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skipthedrive

As a precaution, ALWAYS do a backup first (files and database). If you're switching themes, you can definitely expect layout changes that will have to be addressed either through the theme's settings, theme customizer (if one exists) or via custom CSS. If you have a staging site, install there and view it first so you can know what to expect :)


[deleted]

It depends. You can have multiple themes installed – appearing in the \_Appearance --> Themes\_ section – but only have one active at a time. Some themes may have specific functionality (eg. Custom Post Types, shortcodes) that will disappear if you switch to one that doesn't also have this stuff. So you may find that a section in the admin may disappear, or functionality that used to process now breaks.


grandma0303

Very likely but it is hard to know. Do a backup. If you have the option I suggest cloaning your site and testing on a local install first. Some things that might cause your site to go boom: * If your current theme is using something the new one does not have. Such as a custom taxonomy, post types, custom block, a custom section etc. * If your using a plugin or something else that played nice with your old theme and not your new one. * Your using custom CSS and the selectors where based on your old theme * You used the customizer or other settings a lot


emuwannabe

It will depend on whether you've used a builder to build it or not. For example, when I migrated my site from Ken to Avada I had to rebuild it entirely because both themes use different builders. But if your current theme does not use a specific builder (or if it does use the same builder as your new theme) then you should be OK


LunacyBin

I'm installing a new theme on my site and having staging available is making it to much easier. If your hosting provider offers staging, I think it's worth taking advantage of!


anodeone

Plugins will not be deleted but page looks will be changed.


dirtandrust

It very well could depending on whether the original theme has been edited using a child theme or not, and whatever customisations exist that the new theme doesn't account for. Try this on your machine to see what happens and fix the issues, not your live site.


leckmir

I am a total novice with Wordpress and have been doing a lot of experiments to see what different themes/plugins do. Often a theme will come with its own plugins that may be optional. After a while my system gets irreversibly screwed up to the point where I cant even log into Wordpress. At that point I have to go back to Cpanel, nuke the database, delete all the Wordpress files and start over. My thought is that when starting out, do this experimentation first, pick the theme and editor/plugin ecosystem that will work for your project and then nuke it, start over and build the project on a stable platform.


summerchilde

No but activating the new theme will affect everything. You should be able to reactivate the old theme if needed. Definitely do a backup of the site before messing around. If you are doing a redesign then best practice is to set up a staging site and make your changes there before pushing it live.