Skip to content
Log in Sign up

Utilizing a child theme: modifying PHP, CSS, JS files while maintaining future update compatibility

Set up the MyHome child theme so your own CSS, PHP and JS changes survive every theme update. This guide shows where to download the child theme, how to install it, and where each type of file belongs.

2 minute read

If you do not plan to modify theme files (e.g., CSS, PHP, or JS files), there is no need to use a Child Theme.

If you do, a Child Theme is the recommended way to modify any free or premium WordPress theme. It keeps your customizations intact after future updates.

Never edit the original theme files
Modifying the files in /wp-content/themes/myhome/ is highly discouraged — your changes are lost the next time the theme is updated. Always make them in the MyHome Child Theme instead, so you can keep benefiting from future updates and fixes.

How to download the MyHome Child Theme

  1. 1 Open your ThemeForest downloads

    Visit your downloads page on ThemeForest: https://themeforest.net/downloads

  2. 2 Choose "All files & documentation"

    Open the green Download menu next to the theme and pick the first option — not "Installable WordPress file only", which contains the parent theme alone.

    The ThemeForest Download menu expanded, with a green arrow pointing at the "All files & documentation" entry above "Installable WordPress file only" and the two licence certificate & purchase code options.
  3. 3 Unzip the package

    Unzip the downloaded file, and you will find myhome-child.zip inside.

  4. 4 Install and activate the child theme

    Go to Appearance > Themes, upload myhome-child.zip, install it, and activate it.

    The WordPress admin sidebar with the Appearance menu expanded, showing Themes, Customize, Widgets, Menus, Header, Background and Editor.

How to use the Child Theme for file modifications

1. CSS files

Add any new CSS rules to the wp-content/themes/myhome-child/style.css file. They override the matching rules in the parent theme's style.css.

2. PHP files

Copy the original file (e.g., /wp-content/themes/myhome/folder-name/file-name.php) and paste it into the corresponding folder in the Child Theme (e.g., /wp-content/themes/myhome-child/folder-name/file-name.php). This ensures the modified file is loaded instead of the original one.

3. JS files

JS files cannot simply be copied over: the original file has to be dequeued and your own version enqueued in its place.

Keep reading

How to fix "The package could not be installed. The theme is missing the style.css stylesheet." error

Ask the people who build MyHome

We answer by email from support@tangiblewp.com. With Premium Support, we also fix your site when something breaks.

Send us a message What Premium Support covers 

We can also run your site for you, or build a new one.

Was this guide helpful?