Managing themes from the WordPress admin area is really easy but accessing your WordPress admin area isn’t that easy sometimes. You might not be able to access your WordPress admin area on many occasions. If this is the case with you, we have got you covered.
Need for phpMyAdmin
Well, we all know that nothing is easier than using the WordPress admin area for changing the theme. We just have to click on Appearance in the menu and then click on theme option to choose the theme which needs to be activated. See it’s that simple. But sometimes you are unable to even access your WordPress admin area. This error can refrain you from using this easy method. However, using a backup you can easily make your way to the WordPress admin area and then use this method.
But in case you don’t even have a backup then changing your WordPress theme from the database using phpMyAdmin will definitely help you out in this case. So let me guide you through the process.
Using phpMyAdmin to change WordPress theme
In this method, you can change the information in the database to let WordPress know that which theme is to be used. You will need the theme, that you are switching to, to be preinstalled on your website. But in case it isn’t, then you can install the theme manually by FTP. Once done, follow the following steps.
First of all, you need to open your FTP client which will help you in connecting to your website. Then you have to navigate to the /wp-content/themes/ folder. Once you have opened this folder you will see all the installed themes. Then make a note of the name of the folder of the theme that is to be installed.
Now you will have to find the phpMyAdmin option under the database section in the cPanel dashboard of your WordPress hosting account. Then click on the phpMyAdmin option.
The previous step will take you to phpMyAdmin where you will find a list. This list will be the list of databases which will be displayed on the left side under the phpMyAdmin logo. You need to look for the database, that you are using for this site, from this list. Once you have found it, click on it.
Clicking on your database will display all the tables present in it. You will have to find the ‘wp_options’ table. Once found, click on it.
If someone has changed the database prefix then you will see something else instead of the default WordPress prefix, i.e., wp_.
This will open the table. In the table, you will have to find the ‘template’ and ‘stylesheet’ rows and then click on the button in the extreme left that reads ‘Edit’.
Once you have clicked on the ‘Edit’ button, a row editor will open up. You have to alter the value of the option_value field to the theme that you wish to use on your website.
Once you are done editing, click on the ‘Go’ button. This will save your changes.
You have got to repeat the same process with the stylesheet row. After doing all this you theme will be activated on your website.
Now all you have got to do is to visit your website and test the theme.
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