Use a WordPress Theme Switcher to Quicky Change Site Designs
Last Updated May 22, 2023
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One of the biggest advantages of WordPress over other content management systems is its theme feature. You can change the entire look and feel of your site by using a different theme at any time you want. Traditionally, you would find your new theme and set it as the active one and move on with your life. Of course, many site owners and developers want more robust options. Thankfully, there are a couple of WordPress theme switcher plugins we recommend.
Each of these plugins works slightly differently. The first is geared toward your website visitors. It adjusts your site’s active theme based on the device your reader is using. The second plugin is built for developers and site admins who want to quickly and easily preview themes. It’s ideal for people working with clients as they build a new WordPress site.
Let’s take a closer look at each of these plugins.
Popular WordPress Theme Switcher Plugins
These WordPress theme switcher plugins are available for download from WordPress.org. Simply visit the plugin repository and download the plugin file to your machine. Upload it via the WordPress admin and you’ll be ready to go.
For less technical site owners, you can always install and activate free plugins from the WordPress admin. We recommend this route if you aren’t comfortable with things like .zip files.
We’ve provided brief summaries of each of these plugins to give you a better idea of what they have to offer. These plugins are 100% free with no premium or paid variations. That’s pretty rare in the WordPress community so we thought it was worth pointing out before we got started.
Multi Device Switcher
Multi Device Switcher is a WordPress theme switcher plugin that changes your site to a separate theme based on whatever device the viewer is using. Whether it be by mobile, tablet, computer, and more, the plugin will detect if the site is being viewed via UserAgent and switch the theme appropriately.
Every device can be added to the plugin and the content of posts and pages may be switched for each device using the Display Switcher shortcode. You can disable the switching of themes for individual URLs by using the Disable Switcher. Finally, site owners can disable the switching from happening on individual pages and posts.
Plugin Details
This plugin was originally released by its owner in January of 2012. It is now on version 1.8.5 and last underwent an update on August 23rd, 2024. The newest update operates on WordPress 6.6.2 and requires at least PHP 5.6 to work on your server. This plugin is actively functioning on over 20,000 WordPress websites. It has had over 279,070 downloads. There have not been many assistance requests from end-users. Reviews for this plugin are very positive. Many of the end-users who left an evaluation found this plugin to be useful.
Theme Switcha
Theme Switcha is a plugin that gives your visitors the power to switch between multiple themes. It also allows you to privately preview any theme you wish from the front end while working on your site from behind the scenes.
You can control who has the ability to switch themes so it’s not available as an option to everyone. Admins can switch them directly via the WordPress admin area. Preview links can be sent to clients through a passkey and you can customize that passkey code. Enable and disable theme previews and theme switching in the admin area without deactivating the plugin.
The UI of Theme Switcha is simple. It includes screenshots of the themes to make working with individual themes easier. The plugin is lightweight, easy to use, and compatible with any theme, Gutenberg Block Editor, and WP Multisite.
Plugin Details
This piece of software was originally released by its creator in September of 2016. It is now on version 3.3.5 and last experienced a revision on October 15th, 2024. The latest version operates on WordPress 6.7.1 and requires at least PHP 5.6.20 to work on your server. This plugin is presently running on over 6,000 WordPress websites. It has had over 170,300 downloads. There have not been many help requests from end-users. Reviews for Theme Switcha – Easily Switch Themes for Development and Testing are very positive. Many of the end-users who left a piece of feedback found this plugin to be great.
Find the Best WordPress Theme Switcher Plugin
The power of WordPress is in plugins and themes and these two pieces of software do a great job of showcasing that. Each is unique from the other which is why we felt it was worth profiling them. They are the two main WordPress theme switcher plugins we recommend. One is devoted to the visitor experience while the other is focused more on admin and client-side solutions.
Many WordPress developers and agencies deal with a lot of back and forth with clients over theme issues. It’s highly likely if that’s a situation you deal with regularly, that one or both of these plugins will make your life easier.
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