How to Create a Child Theme in WordPress (2025 Beginner-Friendly Guide)

Why You Need a Child Theme in WordPress

Making changes directly to a WordPress theme might seem convenient, but those changes disappear the moment the theme is updated. That’s where a child theme comes in.

A child theme lets you customize your site — CSS, functions, layouts — without touching the parent theme’s core files. It’s a must-have for any serious WordPress user.

In this guide by Muhammad Tanzeel Ur Rehman from MT Web Experts, you’ll learn how to create, activate, and edit a child theme the right way — even if you’re not a developer.

Also Read: How to Duplicate a Page in WordPress

What Is a Child Theme in WordPress?

A child theme inherits all the features, functionality, and design of another theme — called the parent theme while allowing you to make your own edits.

It consists of a few core files (style.css, functions.php) and can grow to include templates, JavaScript, or even new layouts.

When Should You Use a Child Theme?

• When you want to customize a theme without losing changes after an update
• When using a framework theme like Astra, GeneratePress, or Hello Elementor
• When making layout changes, editing templates, or adding functions

Not needed for basic CSS tweaks — use the Customizer > Additional CSS for that

Step-by-Step: How to Create a Child Theme in WordPress

Step 1: Create a Folder for Your Child Theme

1. Connect to your site via FTP or your hosting file manager
2. Go to: /wp-content/themes/
3. Create a new folder, e.g., twentytwentyfour-child

Step 2: Create a style.css File

Inside your new folder, create a file called style.css and add:

/*
Theme Name: Twenty Twenty-Four Child
Template: twentytwentyfour
Version: 1.0
*/

Replace twentytwentyfour with your parent theme’s folder name exactly.

Step 3: Create a functions.php File

Also inside the child theme folder, create a file named functions.php. Add:

<?php
function mt_enqueue_styles() {
  wp_enqueue_style('parent-style', get_template_directory_uri() . '/style.css');
}
add_action('wp_enqueue_scripts', 'mt_enqueue_styles');

This loads the parent theme’s styles.

Step 4: Activate the Child Theme

1. Go to Appearance > Themes
2. Locate your new child theme
3. Click Activate

Your site will now look exactly like the parent theme, but you can safely begin customization.

Bonus: Add Custom CSS or Override Template Files

• Add custom CSS to your style.css
• Copy parent theme files (like header.php) into your child folder and modify them
• Add your own functions.php code for custom PHP logic

Want deeper integrations? Check our guide: How to Integrate ChatGPT into WordPress

Troubleshooting Tips

• Ensure folder and file names are spelled exactly right
• Clear your WordPress cache after activating the child theme
• If the parent theme is missing, your child theme won’t load

Final Thoughts

Creating a child theme in WordPress gives you the freedom to build the site you want — without breaking it during updates.

Whether you’re tweaking CSS, adding templates, or writing functions, a child theme is your safeguard.

Authored by Muhammad Tanzeel Ur Rehman, brought to you by MT Web Experts your go-to partner in WordPress development and smart integrations.

📩 Need help building or customizing themes? Contact MT Web Experts for professional WordPress services.