Controlling WordPress themes at the same time is one of the key features of the MainWP Plugin. MainWP Plugin allows you to manage WordPress themes across your Child Sites from one place, which results in a huge time-saving.
By using the MainWP Plugin, you can install a WordPress theme to multiple websites in less than a minute. You can also activate, delete, and update themes on all your websites at the same time.
That is not all, MainWP Plugin will allow you to set automatic updates for WordPress themes that you trust. Once you enable the feature and mark the “trusted” themes, MainWP will do the rest.
Install Themes
Themes bulk installation is one of the most essential features of the MainWP plugin. In just a few seconds, you can install a new WordPress theme on one, few, or all your WordPress sites.
MainWP Plugin provides you three choices for installing a WordPress theme:
Installation from the WordPress theme directory– Search the thousands of themes listed in the official WordPress theme directory. After submitting the search form the results themes will be displayed in the native WordPress Theme Installer layout by providing you the ability to select a theme that you want to install to your child sites.
Installation by uploading a WordPress theme from your local computer –This method lets you select and upload a theme in the .zip file format that you have saved locally to your computer. After selecting the file, it will get uploaded, and you can install the theme to any number of your WordPress sites simultaneously.
Installation from your Favorites directory – For installing from your favorite themes directory, you will need the MainWP Favorites Extension.
Install From WP.org
Login in to your MainWP Dashboard site
Go to the MainWP > Sites > Themes > Install page
Under the Install from WordPress.org tab, a list of WordPress themes will appear.a
Use the “Search Themes” field to find the plugin that you want to install
Enter the Name of a Theme and press Enter on your keyboard
Search results will appear
Locate the Theme that you want to install
Select it by checking the Install this Theme radio button
Next, in the Select Sites box, select all sites you want to install this theme to
Review the Installation Options
Click the Complete Installation button
Installation Options
Overwrite existing if already installed – if selected, the MainWP Plugin will overwrite the theme on your Child Sites if the theme is already installed.
Install by Upload
Login in to your MainWP Dashboard site
Go to the MainWP > Sites > Themes > Install page
Under the Upload .zip file tab, the Upload button will appear
Click the Upload button
Browse your computer and select the theme .zip file
After the upload process is done,
in the Select Sites box, select all sites you want to install this theme to
Review the Installation Options
Click the Complete Installation button
Installation Options
Overwrite existing if already installed – if selected, the MainWP Plugin will overwrite the theme on your Child Sites if the theme is already installed.
Important Notes
When uploading a theme in .zip format, you need to be sure that your server will allow the upload for the file size of the theme. To see what is the Maximum File Size for your server, check the Server Information page on your MainWP Dashboard site.
Install Favorite Themes
Select and install themes from the Favorites you have saved in the MainWP Favorites Extension. Once you have created a list of favorite themes this is the quickest and easiest way to bulk install themes to a new WordPress site.
For additional information, please review the MainWP Favorites Extension documentation.
Activate Themes
Login in to your MainWP Dashboard site
Go to the MainWP > Sites > Themes > Manage page
From the dropdown menu, select the desired table view Per Site or Per Item
In the Select Sites section, select all your sites where you want to activate this theme.
In the Search Themes section
In the Status dropdown list, select the Inactive option
Enter a name of the theme that you want to activate (or leave blank to see all inactive themes)
Click the Show Themes button
Search results will appear in a table
Select themes/sites where you want to activate the theme by selecting appropriate check-boxes
In the Bulk Actions menu
Select the Activate option
Click the Confirm button
Update Themes
Before running updates, it is highly recommended to Synchronize your Child Sites so you can be sure that there is no cached data and all available updates are listed.
MainWP > Sites > Updates > Themes Updates page is just one place where you can perform updates from. The same feature is provided in the Update Overview widget on the MainWP Global and Individual Overview page.
Update All Themes on All Your Child Sites
Login to your MainWP Dashboard
Go to the MainWP > Sites > Updates > Themes Updates page
Click The Update All Sites (Update All Themes)
A verification popup will appear and ask if you are sure you want to update everything. If you are sure, confirm, and the MainWP plugin will handle all updates.
Update a Single Theme on All Your Child Sites
Login in to your MainWP Dashboard
Go to the MainWP > Sites > Updates > Themes Updates page
Locate the Show updates per option and select “Item”
Locate the theme that you want to update on all your child sites
Click the Update All button that is placed in the corresponding row
A verification popup will appear and ask if you are sure you want to update everything. If you are sure, confirm, and the MainWP plugin will handle all updates.
Update All Themes on a Single Child Site
Login in to your MainWP Dashboard
Go to the MainWP > Sites > Updates > Themes Updates page
Locate the Show updates per option and select “Site.”
Locate the Child Site that you want to update
Click the Update All button that is placed in the corresponding row
A verification popup will appear and ask if you are sure you want to update everything. If you are sure, confirm, and the MainWP plugin will handle all updates.
Update a Single Theme on a Single Child Site
Login in to your MainWP Dashboard
Go to the MainWP > Sites > Updates > Themes Updates page
Locate the Show updates per option and select “Site.”
Locate the Child Site that you want to update
Expand the row and locate the Themes you want to update
Click the Update Now button
A verification popup will appear and ask if you are sure you want to update everything. If you are sure, confirm, and the MainWP plugin will handle all updates.
Delete Themes
Login in to your MainWP Dashboard site
Go to the MainWP > Sites > Themes > Manage page
From the dropdown menu, select the desired table view Per Site or Per Item
In the Select Sites section, select all your sites where you want to delete this theme.
In the Search Plugins sectionIn the Status dropdown list, select the Inactive option
Enter a name of the theme that you want to delete (or leave blank to see all inactive themes)
Click the Show Themes button
Search results will appear in a table
Select themes/sites where you want to delete the theme by selecting appropriate check-boxes
In the Bulk Actions menu
Select the Delete option
Click the Confirm button
Ignore Theme Updates
MainWP Plugin allows you to “ignore” a theme update. This means that a theme update won’t show in the available updates list (Updates page and the Update Overview widget) nor the Status column of the Manage Sites table.
Themes can be ignored in two ways:
Globally – Ignoring a theme globally, means that the ignored theme will be ignored on all connected Child Sites
Per Child Site – a theme can be ignored on just one or a couple of child sites
Ignore a Theme on All Child Sites
Login in to your MainWP Dashboard
Go to the MainWP > Sites > Updates > Themes Updates page
Locate the View updates per option and select “Plugin/Theme”
Locate the theme that you want to ignore
Click the Ignore Globally button in the corresponding row
Un-ignore a Globally Ignored Theme
Login in to your MainWP Dashboard
Go to the MainWP > Sites > Themes > Ignored Updates page
In the Globally Ignored Themes table
Locate the theme that you want to un-ignore
Click the Allow button in the corresponding row
Ignore a Single Theme on a Single Child Site
Login in to your MainWP Dashboard
Go to the MainWP > Sites > Updates > Themes Updates page
Locate the View updates per option and select “Site”
Locate the Child Site where you need to ignore a Theme update
Locate the Theme that you want to ignore
Click the Ignore button that is placed in the corresponding row
Un-ignore an Ignored Theme
Login in to your MainWP Dashboard
Go to the MainWP > Sites > Themes > Ignored Updates page
In the Per Site Ignored Themes table
Locate the theme that you want to un-ignore
Click the Allow button in the corresponding row
Abandoned Themes
This feature checks the last updated status of themes and alerts you if not updated in a specific amount of time. This gives you insight into if the author may have been abandoned a theme.
Set Tolerance
Login in to your MainWP Dashboard
Go to the MainWP > Settings page
Locate the Update Settings settings
Locate the Abandoned plugins/themes tolerance option
Enter the preferred number of days