Beginner's Guide for WordPress / Start your WordPress Blog in minutes

How to Easily Create a Custom WordPress Theme (Without Any Code)

Do you want to create a custom WordPress theme from scratch?

In the past, you had to follow complicated WordPress tutorials and have decent coding knowledge to build a custom WordPress theme. But thanks to new WordPress theme builders, now you can easily make one without learning any programming skills.

In this article, we’ll show you how to easily create a custom WordPress theme without writing any code.

Making a custom WordPress theme without any coding skills

Here is the list of topics we’ll cover in this article.

Ready? Let’s get started.

Video Tutorial

Subscribe to WPBeginner

If you’d prefer written instructions, just keep reading.

Creating a Custom WordPress Theme for Beginners

A WordPress website uses a theme for website layout and design. These themes are made up of template files written in PHP, HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.

Typically, you would need to have a decent understanding of all these web design languages or hire a web developer to create a custom WordPress theme.

If you hired a developer or agency, then the cost of a custom WordPress theme can reach thousands of dollars.

Since many small business owners couldn’t afford the high costs of a custom WordPress theme, a lot of them just settle for default themes. Those who didn’t want to settle either used a WordPress page builder or a theme framework to build a custom theme.

While WordPress theme frameworks made building a WordPress theme easier, they are a solution for developers, not an average website owner.

On the other hand, WordPress page builder plugins made it super easy to create custom page layouts using a drag & drop interface, but they were limited to single page layouts only. You couldn’t build custom themes with them.

This is where SeedProd comes in.

It is the best WordPress theme builder plugin that allows you to easily create a custom WordPress theme without writing any code.

SeedProd drag and drop WordPress theme builder

SeedProd is a drag and drop WordPress page builder for businesses, bloggers, and website owners. It also now comes with a new custom theme designer that allows you to just point and click to edit any element.

You can also add commonly used design elements to your theme with drag and drop.

The best thing about SeedProd theme builder is that it is theme agnostic. That means that it doesn’t rely on your existing WordPress theme for style or functionality, giving you complete freedom and control over your website design.

If you’re looking for an alternative, you can also easily create a custom WordPress theme with the Thrive Theme Builder plugin.

That being said, let’s take a look at how to create your custom WordPress theme without writing any code using SeedProd.

Creating a Custom Theme with SeedProd Theme Builder

Setting up the SeedProd theme builder is quite straightforward, since it works with any WordPress website using any theme.

First you need to install and activate the SeedProd plugin. For more details, see our step by step guide on how to install a WordPress plugin.

Note: You’ll need at least the Pro or Elite plan to unlock the theme builder.

Upon activation, go to the SeedProd » Settings page to enter your plugin license key. You can find this information under your account on the SeedProd website.

Enter your SeedProd license key

After entering your license key, you are now ready to create your custom WordPress theme using the SeedProd theme builder.

Making your own custom WordPress theme with SeedProd is quite simple.

First, you need to head over to the SeedProd » Theme Builder page. Here, you’ll see the list of templates for your current SeedProd custom theme. Since we haven’t started yet, we only have a Global CSS template. We’ll show you how to use this later in the tutorial.

Create your custom theme

To get started, you have two options.

  • Use one of the ready-made SeedProd themes as a starting point
  • Manually create theme templates from scratch

Let’s take a look at how these options work.

1. Starting With a Ready-Made Theme (Recommended)

We recommend starting with an existing theme. This allows SeedProd to automatically generate all the template files. These are complete professionally-designed themes, which gives you a head start in editing the templates to your own requirements.

Simply click on the Themes button and choose one of the available themes. There are different themes for different type of websites, so you can choose one that best matches your needs.

Choose a theme to get started

Don’t worry too much about design and layout at this point. All of these themes are fully editable, so you can change every aspect of it inside the theme builder.

Once you have chosen a theme, SeedProd will generate all the theme templates.

Theme templates

This is the draft version of your custom WordPress theme.

Later in this tutorial, we’ll show you how to edit these theme files to design your theme and then publish your theme to apply it on your website.

2. Manually Create Theme Templates From Scratch

Alternately, you can start your theme from scratch by clicking on the ‘Add New Theme Template’ button. You’ll have to give your template a name and then choose one of the template types to get started.

Create a theme template

Currently, you have the option to choose from the following template types:

You can also set conditions for using a template. For instance, you can apply it to the entire site or a specific section of your website.

Once you save the template, SeedProd will open it in the theme builder where you can start editing it.

Editing a Theme with SeedProd Theme Builder

Once you have generated your theme templates, you can edit them using the SeedProd Theme Builder.

Simply click on the Edit Design link below a template file to edit it.

Editing a template

This will launch the template file in SeedProd theme builder.

You’ll see a live preview of the template in the right column with an editing panel in the left column.

Theme builder interface

To change an item in your template file, you can simply point and click to edit it.

Editing items in Theme builder

Depending on the item type, you’ll see different editing options in the left column. You’ll be able to change fonts, colors, background, spacing, and more.

To add new items, you can add SeedProd blocks from the left column. It comes with a bunch of block types that you can add to your template.

Add blocks to your theme layout

1. Template Tag Blocks

Template tag blocks are the dynamic blocks that allow you to generate theme elements on the fly from your WordPress database.

Template tag blocks

For instance, you can use the Posts block to list your recent posts or Post Content block to display the contents of the post or page currently displayed.

2. Standard Blocks

Next, you have your standard blocks to add common web design elements to your theme’s template.

Standard blocks

You can use them to add text, media, buttons, columns, dividers, and more.

3. Other Blocks

Other advanced blocks allow you to add contact forms, social profiles, sharing buttons, WordPress shortcodes, Google Maps, pricing lists, countdown timers, and more.

Advanced blocks

SeedProd also comes with full WooCommerce integration.

If you run an online store, then you can use WooCommerce blocks in your theme.

WooCommerce blocks

You can create completely custom WooCommerce templates with a custom cart page and check out experience.

Using Sections For Quick Theme Layouts

Apart from blocks, you can also add complete sections to your theme template.

Simply switch to the Sections tab under the Design panel.

Adding sections to your layout

Sections are group of blocks for different areas of website design. For instance, you will find ready to use sections for your header, footer, calls to action, features, and more.

Simply click on a section to add it to your theme template, and then edit it to your own requirements.

FAQs section

Saving and Publishing Your Template

Once you are satisfied with the design, you can simply click on the Save button and select Publish to save your template.

Save and publish your template

Repeat the process to edit other template files with your own content and design needs.

Changing the Site-Wide Design for Your Theme

While editing your theme templates, you would want to make sure that your design is consistent across your website.

For instance, you’d likely want to use the same typography style, font sizes, colors, and other visual styles on every page.

In traditional WordPress themes, you had to do it manually by editing complex CSS files. This process required using a browser’s Inspect tool, locating CSS classes, learning code, and more.

SeedProd makes this super easy as well.

Instead of writing CSS code, you can simply edit the Global CSS template.

The Global CSS template allows you to preview common website elements, and then you can just point and click on them to edit their properties.

Global CSS

Applying and Publishing Your Custom WordPress Theme

Once you are satisfied with your custom WordPress theme, the final step is to activate it on your WordPress website.

SeedProd allows you to apply your custom WordPress theme with a simple switch.

Simply go to the SeedProd » Theme Builder page and toggle the switch next to the ‘Enable SeedProd Theme’ option to ‘Yes’.

Enable SeedProd theme

SeedProd will now replace the existing WordPress theme with the custom WordPress theme that you have made.

You can now visit your website to see your custom WordPress theme in action.

Website preview

Creating Other Layouts for Your Custom WordPress Theme

Now that you have created your custom WordPress theme, you have the option to extend its functionality and create more designs and layouts based on your theme.

SeedProd makes that extremely easy.

You can still tweak your custom WordPress theme and create multiple templates for different sections of your website.

For instance, you may want to add a new header template to your theme that is only displayed on specific categories.

Additional templates

Similarly, you may want to create a template for specific pages or posts.

You can add that to your theme too.

Add custom page template

How about creating custom landing pages?

SeedProd has got you covered there as well.

You can simply go to SeedProd » Landing Pages and click on Add New Landing Page button to create one.

Custom landing page

For more details, see our tutorial on how to create a landing page with WordPress.

By using SeedProd’s beginner-friendly drag and drop theme builder, you can easily create any type of custom layout you need.

We hope this article helped you learn how to create a custom WordPress theme without learning to code. You may also want to see our guide on how to speed up your WordPress website for better SEO and user experience, or our picks of the best WordPress analytics solutions.

If you liked this article, then please subscribe to our YouTube Channel for WordPress video tutorials. You can also find us on Twitter and Facebook.

Disclosure: Our content is reader-supported. This means if you click on some of our links, then we may earn a commission. See how WPBeginner is funded, why it matters, and how you can support us. Here's our editorial process.

The Ultimate WordPress Toolkit

Get FREE access to our toolkit - a collection of WordPress related products and resources that every professional should have!

Reader Interactions

42 CommentsLeave a Reply

  1. Hey WPBeginner readers,
    Did you know you can win exciting prizes by commenting on WPBeginner?
    Every month, our top blog commenters will win HUGE rewards, including premium WordPress plugin licenses and cash prizes.
    You can get more details about the contest from here.
    Start sharing your thoughts below to stand a chance to win!

    • You would want to manually code a theme instead of using this method if you wanted to sell a theme.

      Admin

    • While you don’t need the Beaver Themer at the moment, you can use Beaver Builder for creating a landing page

      Admin

  2. Thanks for the tutorial. Quick question : can I also re-add my side bars after building a new costum theme with beaver. If so how can I do that Pls.

    • It differs based on what it edits, Beaver Builder is for editing the content area while Beaver Themer is for locations other than the content area

      Admin

    • At the moment, it would require Beaver Builder to work on other sites as well.

      Admin

  3. Bit of a newbie question ..what happens to all my existing content as in pages and widgets (currently using the Asta theme) etc whilst I’m doing this or am I first building a separate website first inside wordpress and if so how then do I transfer it over?
    Thanks

    • Your posts and pages would remain, you would normally need to readd the widgets for the new widget areas :)

      Admin

  4. Haven’t tried Beaver builder, but does it work like divi? Are they similar? If it is, then I’d say so far, no matter what kind of theme, I haven’t found a theme that will give a total 0% coding.

    Yes it is possible to build a page or a theme with 0% coding. BUT, normally there are features that a theme does not posses but the client would require for his site and therefore would need to code.

    • If you visit the Beaver Builder site there is the option for you to try the live demo to see how it works :)

      Admin

  5. Hello,
    I am a newbie and a fan of WP Beginner site. I don’t know any code, so this post is an eye opener for me!

    A quick question- I have been trying to get a handle on Generate Press. It seems to me that I need to learn some coding to play with the layout or create buttons. Do you have any advice for me?

    Thank you for helping WP Beginner community!
    Best.

    • If you go to the Generate Press site, they have a documentation page to help you for a starting point for their plugin.

      Admin

  6. currently i am using Adobe Muse to build multiple client websites, because it is fast and easy, and wysiwyg.
    but, Adobe has killed it. I need to convert ALL of my client sites over to another software. my hosting has C-panel, so I can get wordpress app and publish on the domains.
    will this process let me recreate the designs I have already built that the customers want, and how complex can a site get using this?

    i play in WordPress, i don’t WORK in WP.

    • You would want to reach out to Beaver Builder’s support for specifics on the design depending you your needs :)

      Admin

  7. Another great post! Thank you.

    Just wondering why WPBeginner always seems to avoid Elementor?

    Building a theme with Elementor is very similar to building it with Beaver Builder, but Elementor is quicker and you have way more options with styling and elements/modules.

    Love your content!

    • Elementor pro not being GPL compliant is one of the larger concerns with recommending it depending on the use case for the user.

      Admin

  8. Thanks for teach me about this plugin which is very helpful for me. This web is very helpful for me. Thanks again

  9. I’m considering taking on a project migrating a site from WordPress.com to the self-hosted version and to use Divi to overhaul it.

    Following on from reading your article on best WordPress page builders, what would you recommend Beaver Builder or Divi?

    With Divi, you get a range of themes and plugins from ElegantThemes but I’ve read negative reviews about theme lock-in and being too restrictive. Have you any personal experience with it?

    With Beaver Builder, it seems the page builder functionality is spot on though it seems more complex with all the options spread throughout multiple pages and you don’t get any themes or plugins with the subscription.

    • Both are excellent options, and they’re in our top 5.

      The Divi Page Builder plugin works with other themes as well, so you’re not locked in with ElegantThemes. However as with any theme, if you do switch from one theme to another, you may lose certain features. But that’s why you have to make sure the new theme has comparable feature set.

      As long as you’re using the Divi Page Builder plugin, you’ll retain the drag & drop features.

      The benefit of Divi is the added themes / layouts that ElegantThemes offer. However the benefit of Beaver Builder is the advanced customization options.

      Admin

      • Not to mention the fact Beaver Builder doesn’t use shortcodes to populate the content areas.

        • Is not using short codes to populate content is a good thing? Be gentle, I’m a newbie :)

        • @Chris Nieass, yes not using shortcodes is a great bonus of Beaver. Just occasionally even in the best of installations, a page builder like Divi or Beaver breaks. When Divi breaks you end up with page content which looks dead ugly with shortcodes rendered literally all over the page. If the same was to happen to Beaver, you just get your content stacked and readable in series of blocks down the page instead of pretty columns.

          Divi is for designers who love its easy to use colourful interface and the fact that all their mates use it. Beaver is for people who care about how well the site runs, ease of deeper customisations etc etc

Leave A Reply

Thanks for choosing to leave a comment. Please keep in mind that all comments are moderated according to our comment policy, and your email address will NOT be published. Please Do NOT use keywords in the name field. Let's have a personal and meaningful conversation.