Title: loading parent styles using child theme
Last modified: November 23, 2020

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# loading parent styles using child theme

 *  Resolved [sprowt](https://wordpress.org/support/users/sprowt/)
 * (@sprowt)
 * [5 years, 4 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/loading-parent-styles-using-child-theme/)
 * hi,
 * when i make a child theme using a professional theme, the parent css styles are
   still loaded along with child styles.
 * but when i make a child theme using a very simple theme i create myself (bare
   minimum index, style, screenshot), i can get the child styles to load but **not**
   the parent’s.
 * i’ve been following these instructions:
    [https://developer.wordpress.org/themes/advanced-topics/child-themes/#3-enqueue-stylesheet](https://developer.wordpress.org/themes/advanced-topics/child-themes/#3-enqueue-stylesheet)
   very closely and still… no love.
 * i’d really like to understand how this works.
 * thank you <3,

Viewing 8 replies - 1 through 8 (of 8 total)

 *  Moderator [bcworkz](https://wordpress.org/support/users/bcworkz/)
 * (@bcworkz)
 * [5 years, 4 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/loading-parent-styles-using-child-theme/#post-13703633)
 * Child themes normally want the parent’s CSS loaded so they only need to override
   certain styles instead of recreating the entire set. Whether the child needs 
   to also load the parent styles or not, assuming we actually do want the parent
   styles loaded, depends upon how the parent loads their styles to start with.
 * If the parent is loading its styles and that is not desired, the child can dequeue
   the parent style. The dequeue call must be done after the parent has enqueued.
   Do so by hooking in the child callback with a larger priority argument than that
   used by the parent. You also need the parent style’s handle in order to properly
   dequeue.
 *  Thread Starter [sprowt](https://wordpress.org/support/users/sprowt/)
 * (@sprowt)
 * [5 years, 4 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/loading-parent-styles-using-child-theme/#post-13713249)
 * thanks for your reply.
 * i **want** the parent styles **in addition** to the child styles, so dequeue 
   is not needed.
 * i don’t want the child theme to completely override all the parent styles which
   is what’s happening now.
 * i’ve tried it many many different ways. it’s not working for me, and i’d like
   to know how to get it working, please.
 * it’s not a caching problem bc i can see in the inspector that the parent styles
   are not being loaded.
 * it works on 2017 and GeneratePress themes (parent styles are not overridden and
   child styles are also loaded) but not when i make a simple theme of my own, using
   a bare-bones install of index.php, style.css, and screenshot.png.
 * 2015 child styles load but not parent styles, so that’s not working even when
   i copy/paste code from theme handbook and edit accordingly.
 * i am following the directions carefully, although obviously i’m doing something
   wrong.
 * i’ve tried and tried and tried AND TRIED. i’ve tried every way described in the
   handbook plus as many variations as i can think of–nothing works.
 * i don’t want to give up. it’s supposed to work and i’d like to know how, if at
   all possible. altho i am getting discouraged and frustrated.
 * thank you for your help and patience, and happy thanksgiving if you celebrate.
 * with gratitude, L
 *  Moderator [bcworkz](https://wordpress.org/support/users/bcworkz/)
 * (@bcworkz)
 * [5 years, 4 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/loading-parent-styles-using-child-theme/#post-13718449)
 * Follow one of the twenty* model themes for the parent theme. For example, the
   relevant parts of twentysixteen (other enqueue code not shown):
 *     ```
       function twentysixteen_scripts() {
       	// Theme stylesheet.
       	wp_enqueue_style( 'twentysixteen-style', get_stylesheet_uri(), array(), '20190507' );
       }
       add_action( 'wp_enqueue_scripts', 'twentysixteen_scripts' );
       ```
   
 * Note that it’s getting its **stylesheet** URI with `get_stylesheet_uri()`. The
   relevant child theme then should do similar to the second example you linked 
   in your OP:
 *     ```
       function wpt_enqueue_styles() {
   
           $parent_style = 'twentysixteen-style'; // This is the proper tag 'twentysixteen-style' for the Twenty Sixteen theme.
   
            wp_enqueue_style( $parent_style, get_template_directory_uri() . '/style.css' );
            wp_enqueue_style( 'child-style',
               get_stylesheet_directory_uri() . '/style.css',
               array( $parent_style ),
               wp_get_theme()->get('Version')
           );
       }
       add_action( 'wp_enqueue_scripts', 'wpt_enqueue_styles' );
       ```
   
 * Note we are referencing the parent theme location by **template**, but the child
   by **stylesheet**. It’s important that the parent’s style is listed as a dependency
   for the child. This ensures the child loads later and takes precedence over other
   equivalent style rules.
    -  This reply was modified 5 years, 4 months ago by [bcworkz](https://wordpress.org/support/users/bcworkz/).
      Reason: balance strong tags
 *  Thread Starter [sprowt](https://wordpress.org/support/users/sprowt/)
 * (@sprowt)
 * [5 years, 4 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/loading-parent-styles-using-child-theme/#post-13720320)
 * thank you so much!
 * i’ll try it again. but that’s the exact code i’m using which doesn’t work for
   me.
 * very disappointing, frustrating, and discouraging esp when it’s taken directly
   from the handbook (and of course slightly edited for my install).
 * clearly i’m doing something wrong, and i’ve spent hours trying to solve it. but
   it just won’t work for me.
 * i’ve spent as long on other problems and have eventually gotten them working.
 * this one, however, sticks in my craw.
 * i’m very grateful for your help, please understand. i just wish i could succeed
   with this example.
 * i’m going to leave the thread open and get back when i start again from scratch.
 * gratefully yours, L
 *  Moderator [bcworkz](https://wordpress.org/support/users/bcworkz/)
 * (@bcworkz)
 * [5 years, 4 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/loading-parent-styles-using-child-theme/#post-13722367)
 * Does your template call `wp_head();` or at least `do_action('wp_head');`(just
   before the closing `</head>` tag)? Enqueuing will not work without it.
 *  Thread Starter [sprowt](https://wordpress.org/support/users/sprowt/)
 * (@sprowt)
 * [5 years, 4 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/loading-parent-styles-using-child-theme/#post-13726393)
 * you’re so kind and patient… thank you <3
 * i finally got loading parent and child style working.
 * good question about `wp_head()` and yes that was called before so, not sure what
   the problem was other than typical user error 🙁
 * this example is when parent uses `get_stylesheet`… function to enqueue.
 * i’d like to leave the thread open while i practice when parent theme uses `get_template`…
   function, if you don’t mind.
 * then i’ll enqueue both using is_child_theme conditional (a la GeneratePress).
 * i’ll move forward at that point and stop bugging you 😉
 * thanks again!
 *  Thread Starter [sprowt](https://wordpress.org/support/users/sprowt/)
 * (@sprowt)
 * [5 years, 4 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/loading-parent-styles-using-child-theme/#post-13728343)
 * i’m feeling much better about my efforts, thankfully.
 * i got all the examples working on my bare bones installation, including using
   a filter to turn off child styles enqueued in parent theme (a la GeneratePress).
 * i’m so appreciative for the WordPress community and folks like you manning the
   support forums <3
 * have a lovely evening <3
 *  Moderator [bcworkz](https://wordpress.org/support/users/bcworkz/)
 * (@bcworkz)
 * [5 years, 4 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/loading-parent-styles-using-child-theme/#post-13731315)
 * Glad to hear it’s all working! I can only imagine how frustrating this has been,
   though I’ve likely been at the same place some time back. It may not help at 
   this point, but the trials you went through here will serve you well in the future.
   I’m confident you’ve learned more about debugging code than you realize. Happy
   coding!

Viewing 8 replies - 1 through 8 (of 8 total)

The topic ‘loading parent styles using child theme’ is closed to new replies.

## Tags

 * [wp_enqueue_scripts](https://wordpress.org/support/topic-tag/wp_enqueue_scripts/)
 * [wp_enqueue_style()](https://wordpress.org/support/topic-tag/wp_enqueue_style/)

 * In: [Developing with WordPress](https://wordpress.org/support/forum/wp-advanced/)
 * 8 replies
 * 2 participants
 * Last reply from: [bcworkz](https://wordpress.org/support/users/bcworkz/)
 * Last activity: [5 years, 4 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/loading-parent-styles-using-child-theme/#post-13731315)
 * Status: resolved

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