After updating the theme, layout breaks or the site crashes.
Theme Update Breaks Site
Key Points: Updating a theme can override custom changes, remove options, or introduce incompatibilities.
You clicked “Update” and — boom. Layout shattered, colors gone, maybe even a fatal error. It worked yesterday. What changed? The theme updated, and it didn’t play nice.
💣 Common Reasons
- Direct modifications to theme files (instead of using a child theme)
- Theme now requires newer PHP or WordPress version
- Custom code no longer compatible with new layout
🛠️ Rollback Strategy
- Use a backup to restore the previous version
- Or install a plugin like WP Rollback to revert the update
- If using a child theme — check for changes in parent theme structure
🧠 Tip
Always use a staging site to test updates before applying them to production. And never edit parent theme files directly.