---
title: "Install a WordPress Theme"
source: "https://docs.nexcess.com/software/the-events-calendar/install-a-wordpress-theme/"
description: "Before you can begin installing and activating The Events Calendar suite of products, one of the first steps in creating a WordPress site is to install a WordPr…"
vertical: "Software"
area: "The Events Calendar"
date: "2022-06-13"
last_modified: "2026-07-02"
---

# Install a WordPress Theme

Before you can begin installing and activating [The Events Calendar](https://theeventscalendar.com/products/) suite of products, one of the first steps in creating a WordPress site is to install a WordPress theme. Once you’ve chosen a theme, this is easy to set up. There are a few different ways to install a theme, and we’ll go over all of them. Let’s see how to do it!

## Method 1: Add a new theme

This method works best when you’d like to browse through the available free WordPress themes in the WordPress Directory. To do this, go to **Appearance > Themes** in the WordPress Dashboard and click **Add New**.

![Appearance > Themes and Add New to search for a free WordPress theme.](https://docs.nexcess.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Screen-Shot-2022-06-13-at-8.16.15-AM.jpg)Here, you can search for a theme by popularity, by a filter, or use the search bar.

![Search for a free theme to install a WordPress theme](https://docs.nexcess.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Screen-Shot-2022-06-13-at-8.21.33-AM.jpg)Once you’ve selected your theme, hover over the theme you want, and click **Install** to install a WordPress theme.

![Select Install to install a WordPress theme](https://docs.nexcess.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Screen-Shot-2022-06-13-at-8.22.40-AM.jpg)To begin using the theme immediately, click **Activate**.

[![](https://docs.nexcess.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/evergreen-ad-events-calendar-1024x384-1.png)](https://theeventscalendar.com/products/wordpress-events-calendar/)## Method 2: Use the “Upload Theme” feature

If you’ve purchased a premium theme and have a file ready to use, you can upload your theme directly to your WordPress site. To do this, head back to **Appearance > Themes** and click on the **Add New** button. This time, you’ll want to select the **Upload Theme** option above the search box.

![Upload theme to install a premium WordPress theme](https://docs.nexcess.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Screen-Shot-2022-06-13-at-8.31.15-AM.jpg)Next, choose your file and upload it to your site in .zip format.

![Choose a file in .zip format](https://docs.nexcess.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Screen-Shot-2022-06-13-at-8.35.24-AM.jpg)Click on **Install Now** and then **Activate** once the theme has fully downloaded. See your theme’s documentation for more information on customizing your theme.

## Method 3: Upload via FTP

Lastly, if you’re more of an advanced WordPress user and you’re comfortable with using FTP (File Transfer Protocol), you can upload your theme via FTP.

To do this, you’ll want to download your theme’s .zip file, which you would have also acquired in Method 2, and then *unzip* the file.

From there, you can connect to your WordPress hosting account using an FTP client. Navigate to your `wp-content/themes` folder and drag your unzipped theme folder into this main folder.

If you head back to your WordPress Dashboard, you should see the theme there now under **Appearance > Themes**. To begin using this theme, simply hover over it and click **Activate**.

## What’s Next?

Now that your theme is all set, the next step is to begin adding your The Events Calendar plugins to your WordPress site. You can read how to install a plugin in our Knowledgebase article:

- [Installing a WordPress Plugin](https://docs.nexcess.com/software/the-events-calendar/downloading-and-installing-the-plugin/)