Everyone loves a free gift right?! Well, if you’re looking for the perfect present for a loved one, consider offering them a free copy of WordPress. With so many fantastic themes to choose from, it’s the perfect present.
But if you’re wondering how to fix the WordPress themes that don’t work, then read on.
The Three Biggest WordPress Themes That Don’t Work
Looking for a present for your loved ones and are considering WordPress as a possible option? Before you buy that expensive present, consider these three biggest themes that don’t work.
1. ChilledPress – This is the granddaddy of all free WordPress themes. The download link is on the ThemeForest homepage. ChilledPress is a complete redesign of the classic WordPress theme and is a lot more flexible than ever before. If you’re looking for a free WordPress theme that is not too flexible, then this is probably not the right choice for you. Some users have reported that it doesn’t work at all on some hosting companies’ sites.
2. TwentyThree – TwentyThree is a free WordPress theme from the makers of ChilledPress. It’s pretty big – over 300kb in size – so you’re downloading a lot of bloatware just to get it to work on your site. Many users have complained about the lack of support and the fact that TwentyThree doesn’t work on some hosting companies’ sites. Even some of the supporting forums are inactive.
3. Minimal – Minimal is a free WordPress theme from the team at WPForms. It’s pretty minimalistic in design and comes with a handful of pre-made layouts that you can use on your site. While it does work on most sites, it doesn’t work without restrictions on some hosting companies’ sites. Some users have complained that the theme doesn’t look as good as it appears in the preview.
Avoid These Three WordPress Themes
Now that you know a little bit about these themes, it’s time to tell you which ones you should avoid. These are the themes that don’t work with almost all hosting companies’ sites and they also don’t offer much in terms of support if you run into any problems.
1. ChilledPress – If you’re looking for a theme that is completely free and won’t cause you any problems, then consider this one of the best options. It’s completely free and is one of the simplest themes we’ve ever reviewed. While it does the job and looks great, it doesn’t work on all sites due to some of the restrictions discussed above. If you’re on a shared hosting plan, then this theme is probably not for you. This is another good option for designers who want to quickly build a custom WordPress theme and don’t need all the features that a complex theme provides.
2. TwentyThree – TwentyThree is one of the most popular free WordPress themes out there. It’s also one of the most complicated. The layout is incredibly flexible, which is great for designers who want to create a unique look for their site. But it’s also one of the biggest themes out there – nearly 600kb in size – and it doesn’t work on all sites. Like ChilledPress, this theme also doesn’t work on shared hosting plans due to the resource restrictions. If you do opt to use this theme on a shared hosting plan, then make sure that your host is okay with WordPress themes larger than 20kb in size.
3. Minimal – Minimal is the baby of the three themes we mentioned above. It’s a great choice if you’re looking for a free theme that doesn’t take up a lot of space on your hard drive. But it also doesn’t work on all websites due to the same restrictions as TwentyThree. While it’s a great choice for designers who want to build a quick, minimalistic site, it doesn’t work on all hosting companies’ sites.
A Few Useful, Yet Tricky Tips For Fixing WordPress Themes That Don’t Work
While it’s always best to avoid downloading and using themes that don’t work, it’s not always possible. So, how can you fix a WordPress theme that doesn’t work the way it should? Here are a few useful tips that can help.
1. Update Your Theme – This is the most basic and obvious tip but one that you’ll surely ignore after you’ve tried it once. If you are running a theme that is a few years old, then it’s time to update it. Not only will an updated theme usually fix a lot of the bugs and glitches that the original version had, but it will also make your site look a lot more modern and up-to-date. If you are running a business site or blog, then this is an invaluable tip as you’ll be able to give the site a new look that will make it more appealing to your prospective customers. Think of all the free time you’ll save by not having to update the theme manually!
2. Look For Help – While it’s always good to keep learning and trying new things, sometimes these efforts can backfire. If a template or theme doesn’t work the way you expected it to, then it’s time to ask for help. There are often online communities that can help you fix the issue you’re having. Plus, many companies specialize in customizing themes for clients. So, if you’re stuck and don’t know where to get help, then try reaching out to some knowledgeable people. ChilledPress, TwentyThree, and Minimal are all available on ThemeForest. You can also check the forums for these themes to see if anyone is already doing something similar or has found a solution for your issue.
3. Try A Different Template – Sometimes a theme works great on one site but has compatibility issues on another. If you’re running WordPress on a subdomain, then you can try moving the site to its own domain and using a different template. This can help you find the proper settings for your site and allow you to use a theme that you know will work well with your specific needs. Once you figure out the issue with the original site, you can put in the time to move your content over to the new domain and get everything back in working order. Just remember that this can be a lengthy process and you’ll need to make sure that your new host is prepared to help you out with setting up the new site.
4. Look At Screen Shots – If you download and use a theme that doesn’t work the way it should, then it’s a good idea to take a look at the theme’s screen shots. This will help you figure out what’s going on and where the issue lies. Sometimes it’s a simple fix and other times, it takes a bit more work. But in all cases, reviewing the screen shots will help you get the theme working properly. In some cases, you may even find that the screenshot shows the problem and there’s actually nothing wrong with the theme itself.
5. Disable All Plugins – If you have a plugin that you think is responsible for breaking the theme, then it’s a good idea to try disabling it. Many plugins can cause conflicts with other plugins or affect the way a theme works. Disabling these plugins and reverting back to the default settings can help you find the root of the problem. After you’ve done this, you can try reinstalling the theme and plugins one by one to figure out which one is causing the issue. In some cases, this can be quite tricky and you may need to contact the plugin’s author or the theme’s developer for support.
To wrap things up, we’d like to point out three more useful tips that can help you fix a WordPress theme that doesn’t work the way it should.
1. Look For A Newer Version – If you encounter a bug in the version you’re using, then it’s a good idea to look for a newer version. While older versions of themes may sometimes work, the newer versions usually have a lot more features and are updated more frequently, which makes them more suitable for use.
2. Use Code Samples – If you want to fix a theme, then one of the best things you can do is use code samples. When a theme designer gives you the code for the sample site, then you can use that as a starting point for your own site. This is a quick and easy way to get a working copy of the theme without needing to install it yourself. Simply download the zip file and unzip it to your computer’s desktop. Then, open the folder and you’ll see a sample index page along with several other helpful files. From here, you can find the settings for your site and get to work. If you run into any problems, then you can refer back to the code samples to see if the solution is already there or if you need to look up the correct settings yourself.