Import, activate and edit forum styles

Where: Admin → System → Appearance → Themes

Before you start

A child inherits unspecified parent values. Tick Inherit to leave a property unset; its adjacent value is ignored. Template regions use their custom body only when Customize is ticked and the body is nonempty. Find/replace modifications run after template resolution; “No match” means a rule no longer matches current markup.

Step by step

Import the vendor XML or supported ZIP and review Available in style chooser / Set as board default.
Activate the intended default separately; existing-style imports preserve availability.
For a stock style choose Duplicate/Create child style rather than editing the read-only original.
Open the editable style and adjust Colour scheme, Style properties, Templates, Modifications or Tokens & CSS. Save style.
Configure the footer visitor chooser and offered styles, then Save chooser.

Settings and behaviour

Custom tokens only affect the page when something reads them. Export before major changes. Commercial styles require a verifying theme licence; its scope is separate from an addon licence. A visitor’s chosen style does not change your default.

Check the result

Compare public guest/member views, chooser, mobile layout, editor/dropdown controls and addon placement hooks.

Common questions and troubleshooting

Edit appears ineffective: verify editable style, active default and personal choice. Property ignored: check Inherit/parent chain. Modification stopped: inspect No match and the current template.