Right Way To Install the Genesis Framework and a Child Theme on WordPress

Installing the Genesis Framework and a Genesis Child theme: Genesis Framework is designed by the StudioPress team and they also offer lots of great child themes. Genesis Framework is a robust WordPress theme that allows another theme on top of it and acts as a framework. A child theme is a layer (mainly design parts of your site) sit on top of the Genesis Framework. Installing process of the Genesis Framework and a Genesis Child theme is slightly different than the general WordPress theme installation process. Therefore, if want to install the genesis framework and a child theme in your WordPress site, it is important for you to know the right installation process of the Genesis Framework and a Child theme. This article will drive you in the right direction for installing the Genesis Framework and a Genesis Child theme.

There are many ways to install a WordPress theme. You can either install it by using the WordPress dashboard or through the FTP. Here, we will show you how to install the Genesis Framework and a child theme using both WordPress admin dashboard and manually with FTP.

Important Note:

• You have to install the first ‘Genesis Framework’ and then the ‘Genesis Child theme’. Do not install the ‘Genesis Child theme’ before the ‘Genesis Framework’.
• You don’t have to activate the ‘Genesis Framework’. You have to only activate the ‘Genesis Child theme’.
• WordPress.com will not allow you to install the Genesis Framework and child theme. Only WordPress.org will allow you to install them.

Method 1: Installing the Genesis Framework Through the WordPress Dashboard

Step 1: Install the Genesis Framework

1. Before installing the ‘Genesis Framework’ and a ‘child theme’, you need to choose an appropriate Genesis child theme. Next, you need to download it including the ‘Genesis Framework’. Make sure downloaded files are in ZIP format. If files are not in the ZIP format, you have to convert them in the ZIP format and then follow the following steps.

2. Log in to your WordPress dashboard

3. Navigate to Appearance >> Themes.

4. Under the ‘Themes’ section, click on the ‘Add New’ button at the top of the page.

5. On the next screen click on the ‘Upload Theme’ button

6. Then click on the ‘Choose File’ button on the screen and select the downloaded ZIP file of the ‘Genesis Framework’ from your computer.

7. Upload the ZIP file of the ‘Genesis Framework’ from your computer.

8. Next click on the ‘Install Now’ button next to the ‘Choose File’ button.

9. Once the installation will finish, you will see three different options on the next screen.

• Live Preview: Using this option, you will able to preview your site before applying it
• Activate: It will activate your recently installed theme. Note that, you don’t need to activate the ‘Genesis Framework’. Only you have to install and activate the ‘Genesis child theme’ in step 2.
• Return to Themes page: It will take you to the WordPress theme installation page.

Click on the ‘Return to Themes page’ and then follow the next step to install the Genesis child theme.

Step 2: Install the Genesis Child theme

Installing the Genesis child theme follows the same process as the Genesis Framework.

1. Log in to your WordPress dashboard
2. Go to Appearance >> Themes
3. Click on the ‘Add New’ button at the top of the page
4. Click on the Upload Theme button
5. Click the Choose File button
6. Upload ZIP file of  ‘Genesis child theme’ from your computer to WordPress theme directory
7. Click on the ‘Install Now’ button next to ‘Choose File’ button

Step 3: Activate the Genesis Child Theme, Not Genesis Framework

After installing both the ‘Genesis Framework’ and ‘Genesis child theme’, you have to activate only the ‘Genesis child theme’. You don’t have to activate the ‘Genesis Framework’. Genesis Framework will run in the background without activation and acts as a framework.

Follow the steps to activate ‘Genesis Child Theme’:

1. log in to your WordPress dashboard
2. go to Appearance > Themes
3. Click the Activate button as you see in the picture below

Now you have successfully installed both the ‘Genesis Framework’ and ‘Genesis child theme’. To customize the theme, you have to follow the theme documentation.

Method 2: Installing the Genesis Framework and a Child Theme Through FTP

If you want to install the Genesis manually with FTP, follow the steps below.

Step 1: Connect your Hosting cPanel Using FTP

First, you need to connect your hosting account using an FTP client. The popular FTP clients are FileZilla, CuteFTP etc. If you don’t have an FTP account, you have to create one. You can either create an FTP account yourself in your cPanel or you may ask your hosting provider support team to create an FTP account for you. Once you have an FTP account, connect your hosting cPanel through FTP clients like FileZilla, CuteFTP.

Step 2: Upload the Genesis Framework and Child theme in the WordPress directory

1. Before uploading, you have to unzip both the Genesis Framework and Child theme on your computer.

2. Navigate to the public_html >> wp-content >> themes directory and open the ‘themes’ directory.

3. Under WordPress ‘themes’ directory, upload the unzipped folder of Genesis Framework from your computer. Rename the Genesis Framework folder name Genesis 3.1.2 to Genesis.

4. Similarly, upload the unzipped folder of the Genesis Child theme from your computer. Rename child theme folder name. If the folder name contains more than one word, then put hyphens between words.

Step 3: Activate

You need to activate only the child theme not the Genesis Framework like step 3 of method 1. To activate follow the following steps.

1. log in to your WordPress dashboard
2. go to Appearance > Themes
3. Click the Activate button

I hope, this article is helped you to install the Genesis Framework and Genesis Child theme. Thanks to StudioPress for robust, lightweight, and SEO friendly WordPress themes. We use the Genesis Framework and Authority Pro Child theme. Once you start using Genesis, you will realize that no theme better than Genesis.