How to Install a Blogger Template: Step-by-Step Guide (2026)

Installing a custom Blogger template is one of the easiest ways to completely change the design and functionality of your Blogger or Blogspot website.

Blogger templates are normally provided as XML files. Once installed, a custom theme can change your homepage, navigation, post layout, widgets, colors, typography and mobile design.

In this guide, you will learn how to install a Blogger template step by step, including how to back up your existing theme, upload an XML template, use the Edit HTML method when an upload fails, and fix common Blogger theme installation problems.

What Do You Need to Install a Blogger Template?

Before starting, make sure you have:

Access to your Blogger dashboard.
A Blogger-compatible template.
The template's .xml file.
A backup of your current Blogger theme.

Premium and free Blogger templates are often downloaded as a ZIP file containing the XML theme, documentation, images or other supporting files.

If your download is compressed, extract the ZIP file first and locate the main Blogger template file ending in:

.xml

Do not try to upload the entire ZIP file into Blogger.

How to install a Blogger template using XML upload and Edit HTML

Step 1: Back Up Your Current Blogger Theme

Always back up your existing theme before installing a new Blogger template.

This allows you to restore your previous design if something goes wrong.

Sign in to Blogger.
Select the blog you want to update.
Open Theme from the left menu.
Click the drop-down arrow next to Customize.
Select Backup.
Click Download.

Save the downloaded XML file somewhere safe on your computer.

Note: A theme backup saves your design and template code. It is different from backing up your posts, pages and comments.

Step 2: Install the Blogger Template Using XML Upload

The simplest way to install a valid Blogger XML theme is through the Theme section.

Open your Blogger dashboard.
Select your blog.
Go to Theme.
Click the drop-down arrow next to Customize.
Select Restore.
Click Upload.
Select the Blogger template XML file from your computer.

For example:

your-template-name.xml

After Blogger accepts the file, open your website and check the new design.

Step 3: Install a Blogger Template Using Edit HTML

Some third-party Blogger templates may fail to upload through Restore. In that situation, you can install the XML code manually through Edit HTML.

This method is also useful when the theme developer specifically recommends copying the template code instead of uploading the XML file.

Locate the Blogger template XML file on your computer.
Open it using a text editor such as Notepad.
Select all template code using Ctrl + A.
Copy it using Ctrl + C.
Go to Blogger → Theme.
Open the drop-down menu beside Customize.
Select Edit HTML.
Select all of the existing Blogger theme code.
Paste the new XML template code.
Click Save.

After saving, refresh your website and confirm that the new Blogger template loads correctly.

XML Upload vs Edit HTML: Which Method Should You Use?

Method	Best For
Restore / XML Upload	Quickly uploading a valid Blogger XML theme or restoring a theme backup
Edit HTML	Third-party templates, manual installation or XML files rejected by Restore

For most users, try the Restore / Upload method first. If Blogger rejects a valid third-party template or the template developer instructs you otherwise, use Edit HTML.

Step 4: Check the Blogger Mobile Theme

After installing a custom theme, test your website on both desktop and mobile devices.

Many modern third-party Blogger templates are fully responsive and are designed to use the same responsive layout across screen sizes.

If your template documentation specifically requires a Blogger mobile-theme setting, open:

Blogger → Theme → Drop-down Menu → Mobile Settings

Then select the mobile option recommended by the template developer, such as Custom or the responsive desktop theme configuration.

Do not change the mobile setting blindly. Different Blogger templates can handle mobile layouts differently.

Step 5: Customize the New Blogger Template

Installing the XML file only installs the theme structure. You may still need to configure menus, widgets, homepage sections, social links and other template options.

After installation, check:

Logo and site branding
Navigation menus
Homepage sections
Sidebar widgets
Footer links
Social profiles
Colors and fonts
Post layouts
Mobile responsiveness

Many template settings can be managed through:

Blogger → Layout

or:

Blogger → Theme → Customize

For templates from BloggerTheme9, follow the specific setup documentation supplied for that template because available sections and configuration options can differ.

What to Do If a Blogger Template Will Not Upload

If Blogger rejects your XML template, check these common causes.

Make Sure You Are Uploading an XML File

A Blogger template should normally end in:

.xml

Do not upload ZIP, RAR, HTML, WordPress theme or unrelated files.

Extract the Downloaded ZIP File First

If your template comes inside a ZIP archive, extract it before looking for the Blogger XML file.

Try the Edit HTML Method

If the XML file is valid but Restore does not accept it, open the XML file in a text editor and install the complete code through Theme → Edit HTML.

Check Whether the Theme Is Made for Blogger

A WordPress, Shopify or ordinary HTML website theme cannot simply be uploaded to Blogger. The template must use Blogger-compatible XML and Blogger template markup.

What If Your Blog Looks Broken After Installing the Template?

If the layout is blank, broken or displays unexpected code, first avoid making multiple random changes.

Check:

Whether the correct XML file was installed.
Whether the entire template code was copied when using Edit HTML.
Whether the theme is compatible with Blogger.
Whether required template setup steps have been completed.

If necessary, restore the backup you created before installation:

Blogger → Theme → Restore → Upload Backup XML

This is why backing up the original theme before changing templates is important.

Will Installing a New Blogger Template Delete Your Posts?

Normally, installing a Blogger theme does not delete your published posts or pages. The template controls how the content is displayed rather than replacing the actual post database.

However, changing themes can affect widgets, layout configuration, custom theme code and design-specific settings.

For important websites, it is sensible to keep both a theme backup and a separate backup of your Blogger content before making major changes.

SEO Checks After Installing a Blogger Template

A new design should not only look good. It should also preserve important technical SEO elements.

After installing a Blogger template, check:

The homepage has one clear H1.
Post titles use the correct heading structure.
Canonical URLs are present.
The site works correctly on mobile.
Internal links still work.
Images remain responsive.
Important structured data is valid.
No unnecessary noindex directives were introduced.
HTTPS works correctly.

If you are also configuring your domain, follow our guide to adding a custom domain to Blogger.

If you are deciding whether to continue using Blogger or move to another platform, see our Blogger vs WordPress comparison.

Blogger Template Installation Checklist

Download the Blogger template.
Extract the ZIP file.
Locate the main XML theme file.
Back up your current Blogger theme.
Upload the new XML through Restore.
Use Edit HTML if the XML upload fails.
Check the desktop and mobile layouts.
Configure menus, widgets and homepage sections.
Test important pages and links.
Keep the original backup in a safe place.

Questions About Installing Blogger Templates

How do I install a Blogger template?

Go to Blogger → Theme, open the drop-down menu beside Customize, choose Restore and upload the Blogger XML template. Back up your existing theme before installing a new one.

What file format does a Blogger template use?

Blogger templates normally use XML files ending in .xml. If your template is supplied inside a ZIP archive, extract the ZIP file before uploading the XML theme.

Why won't my Blogger template upload?

The file may not be a valid Blogger XML theme, may still be inside a ZIP archive or may contain code Blogger cannot process through Restore. For a valid third-party template, you can also try installing the complete XML code through Theme → Edit HTML.

Will changing my Blogger template delete my posts?

Normally, no. Installing a new theme changes the design and template code rather than deleting your published posts and pages. However, widgets and theme-specific settings may change, so create a backup first.

How do I back up my Blogger theme?

Open Blogger → Theme, click the drop-down arrow beside Customize, select Backup and download the XML file to your computer.

Can I install a WordPress theme on Blogger?

No. WordPress and Blogger use different theme systems. A WordPress theme cannot be directly uploaded to Blogger unless it has been specifically rebuilt as a Blogger-compatible XML template.

Can I restore my old Blogger template?

Yes. If you downloaded a backup before changing themes, go to Theme → Restore and upload the saved Blogger XML backup file.

Final Steps After Installing a Blogger Template

Once the new template is installed, do not stop at the homepage. Test several posts, pages and screen sizes to make sure everything works correctly.

Then customize your navigation, widgets, branding and template-specific options according to the theme documentation.

The safest installation process is simple: back up your old theme, install the correct Blogger XML file, test the website and keep the backup until the new template is fully configured.