XAMPP is a popular, open-source web server solution that allows you to build and test your website on a local
environment. Installing a WordPress theme on localhost XAMPP can help you to test and customize the theme
without affecting your live site. In this blog post, we’ll show you how to install a WordPress theme on localhost
XAMPP step-by-step.
Prerequisites
- XAMPP installed on your computer
- WordPress installed on your localhost XAMPP
Step 1: Download the WordPress Theme
First, choose and download the WordPress theme you’d like to install on your localhost XAMPP environment. You
can either download free themes from the WordPress
Theme Directory or purchase premium themes from various online marketplaces.
Step 2: Locate Your WordPress Theme Folder
After downloading the theme, you need to locate the theme folder, which is usually in a .zip format. Extract the
theme folder to find its contents.
Step 3: Copy the Theme Folder to Your XAMPP WordPress Installation
To install the theme on your localhost XAMPP, you need to copy the extracted theme folder into your WordPress
installation’s theme directory. By default, this directory is located at:
C:\xampp\htdocs\your_site_name\wp-content\themes
Replace “your_site_name” with the name of your WordPress installation folder on your XAMPP local server.
Step 4: Activate the Theme in Your WordPress Dashboard
After copying the theme folder, it’s time to activate the theme in your WordPress dashboard. Log in to your
WordPress dashboard on your localhost XAMPP with the following URL in your browser:
http://localhost/your_site_name/wp-admin
Replace “your_site_name” with the name of your WordPress installation folder on your XAMPP local server.
Once you’re logged in to your WordPress dashboard, navigate to Appearance > Themes.
You’ll see the newly added theme in the list of available themes. Hover over the theme’s thumbnail and click
the Activate button to enable the theme on your localhost XAMPP WordPress installation.
Conclusion
Congratulations! You’ve successfully installed a WordPress theme on your localhost XAMPP environment. You can now
start customizing the theme and testing your website locally before making any changes to your live site.