Title: Losing customization on update Last modified: September 11, 2018 --- # Losing customization on update * Resolved [aamerkheraj](https://wordpress.org/support/users/aamerkheraj/) * (@aamerkheraj) * [7 years, 9 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/losing-customization-on-update/) * This is the first time I updated the theme after a few years. Upon updating, I lost all the customization and some features stopped working. I had to restore files+database from the backup to get it back to the way it was. Are there special instructions I need to follow in order to update, instead of just clicking update theme? Viewing 11 replies - 1 through 11 (of 11 total) * [nickpapag](https://wordpress.org/support/users/nickpapag/) * (@nickpapag) * [7 years, 9 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/losing-customization-on-update/#post-10678493) * [@aamerkheraj](https://wordpress.org/support/users/aamerkheraj/) after a few years the theme is totally new and you must make new fixes almost from zero. You must see the articles here in support form this summer (after 15 of july). There was a big change and now the theme is top! But… i think u must wait a little bit because the theme author is dealing with a fix and he will give us a new update soon. So i think u must start from here: [https://wordpress.org/support/topic/updating-to-3-9-3-broke-site-layout/](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/updating-to-3-9-3-broke-site-layout/) and read all the posts from this period and on… You must setup your theme and the front page with the new great features. Anything u need post it here and be sure that the theme author (romik84) and all of us will try to help u. But my opinion is to wait for the new update. In the meanwhile read the latest posts from forum. * [TUT Support](https://wordpress.org/support/users/phpexpert21/) * (@phpexpert21) * [7 years, 9 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/losing-customization-on-update/#post-10681069) * Hello [@aamerkheraj](https://wordpress.org/support/users/aamerkheraj/), * The best way to keep site unaffected from theme update to use child theme. Please refer the below url to create child theme. * [https://www.wpbeginner.com/wp-themes/how-to-create-a-wordpress-child-theme-video/](https://www.wpbeginner.com/wp-themes/how-to-create-a-wordpress-child-theme-video/) * Kind regards, * Manoj * [Romik84](https://wordpress.org/support/users/romik84/) * (@romik84) * [7 years, 9 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/losing-customization-on-update/#post-10685595) * [@aamerkheraj](https://wordpress.org/support/users/aamerkheraj/) as mentioned, best is to create a child theme with a custom code to keep your changes in the next updates 😉 * Thread Starter [aamerkheraj](https://wordpress.org/support/users/aamerkheraj/) * (@aamerkheraj) * [7 years, 9 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/losing-customization-on-update/#post-10685602) * Thanks for your responses. * Since I have already made changes to the theme and the theme is live, how can I create a child theme and copy the custom code over to the child theme? The changes are all over the place. * [Romik84](https://wordpress.org/support/users/romik84/) * (@romik84) * [7 years, 9 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/losing-customization-on-update/#post-10685615) * I would recommend to create a new child theme using a child generator plugin and use your changes in the child theme. Compare with the parent theme files. * Thread Starter [aamerkheraj](https://wordpress.org/support/users/aamerkheraj/) * (@aamerkheraj) * [7 years, 9 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/losing-customization-on-update/#post-10685640) * Is there an automatic way to compare files with original theme to see where the changes are? And is there an automatic way to move the changes to the child theme? * I think this is above my pay grade 🙂 * [Romik84](https://wordpress.org/support/users/romik84/) * (@romik84) * [7 years, 9 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/losing-customization-on-update/#post-10685650) * well there is a trac for the theme where you can compare changes a.k.a history diff where you can see what exact changes have been done – e.g. [https://themes.trac.wordpress.org/changeset?old_path=evolve/3.9.6&new_path=evolve/3.9.7](https://themes.trac.wordpress.org/changeset?old_path=evolve/3.9.6&new_path=evolve/3.9.7) * Thread Starter [aamerkheraj](https://wordpress.org/support/users/aamerkheraj/) * (@aamerkheraj) * [7 years, 9 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/losing-customization-on-update/#post-10685718) * I was talking more about the changes that we have made to our website using the evolve theme. Is there a way to compare OUR changes to the original theme files automatically? * I can use a child theme generator using a plugin. Are there any plugins to take the changes to original theme to the child theme automatically? * [nickpapag](https://wordpress.org/support/users/nickpapag/) * (@nickpapag) * [7 years, 9 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/losing-customization-on-update/#post-10685749) * [@aamerkheraj](https://wordpress.org/support/users/aamerkheraj/) i don’t use a child theme but i follow all the updates from Romik. After the big change in summer it took me an hour to rebuild the site again. And I have a big site. If u see the posts here in forum for the last month you’ll find all u need to setup it again, and it will look much better because you’ll get more options. So it’s only a step (maybe big step) but Romik will be there for any question. * [Romik84](https://wordpress.org/support/users/romik84/) * (@romik84) * [7 years, 9 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/losing-customization-on-update/#post-10685888) * [@aamerkheraj](https://wordpress.org/support/users/aamerkheraj/) I don’t know if there is a plugin for that and don’t think so. Why would you want auto update your files and actually how it would work? Have no idea :S * Thread Starter [aamerkheraj](https://wordpress.org/support/users/aamerkheraj/) * (@aamerkheraj) * [7 years, 9 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/losing-customization-on-update/#post-10686063) * Not sure how it would work but I just wanted someone to do it for me 🙂 * I think I’ll post this project somewhere. * Thanks! Viewing 11 replies - 1 through 11 (of 11 total) The topic ‘Losing customization on update’ is closed to new replies. * ![](https://i0.wp.com/themes.svn.wordpress.org/evolve/4.3.7/screenshot.png) * evolve * [Support Threads](https://wordpress.org/support/theme/evolve/) * [Active Topics](https://wordpress.org/support/theme/evolve/active/) * [Unresolved Topics](https://wordpress.org/support/theme/evolve/unresolved/) * [Reviews](https://wordpress.org/support/theme/evolve/reviews/) ## Tags * [customization](https://wordpress.org/support/topic-tag/customization/) * [update](https://wordpress.org/support/topic-tag/update/) * 11 replies * 4 participants * Last reply from: [aamerkheraj](https://wordpress.org/support/users/aamerkheraj/) * Last activity: [7 years, 9 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/losing-customization-on-update/#post-10686063) * Status: resolved