Templates control the layout of pages and posts. Change a template when you want a new structure, not just a colour tweak.
1. Open Templates
Log in, open your website, then go to Customise Website.
Click Templates.
2. Pick the template type
Use the side menu:
Page Templates for normal pages
Post Templates for blog posts and guides
Error Page Templates for the 404 page
Base Template for the shared header and footer
3. Review the current template
Open the type you need and look at the template in use.
Preview a live page that uses it before you change anything.
4. Apply or edit
Select the template that matches the content.
Keep similar pages on the same template so the site feels consistent.
If you only need a colour change, use How to Change Your Website Appearance instead.
5. Understand template ownership
| Template type | What it owns | Where it applies |
|---|---|---|
| Base | Shared shell such as the site header and footer. | Inherited by page, post, and error templates. |
| Page | Page-owned content regions such as the body. | Selected on individual normal pages. |
| Post | The single-post article layout that renders the current post title, metadata, image, and body. | Used when visitors open an individual blog post or guide. |
| Error page | The content shown when a route cannot be found. | Used as the website-wide 404 experience. |
Child templates inherit the base shell. Keep shared navigation and the footer in the base template once; do not copy them into every page or post template.
6. Apply a template at the right scope
To change one normal page, open that page and select the appropriate page template. This changes that page without replacing the shared base shell.
To change how every individual post is displayed, update the website’s active post-view template. To change the 404 page, select an error-page template. Edit the base only when the header, footer, or another truly shared region should change everywhere.
Switching a template changes layout ownership, not the post or page text itself. Preview a representative item before publishing because a new template may expect different sections or component fields.
7. Check before switching
- Confirm the template type matches the content type.
- Make sure required body sections contain a component.
- Keep shared header and footer components in the base.
- Preview a page with real content, a featured image, and a long title.
- Check desktop and mobile before publishing.
8. Publish and check
Click Publish.
Check the header, footer, and a few key pages on desktop and mobile.
Pro-Tip
Update the base template when you want the header or footer to change everywhere. Do not copy the header onto every child template.