Magento 2 Install a New Theme Setup Tutorial

Helpful hint: if you use Amasty extensions, to avoid any conflicts with 3rd-party themes, subscribe to our Custom Theme release. Based on the feedback we've received from our customers, we're now developing a custom theme with the view to offer:

• responsive bug-free theme with minimalistic design;
• the super-light theme for faster website performance;
• a theme with a rich palette of colors, fonts and other customizable options;
• a theme that meets current Magento dev standards.

Magento 2 has two basic themes ‘The Blank Theme’:

and ‘The Lumia Theme’, which is available in case you installed the sample data:

How to set a new theme in Magento 2?

Magento 2 allows for installation of one or multiple themes for different stores or websites in a project. The themes consist of numerous static files like images, fonts, CSS, JavaScripts, PHP and much more to update your store design. 

Say, you have created a custom theme, let's see how to install a third-party theme in Magento 2. There are three Magento 2 setup variants: 

• a theme can be added to your Magento 2 store either using Composer;
• manually through uploading files;
• or via Web Setup Wizard in Magento Admin.

How to install Magento 2 theme manually step by step?

This is the most popular variant of theme installation. If your new theme is just a set of files, which you receive in a .zip folder, you will need to add the theme manually.

Step 1: Unzip the theme

Unzip the archive of the theme and find two directories: app and pub.

Step 2: Upload the files

Navigate to the root directory of your Magento 2 store (use FileZilla or any other file manager). Upload the folders into the root directory.

Step 3: Use the commands

Connect the store via SSH, go to the root directory and upgrade the set up using the commands:
php bin/magento setup:upgrade;
php bin/magento setup:static-content:deploy.

Step 4: Log in to the Admin Panel

Go to the Content>Design>Configuration and choose Edit  the store theme:

Switch to the desired Magento theme from the dropdown menu and click the Save Configuration button.

How to install Magento 2 theme via Composer?

If a new theme is presented as a composer package, you will need to install it using composer.
The installation process of a theme using Composer is the same as for any other third-party extension. Here are the general steps you should complete:

• Purchase a theme from Magento Marketplace or from a provider whose themes support composer;
• Achieve the Composer name of the theme;
• Enter your Magento root directory and enter the next command:

composer require <vendor>/<name>:<version>;

• Wait till dependencies are updated;
• Enter the following commands: git add -A && git commit -m "Add theme" git push origin <branch name>.

Make sure the theme is registered. For this open the Admin Panel or reload any of the backend pages after it’s installed. Then navigate to Content>Design>Themes and check the theme is displayed on the right panel in the list of available themes.

How to install Magento theme from Marketplace: advice from Amasty?

If a new theme has been distributed as an extension, you will need to work with the Web Setup Wizard in Magento 2 Admin.
Before installing a new theme make sure your system meets the requirements here. You are also advised to Create Backup of your website before installing a new theme.

• Log in to the Admin Panel as a user with complete administrator rights;
• Navigate to System>Tools>Web Setup Wizard:

• Choose Component Manager and click the Sign In link:

• Put in your Public Access Key and Private Access Key from the Marketplace:

• Press the Sync button to synchronize your Component Manager and Marketplace. In a few minutes you will see the number of new purchases, the date your store was last synchronized;
• Under the New Purchases menu click the Install button;
• Tick the module you want to install on the grid and choose the Install link for the item;
• Then you have to configure the theme. Go to Store>Settings>Configuration to find a new tab for the extension.

After the installation, check whether there are additional setting instructions from the developer. Depending on the plugins and applets of a theme, additional settings can be required. How to change theme in magento 2? You may have to make changes in the database or files. Follow the instructions from the theme developer.

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