How to Upload or Install Blogger Template in Blogger Website
Installing a Blogger template gives your blog a new layout. This guide walks you through preparing your download, saving your current theme, and uploading the new template.
Before you start · Installation steps · After installation · Troubleshooting
Before you start
- Sign in to the Google account that manages your Blogger blog, with administrator access.
- Download a template made specifically for Blogger from a developer you trust. If it comes in a ZIP archive, extract it and locate the theme’s .xml file. Do not upload the ZIP archive.
- Read the included documentation and license. Keep any required credits.
- Save notes or screenshots of your gadgets, menu links, custom code, and advertising settings. A theme backup does not replace a separate backup of your blog content.
How to upload and install your Blogger template
1. Select the correct blog
Open Blogger, sign in, and choose the blog you want to update from the blog selector. Double-check its name before changing the theme.
2. Back up your current theme
Choose Theme in the left menu. Open the theme actions menu beside Customize (usually a down arrow or More menu), choose Backup, and click Download. Keep the downloaded file somewhere safe.
3. Upload the new XML file
On the Theme screen, open the same actions menu and choose Restore, then Upload. Select the extracted Blogger template .xml file from your device and wait for Blogger to finish applying it. Menu labels or positions may vary with Blogger’s interface.
4. Open your blog
Use View blog to see the result. Check the homepage and an individual post. The theme may need additional setup before it looks like the developer’s demo.
Finish setting up your new layout
- Open Layout to review the header, navigation, sidebar, and footer gadgets. Configure them using the template’s documentation.
- Where supported, use Theme → Customize to adjust fonts, colors, and backgrounds. Some third-party templates provide their own setup instructions.
- Replace demo links and review your logo, social links, labels, and menu destinations.
- Check your homepage, posts, static pages, search, images, and navigation on desktop and mobile.
- Review any custom analytics or advertising code and save a fresh theme backup once setup is complete.
Common installation problems
Blogger cannot restore or parse the template
Confirm that you selected the theme XML file rather than a ZIP archive, a content backup, or a template for another platform. Extract a fresh copy of the download and try again. If Blogger reports a code error, share the exact error with the template developer.
The layout does not match the demo
Demo layouts often depend on configured gadgets, labels, images, and published posts. Follow the developer’s setup guide and review the Layout screen for missing or duplicated gadgets.
Should I paste the template into Edit HTML?
Use XML upload for the normal installation process. Only replace code through Edit HTML when the template developer specifically instructs you to do so, and save a backup first.
How do I go back to my previous theme?
Return to Theme → actions menu → Restore → Upload and select the theme backup you saved earlier. Review your gadgets and custom settings afterward; you may need to reconfigure them.
More help
See Blogger’s official guides to using and customizing themes and backing up your blog and theme.