Child Themes

When you need one, and when you don't.

What a child theme is

A child theme sits alongside your main theme and holds your own code changes. The main theme can then be updated without losing them.

Do I need one?

For most sites, no.

You do not need a child theme for any of this:

• changing colours, fonts or the logo
• switching or editing designs
• using the Site Generator
• building pages in Elementor
• anything configured on a PremiumPress admin screen

All of that is stored in the database and is untouched by theme updates.

You do need one if you are editing the theme's PHP, or adding your own functions and hooks.

Changing files inside the theme directory works right up until the next update overwrites them. If you are editing theme code at all, set up a child theme first — this is the whole reason they exist.

Custom CSS without a child theme

For a handful of style tweaks, you do not need a child theme either. Use Appearance ▸ Customize ▸ Additional CSS, which WordPress stores in the database and updates never touch.

Reach for a child theme when the CSS becomes substantial enough to want in version control.

Creating one

Child themes are a core WordPress feature, not a PremiumPress one, and the official guide is the best reference:

developer.wordpress.org — Child Themes

Two PremiumPress-specific notes:

• Set Template: in your child's style.css to the theme folder name of your product, exactly as it appears in wp-content/themes/.
• Activate the child theme after completing setup on the parent. The setup wizard, licence key and design selection all carry over.