How to Update Themes

3 min read Last updated Mar 24, 2026 1 views

Overview

Themes in Larapen are versioned independently and can receive updates with layout improvements, new features, bug fixes, and compatibility patches. Theme files are located in the extensions/themes/ directory.

Step-by-step theme update process

Step 1: Create a backup

Create a full backup before updating, especially if you have made customizations to theme files. See our Backup Before Updating article.

Custom theme modifications: If you have directly edited theme files (views, CSS, JavaScript), those changes will be overwritten when you upload the new version. Before updating, note which files you modified so you can re-apply your changes after the update.

Step 2: Download and upload the new theme files

Download the latest theme package (from CodeCanyon or the Larapen release archive).
Extract the ZIP file.
Locate the theme folder. Themes reside in extensions/themes/. For example:
- Default theme: extensions/themes/default/
- Creative theme: extensions/themes/creative/
- Elegant theme: extensions/themes/elegant/
- Technology theme: extensions/themes/technology/
Upload and overwrite the theme folder on your server.

Step 3: Run the update from the admin panel

Log into your admin panel.
If theme updates are detected, the System Update page will list them.
Click "Update" next to the theme you want to update.
Wait for the process to complete.

Step 4: Rebuild theme assets

After updating a theme, you may need to rebuild its compiled assets (CSS/JS):

Go to Appearance → Themes in the admin panel.
Click "Build" next to the updated theme, or click "Build All" to rebuild all themes.
This recompiles SCSS files and regenerates the optimized CSS and JavaScript bundles.

Step 5: Verify

Visit your website's front-end and check that pages display correctly.
Test on mobile devices or resize your browser to verify responsive layouts.
Check that your theme settings (colors, fonts, layout options) are preserved; the update process does not reset theme settings stored in the database.

Preserving custom theme modifications

If you have customized theme files, here are your options:

Option A: Child theme approach (recommended)

Create a child theme that inherits from the parent theme. Your customizations live in the child theme and are not affected by parent theme updates. Contact support for guidance on creating a child theme.

Option B: Re-apply changes after update

Before updating, create a diff or note your custom changes.
Update the theme files.
Manually re-apply your customizations to the new files.

Option C: Use theme settings

Whenever possible, use the admin Theme Settings panel to customize colors, fonts, and layout options instead of editing theme files directly. These settings are stored in the database and survive theme file updates.

Tip: Theme settings (configured in the admin panel under Appearance → Theme Settings) are always preserved during updates because they are stored in the database, not in theme files.