Installing a new WordPress theme is exciting because it gives your website a fresh design and layout. But sometimes, after installing a theme, you may notice that the homepage doesn’t display as expected it might look blank, show the default blog posts, or not match the demo layout you saw before installing the theme.
This is a common issue, and the good news is that it’s easy to fix. In this guide, we’ll explain why this happens and walk you through step-by-step solutions to make your homepage display correctly.
Why the Homepage Doesn’t Show After Installing a Theme
When you install a new WordPress theme, WordPress may still use its default homepage settings. Some common reasons why the homepage doesn’t show correctly include:
- Homepage is set to display latest posts instead of a static page
- Demo content is not imported yet
- Theme-specific homepage settings are not configured
- Caching issues are causing an old version of the page to load
- Missing page builder plugins required by the theme
Understanding these reasons will help you fix the problem quickly.
Step 1: Check Your Homepage Settings
The most common reason is that WordPress is still set to display blog posts as your homepage. Here’s how to fix it:
- Log in to your WordPress Dashboard
- Go to Settings → Reading
- Under Your homepage displays, choose A static page
- Select the page you want to use as the homepage from the dropdown menu
- Click Save Changes
Visit your site and check if the homepage is now displaying correctly.
Step 2: Create a Homepage (If Not Available)
If your theme did not create a homepage automatically:
- Go to Pages → Add New
- Name it Home (or anything you like)
- Publish the page
- Go back to Settings → Reading and set this new page as your homepage
This ensures WordPress knows which page to display as the front page.
Step 3: Import Demo Content
Many premium themes come with demo content to help you set up your website exactly like the demo you saw before purchasing.
- Go to Appearance → Import Demo Data or check your theme’s documentation
- Import the demo content to set up the homepage, menus, and widgets automatically
- Refresh your site to check if the homepage now looks like the theme demo
Step 4: Install Required Plugins
Some themes depend on page builder plugins like Elementor, WPBakery, or Gutenberg blocks to display the homepage layout correctly.
- Go to Appearance → Install Plugins
- Install and activate all the recommended plugins
- Edit your homepage and check if the design elements appear
Step 5: Clear Cache
If you are using a caching plugin or your host has server-level caching, the old version of your site might still be showing.
- Clear your website cache from the plugin settings
- Clear your browser cache or open the site in incognito mode
Step 6: Check Theme Settings
Some themes have a dedicated panel for homepage settings.
- Go to Appearance → Customize
- Look for Homepage Settings or Theme Options
- Select the homepage layout you want and save
Most modern themes offer multiple homepage layout options in the customizer.
Step 7: Troubleshoot Conflicts
If the homepage still doesn’t display properly:
- Deactivate all plugins temporarily and check if the homepage works
- Reactivate plugins one by one to find the conflicting plugin
- Update WordPress, your theme, and all plugins to the latest versions
Final Tips
Always back up your site before making major changes. Read your theme’s documentation carefully most common issues are already explained there. If you are still stuck, reach out to your theme developer’s support team for guidance.
Conclusion
Having a blank or incorrect homepage after installing a WordPress theme can be frustrating, but the solution is usually simple. By setting a static homepage, importing demo content, installing required plugins, and clearing the cache, you can get your site looking exactly as you want. Following these steps will ensure your WordPress website is ready to impress visitors with a beautiful, functional homepage.
