Bluehost. I asked in the 
   live chat about uploading the folder, I even copy and pasted what WPyogi posted
   above as the final step, and all they did was send me to links that I’ve already
   read about creating a child-theme and then tried to get me to purchase a program
   to get my site up and running. As you can see, my site is up and running, just
   need the child-theme part figured out. I’m confused about the FTP part. I went
   into the FTP section of my account and it has a section to Add FTP Account, is
   that what I want? I know once I do it, I’ll be fine to do it again and again 
   if I need to.
 *  [WPyogi](https://wordpress.org/support/users/wpyogi/)
 * (@wpyogi)
 * [11 years, 3 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/child-theme-help-please-1/#post-5761932)
 * See:
 * [https://my.bluehost.com/cgi/help/264](https://my.bluehost.com/cgi/help/264)
 * Alternatively, you can use Cpanel on your BH account.
 *  Thread Starter [MyMamaAdventure](https://wordpress.org/support/users/mymamaadventure/)
 * (@mymamaadventure)
 * [11 years, 3 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/child-theme-help-please-1/#post-5761940)
 * Okay, so by using the Cpanel I’ve been able to upload the child-theme into WP.
   At least I think I have. I created a file called twentytwelvechild into the Cpanel
   and then added the 2 text files. I zipped the file on the computer and uploaded
   to WP. It showed up in my themes (YAY!) but then while looking at the live preview
   I’ve realized that it no longer has some of the preset features that the Twenty
   Twelve theme had. As in, the text is basic text, my menu (even after choosing
   my menu option) is just text going up and down and not the pretty drop down menu.
   I figured I’d have to re-add all my widgets and such and redo the formatting,
   but I have no idea how to fix the menu issue. Did I do something wrong? I have
   never felt so computer illiterate before! 🙁
 *  [WPyogi](https://wordpress.org/support/users/wpyogi/)
 * (@wpyogi)
 * [11 years, 3 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/child-theme-help-please-1/#post-5761941)
 * Did you activate the child theme? Please do so.
 *  Thread Starter [MyMamaAdventure](https://wordpress.org/support/users/mymamaadventure/)
 * (@mymamaadventure)
 * [11 years, 3 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/child-theme-help-please-1/#post-5761943)
 * It’s activated now.
 *  Thread Starter [MyMamaAdventure](https://wordpress.org/support/users/mymamaadventure/)
 * (@mymamaadventure)
 * [11 years, 3 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/child-theme-help-please-1/#post-5761944)
 * Follow up, my widgets are all showing up on the bottom, how do I move those to
   a sidebar? Can you tell I’m used to Blogger? I know I’ll LOVE WP once I get used
   to, I already love all the plugin features of WP, it’s just getting used to how
   WP works.
 *  [WPyogi](https://wordpress.org/support/users/wpyogi/)
 * (@wpyogi)
 * [11 years, 3 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/child-theme-help-please-1/#post-5761945)
 * Is this the structure you see in Cpanel?
 *     ```
       wp-content
           themes
               twentytwelvechild
                   style.css
                   functions.php
               twentytwelve
       ```
   
 *  Thread Starter [MyMamaAdventure](https://wordpress.org/support/users/mymamaadventure/)
 * (@mymamaadventure)
 * [11 years, 3 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/child-theme-help-please-1/#post-5761948)
 * No, all I see is the
 *     ```
       style.css
       functions.php
       ```
   
 * So, I definitely messed something up!
 *  [WPyogi](https://wordpress.org/support/users/wpyogi/)
 * (@wpyogi)
 * [11 years, 3 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/child-theme-help-please-1/#post-5761949)
 * Yes, go back and read my first post – those files must be in a FOLDER.
 *  Thread Starter [MyMamaAdventure](https://wordpress.org/support/users/mymamaadventure/)
 * (@mymamaadventure)
 * [11 years, 3 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/child-theme-help-please-1/#post-5761951)
 * It is in a folder. I saved the text files in a folder called twentytwelvechild.
   Through the Cpanel I could only upload specific files. I just uploaded the zipped
   twentytwelvechild folder into the Cpanel but it still doesn’t list everything.
   I’m sorry, I don’t mean to be so dense about this. Maybe I’m trying to do it 
   wrong within the Cpanel?

Viewing 15 replies - 1 through 15 (of 24 total)

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The topic ‘Child Theme Help’ is closed to new replies.

## Tags

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

 * 24 replies
 * 3 participants
 * Last reply from: [MyMamaAdventure](https://wordpress.org/support/users/mymamaadventure/)
 * Last activity: [11 years, 3 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/child-theme-help-please-1/page/2/#post-5761984)
 * Status: resolved

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