Starting a blog on Blogger is exciting — but one of the most important things you need to learn early on is how to protect your blog before making any changes to its design. Whether you want to refresh your blog's look or try a brand-new theme, doing it the wrong way can cause your blog to break or lose its entire layout.
In this guide, I'll walk you through everything — step by step — on how to back up your Blogger theme, how to restore it if something goes wrong, and the three different ways you can change your Blogger theme. I'll make sure everything is crystal clear so you never feel lost or confused.
This guide covers: creating a backup of your current theme, restoring from a backup, switching to a built-in Blogger default theme, and installing a free or premium third-party theme from outside Blogger. By the end, you'll know exactly how to do all of these safely.
1. Why You Should Always Backup Your Blog First
Before you touch anything in your Blogger theme settings, the very first thing you should do is create a backup. Think of it like saving your work in a document before making big edits — if something goes wrong, you can always go back.
Your Blogger theme file contains all of your blog's design code: the layout, colors, fonts, widget placements, and custom HTML. If you accidentally install a broken theme, or if a new theme doesn't look the way you expected, having a backup means you can restore your blog to exactly how it was in just a few seconds.
Important: Changing your Blogger theme does NOT delete your blog posts or content. Your posts are stored separately and are always safe. However, your layout, widgets, and gadgets may be reset when you switch themes — which is another reason to backup first.
2. How to Backup Your Blogger Theme
Follow these steps carefully. This will save a copy of your current theme to your computer as an XML file.
STEP 1
Open your browser and go to blogger.com. Log in using your Google account and select your blog from the dashboard.
STEP 2
On the left-hand sidebar, click on "Theme". This will open your theme management page where you can see your current blog design.
STEP 3
Look at the top-right area of the Theme page. You will see a "Customise" button. Right next to it is a small downward arrow (▼). Click on that arrow to open a small dropdown menu.
STEP 4
From the dropdown menu, click on "Backup". Blogger will immediately download a file to your computer. This file is your theme backup.
STEP 5
The downloaded file will be named something like theme.xml. Save it somewhere easy to find — for example, create a folder on your Desktop called Blog Backups and store it there. It's a good idea to rename it with the date, for example: theme-backup-may2026.xml.
Done! You now have a safe copy of your Blogger theme. Whenever you're about to make any changes to your theme in the future, always repeat these steps first. It takes less than 2 minutes and can save you hours of trouble.
3. How to Restore Your Blogger Theme from a Backup
If something ever goes wrong after changing your theme — or if you simply want to go back to your old design — here is how to restore your saved backup.
STEP 1
Go to your Blogger dashboard and click "Theme" from the left sidebar.
STEP 2
Click the small dropdown arrow (▼) next to the Customise button — the same one you used to back up your theme.
STEP 3
This time, select "Restore" from the dropdown menu.
STEP 4
A file browser window will pop up on your screen. Navigate to where you saved your backup file and select it (for example, theme-backup-may2026.xml).
STEP 5
Click "Upload". Wait a few seconds while Blogger processes the file. Once done, your blog will be fully restored to how it looked before.
That's it! Your old theme is back. No data was lost, and your blog posts are exactly as you left them. This is why having a backup is so powerful — restoring only takes about 30 seconds.
4. The 3 Ways to Change Your Blogger Theme
Now that your blog is safely backed up, let's talk about how to actually change your theme. There are three different methods, and it's very important to understand the difference between them — especially the difference between Blogger's built-in themes and themes from outside Blogger.
Method 1
- Switch a Default Blogger Theme
- Built into Blogger
- No download needed
- Apply with one click
- Free always
Method 2
- Free Third-Party Theme
- Downloaded from websites
- Comes as a ZIP file
- Extract to get XML
- Upload XML to Blogger
Method 3
- Premium Third-Party Theme
- Purchased from websites
- Comes as a ZIP file
- Extract to get XML
- Upload XML to Blogger
Method 1 — Switch to a Blogger Default Theme (No Download Required)
What are Blogger default themes? These are themes that come already built into Blogger. You do not need to download anything. You simply browse them inside your Blogger dashboard and apply the one you like with a single click. They are always free and maintained by Google.
Blogger offers several professionally designed default themes such as Contempo, Soho, Emporio, and Notable. These are clean, mobile-friendly, and great for beginners who just want a simple, good-looking blog without any extra steps.
STEP 1
Go to your Blogger dashboard and click "Theme" in the left sidebar.
STEP 2
Scroll down below your current theme preview. You will see a section showing all available Blogger default themes displayed as thumbnail previews (Contempo, Soho, Emporio, Notable, etc.).
STEP 3
Click on any theme thumbnail to see a larger preview of how it will look on your blog. Take your time and browse through them.
STEP 5 (OPTIONAL)
After applying, you can click "Customise" to adjust the colors, fonts, and layout to better match your personal style.
Best for: Complete beginners who want a clean, professional look without any technical steps. These themes are reliable, fast, and fully supported by Google.
Method 2 & 3 — Installing a Free or Premium Third-Party Theme
What are third-party themes? These are themes created by independent designers and developers — not by Google or Blogger. You find them on external websites, download them to your computer, and then upload them to your Blogger blog. They often look more unique and professional than default themes, but they require a few extra steps to install correctly.
Third-party themes come in two types: free themes and premium themes. Both types are installed the same way — by downloading a ZIP file, extracting it, and uploading the XML file inside to Blogger.
STEP 1 — FIND AND DOWNLOAD THE THEME
Visit a Blogger theme website. Browse and choose a theme you like. Click the Download button. The file that downloads will be a ZIP file (e.g., mytheme.zip).
STEP 2 — EXTRACT (UNZIP) THE DOWNLOADED FILE
ON WINDOWS
Right-click → "Extract All" → choose location → Extract
ON MAC
Double-click the ZIP file
ON ANDROID / MOBILE
Use a file manager app → tap ZIP → tap "Extract"
STEP 3 — FIND THE XML FILE
Open the extracted folder and locate the file ending in .xml. Ignore other files.
Go to Blogger → Theme → click dropdown arrow (▼) → select "Restore".
STEP 4 — UPLOAD THE XML FILE TO BLOGGER
Go to Blogger → Theme → click dropdown arrow (▼) → select "Restore".
STEP 5 — SELECT AND UPLOAD THE FILE
Choose the XML file → click Open → click "Upload".
STEP 6 — CHECK YOUR BLOG
Open your blog and review the design. Restore backup if needed.
5. What to Look for in a Good Blogger Theme
- Mobile responsive
- Fast loading speed
- Clean, easy navigation
- AdSense ready
- SEO friendly
- Good readability
6. Frequently Asked Questions
Will I lose my blog posts if I change my Blogger theme?
No. Your posts are always safe.
What is the difference between a default and third-party theme?
Default = built-in. Third-party = downloaded and uploaded.
Do I need coding knowledge?
No.
What if my blog breaks?
Restore your backup.
Can I still get AdSense approval?
Yes.
How often should I backup?
Before any major change.
Where can I find themes?
ThemeXpose, SoraTemplates, Gooyaabi, TemplateFlip.
Final Thoughts
Changing your Blogger theme doesn't have to be stressful or confusing. Now that you understand the difference between Blogger's built-in default themes and third-party themes, you're fully equipped to make any design change confidently.
The golden rule is always the same: backup first, then change.
Take your time, explore your options, and pick a theme that reflects your blog's personality. A great design not only makes your blog look professional — it keeps your readers coming back for more.
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