Create a template

You can design and apply a new template to specific pages or posts on sites using a block theme. In this guide, you will learn how to create a new template.

Create a new template when you want a custom reusable template that you can apply to multiple pages or posts. If you want to create a copy of an existing template and modify that one instead, follow the steps to duplicate a template.

To create a new custom template, take the following steps:

1. Visit your site’s dashboard.
2. Navigate to Appearance → Editor.
3. Click on the Templates option in the left sidebar.
4. Click the “Add Template” button at the top right to create a new template.
5. You can select a specific purpose for the new template or select the “Custom template” option at the bottom to create a template that you can apply to any page or post:

6. Give your template a name and click the Create button.
7. Choose an existing pattern or click the Skip option to start with a blank template.
8. Click the + block inserter icon to insert any blocks or patterns you wish to have in your template.
   • Make sure the Content block is part of the template so that the template will include the individual page/post content you add later.
9. Once you have finalized your design, click the Save button to make your template available on the site.

Learn how to apply the template you created to specific pages or posts.

When creating a new template in the Site Editor, you can select what the new template should apply to, which will create a template to be used for that purpose only:

The templates you can create are:

• Front Page: To use as your site’s homepage.
• Pages: To apply to a specific page on your site.
• Author Archives: To apply to posts by a specific author (or as the default template for all authors if not already set by the theme).
• Category Archives: To apply to posts with a specific category (or as the default template for all categories if not already set by the theme).
• Date Archives: To apply to pages that display posts by date.
• Tag Archives: To apply to pages that display posts by tag.
• Archive: Project: To apply to pages that display a collection of projects.
• Archive: Testimonial: To apply to pages that display a collection of testimonials.
• Single item: Post: To apply to a specific post on your site (or as the default template for all posts if not already set by the theme).
• Custom Template: A template that you can apply to any post or page.

Plugins installed on the site may add additional template types, such as product templates in WooCommerce.

If you’re already editing a page or post and want to create a custom template for it right away, you can create a new template directly from the page editor. Once you save the template, you will be able to use the template on other pages or posts.

Follow these steps to create a new template in the page editor:

1. In the page settings sidebar, click the template name, then select the “Create new template” option.

2. Give your new template a descriptive name, such as “Post with sidebar”, and click the “Create” button.
3. You can now edit the structure in which your page is displayed.
   • Make sure to include a Content block so that the template will include the individual page/post content.
4. When you’re done, click the Save button in the top-right corner to save your new template.

You can create a new template by copying the design and layout from an existing template. To create a new template by copying an existing one, follow these steps:

1. From your site’s dashboard, go to Appearance → Editor and select Templates in the left sidebar.
2. Click the thumbnail image of the template you want to copy to open it for editing.
3. Click the ellipses menu (⋮) at the top-right and select “Copy all blocks“.

4. Click the site icon at the top left to return to the Templates panel.
5. Click “Add Template“, and choose “Custom template“.
6. Give your template a name, then click the Create button. If prompted to select a pattern, click the Skip link.
7. Click inside the new template’s editing area and paste the copied blocks with Ctrl+V (Windows) or Cmd+V (Mac).
8. Make any changes you want, then click the Save button.

Learn how to apply the template you created to specific pages or posts.