Joomla templates are professional and fully responsive solutions for your website. They offer developer-level customization and carry a lot of options when it comes to design and functionalities.
Still, some issues may arise when installing Joomla templates. This article will help you understand what problems Joomla templates might face in the process of installation and how to fix them.
How to Install a Joomla Template
Step 1: First, download your chosen template from the web or simply visit the Joomla Extension Directory for a wide range of free and paid Joomla templates.
Step 2: Log into your Joomla Control Panel using your username and password.
Step 3: At the top of your Joomla control panel, find and click Extensions → Manage → and select Install.
This opens the Extensions: Install page. You can see four different options to install the template.
Step 4: Select Upload Package File. (The easiest of the four.)
Step 5: Then, you can either Drag and drop the file here to upload or click on Browse for file. Either choices require you to locate the template package on your computer or local server.
When you see the message “Installation of the template was successful” at the top of the page—your new design is already live.
How to Delete a Joomla Template?
- Select the one you want to delete from the list of templates that appear under the Templates section in Template Manager.
- Click on the Delete link next to its name and confirm your decision by clicking on the Yes button.
This will take you back to the Template Manager page, where you can now find your deleted template in the list again. If you want to remove it permanently, go to your Extension Manager and select Manage. Select the template you want to permanently remove and click Uninstall.
Common Issues Installing Joomla Templates and How to Resolve Them
The template doesn’t work properly after upgrading Joomla.
This is one of the users’ most common problems when upgrading their site from earlier versions (like 2.4) with Joomla 3 or 4. The issue occurs because the developers haven’t updated their extensions to work with the latest Joomla versions, and it all goes south when you upgrade the app core.
But that doesn’t mean you cannot use any theme for your website. You can either update the template manually or simply find a replacement. Make sure to create a backup of your site if anything goes wrong.
The template doesn’t work and your website is full of errors.
What happened?
- You’re missing a plugin or extension that the template requires.
- The template code has a PHP error.
- Your environment is missing a call to a PHP function or class.
How to Fix?
- Check each error message to see which template files could not be found. These missing files usually tell you the extensions you need as well.
- Read the template instructions manual. It will usually tell you the needed extensions for its proper operation.
- Check to see if the errors are complaints to non-existing functions that seem to be PHP functions. You can contact your hosting provider or try to create equivalent parts yourself.
- Check if the errors are about a missing semi-column here or there or something wrong PHP code. If this is the case – you can fix these errors yourself or get help from Joomla experts.
The template doesn’t work and your website opens a blank page.
What happened?
- Your Joomla website hides all the errors, and the template is missing an extension or using a PHP function or class that’s not in your environment.
- The template contains a fatal error in the code.
How to Fix?
- Change your PHP error reporting settings to show the errors. Then, examine where the issue is originating from so you can take the appropriate actions to tackle it.
- Check if there’s a call to a PHP function you don’t have. If you find out that you’re missing one – contact your hosting service, and they should be able to sort it out.
The template works but doesn’t match the visual layout in the demo.
What happened?
The template works fine on its own, but you need additional extensions to make it look exactly the way it does in the demo.
How to fix?
Read the template’s instruction manual and see what extensions it needs to work as you want it to.
The template works but has a few non-fatal errors.
What happened?
- You are missing some extensions that the template requires to work perfectly.
- The template code contains some minor errors.
How to Fix?
- Read the template manual and see what kind of extensions you need.
- Review the template code for any errors and fix them.
Joomla has tremendous resources available on the web and years of troubleshooting records in their community portal. Still, resolving Joomla template issues can be a headache, including highly-nuanced software relationships and hardware limitations. The culprit may even be hiding on the hosting provider’s end.
To get the most out of Joomla and leverage its vast customization features without hassle, ScalaHosting offers managed VPS plans that come with the expertise of our Joomla-trained technicians.
Contact the ScalaHosting team for more information about upgrading to a faster, safer, and much more convenient Joomla experience.
FAQs
Q: How do I change my Joomla template?
A: First, log in to your Admin Dashboard to change Joomla templates. Then click on Extensions and Template Manager. In the left menu, click on Templates, and it will load a list of the designs you currently have installed. Click on the template you want to edit, and when you’re done – click Save.
Q: Where do I find Joomla templates to download?
A: You can find Joomla templates in the Joomla Extension Directory. But this isn’t the only source of templates. Developers also have libraries on sites like JoomDev and ThemeForest, where you can find hundreds of free and premium Joomla templates.
Q: How do I copy a Joomla template?
A: To copy a Joomla Template correctly, go to Extensions → Template Manager. Then, click on Templates in the side menu. Find and click the template you want to copy and click on the Copy Template button. Type your New Template Name without any spaces using only letters, numbers, dashes, and underscores. Finally, click on Copy Template.
