Tweet This Article!Here we will take a look at how to edit Joomla templates. Now, I am assuming that you already did learn how to install them. If you are not quite sure how to do that, please, take a few minutes to take a look at the article below dealing with how to install Joomla templates .
Now, there are 7 simple steps to follow to modify your Joomla templates. We will cover these in detail below. Depending on your needs, you may not need to perform all the steps mentioned here. But if you are in doubt, follow all the steps to a t.
Login to the Admin Area: The first thing you should do if you are not already logged in to the Admin area of your Joomla website is to go to the /administrator directory and login in.
Open the "Template Manager": Next, go to the “Extensions” tab (at the top of the page) and click on the "Template Manager" link. The next page that opens up is the template management area of your website. You will notice that there is a list of all the templates that you have uploaded and installed on your Joomla site so far. At the top right hand corner of this page, you have two options (each with a button):
Default: When you select any of the listed templates and then click on this button, that selected template becomes the default one for your website. If you open your site in a new browser window, you will see that it has changed to reflect the new template that you just made the "default". However, none of the other templates get deleted as a result of this and you can change from one to other as often as you like. (But I won't advise this as it may portray you as being unprofessional, especially if you have a lot of daily or return visitors.)
Edit: Once you select a template of your choice, click on the "Edit" button to be take to the Joomla template editing options sections for the selected template. Here you have (at least THREE) options for editing the selected template. We will cover this in some detail below.
These editing options are:
HTML: At the top-right corner of this page, you will find the "Edit HTML", "Edit CSS", and "Preview" buttons. For now, click on the "Edit HTML" button. This will enable you to the Template HTML Editor. From this you can add, remove or replace some of the HTML tags that make up the Joomla template you selected earlier on.
Edit CSS: You can also decide to edit any of the CSS files that come with the template, depending of which aspect of the site’s theme you want to modify. Just remember that whatever changes you make to any of the CSS files will affect every single page of your website that may derive its formatting from these files. Therefore, tread with caution.
Inbuilt Template Editor (Parameters): Some Joomla templates also come with their own built-in ‘template modifier’ that lets you just point, click and select what you want to modify and save the changes. If you have ever used a word processor’s formatting menu and functions, this should also be a piece of cake for you to do.
Preview: In any case, whether you choose to edit the Joomla template by changing the HTML or CSS files or playing around with the in-built template modifier function (that most premium and commercial Joomla templates come prepackaged with), you should preview the changes you have made before moving on to something else. If the general theme (color schemes, text formatting, etc) appears to be what you want, then you are good to go.
Publish: Now, just go ahead and click the “Save” button and you have just finished editing your Joomla template. Then, go ahead and select the edited template as your “Default” one from the “Template Manager” section of the extensions tab.
Voila! And that’s how to edit Joomla templates without pulling your hair out!
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