You downloaded a cute new theme for your WordPress site and tried to upload it to the WordPress dashboard. Unfortunately, the theme failed to install and showed the following fault: "The parcel could not exist installed. The theme is missing the way.css stylesheet."

In this article, we'll explore the reason for this error and how to resolve information technology. We'll too prove yous how to avoid this error in the future through a solid understanding of the nuts of WordPress file structures, as well every bit past helping you ensure you're uploading the right files in the first identify.

Let'due south start!

Adopt to sentry the video version?

Where Does the "The package could non be installed" Error Appear?

This particular theme upload error shows upwardly in the WordPress dashboard under Appearance > Themes > Add together New > Upload Theme.

It mainly occurs right after you click the Choose File button, select a file to upload, then click on the Install At present push. In short, the error is exclusive to the Add Themes module, so you shouldn't come across it anywhere else on WordPress.

Click the "Install Now" button.
Click the "Install Now" push.

The error text itself, which reads "The package could not be installed. The theme is missing the way.css stylesheet," gets placed into the theme installation status messaging, right earlier some other bulletin that tells you "Theme installation failed."

The package could not be installed. The theme is missing the style.css stylesheet
The missing stylesheet error.

What's Happening When You See "The package could not be installed" Error?

It'south one of the rare times where an fault on your estimator screen tells you almost exactly what's going on. In the second line, it states: "The theme is missing the mode.css stylesheet."

In short, yous've attempted to install a WordPress theme past way of uploading it to your WordPress dashboard. Information technology involves a .nothing file filled with an intricate theme file directory that contains coding, stylesheets, and responsibilities to manage and present your dashboard, frontend interface, and many other WordPress elements.

This mistake, in particular shows, that either the style.css stylesheet is non inside that collection of WordPress files, or WordPress has difficulty finding the stylesheet because yous've uploaded the file incorrectly.

In brusque, the error occurs because it can't detect the style.css file. It happens due to one of the following reasons:

  • The mode.css file is missing from your theme's root directory because the theme developer made a mistake.
  • The style.css file is missing from the directory because you lot accidentally deleted information technology at some indicate.
  • The style.css file is really in the root directory, but you oasis't uploaded the directory to WordPress correctly. It sometimes happens when you lot don't unzip the file before uploading.
  • Yous're attempting to upload a file that doesn't belong in WordPress—it may not be a theme file at all.

What Is the manner.css Stylesheet?

Your WordPress file directory contains many documents and folders, including PHP, CSS, and HTML coding.

CSS, or cascading style sheets, refers to a web pattern language used in conjunction with PHP and HTML. CSS's primary reason is to stylize static web design elements with colors, formats, and fonts. Just put, CSS makes your website content await pretty.

A basic example involves a simple image on your website. HTML only goes so far in terms of styling. Notwithstanding, CSS strengthens your design possibilities with options for moving that prototype to any location on the page, adding margins, padding, backgrounds, and many other elements for a more visual approach to your content.

However, the fashion.css spreadsheet doesn't piece of work lonely. Information technology interacts with all directories within WordPress and often works hand-in-hand with other programming languages to produce the desired results.

For a detailed guide, head to our WordPress CSS article.

Where's the manner.css Stylesheet Supposed to Be?

The fashion.css sheet is a part of all WordPress themes. Since information technology's the principal way WordPress controls your site's visual pattern and layout, it'due south a required file.

That means whenever yous purchase or download a theme, yous should detect a style.css stylesheet within the theme files.

Note: You normally take to unzip the theme file packet to view the theme files.

For example, we downloaded the Hello Elementor theme and opened the theme files to reveal a list of files and folders, including the style.css sheet.

style.css
Finding the style.css stylesheet.

Opening the mode.css sheet reveals its content, starting with essential information like the writer's theme name. You lot'll discover that it tells you lot not to change any part of this file, as many themes adopt yous make CSS modifications inside the dashboard or in some other custom directory.

open style
An open up example of the way.css stylesheet.

Scrolling down, the manner.css stylesheet shows a long list of CSS snippets, all of which come together to make your theme look the manner information technology does.

the style sheet example
CSS code in the style.css stylesheet.

So, the style.css stylesheet is supposed to be in every theme file directory, often situated near other CSS files and near folders for avails and templates.

What Happens Later on You lot See The "The package could non be installed" Error?

A theme binder without the style.css stylesheet is useless, at least when it comes to uploading it to WordPress and making for a fully functional theme.

It's impossible to upload the root directory, as WordPress blocks all attempts to upload the file without the way.css stylesheet. The reason for this is because a missing stylesheet could suspension or harm the entire WordPress infrastructure.

In addition, you receive the error message: "The package could not be installed. The theme is missing the style.css stylesheet."

The practiced news is that any theme previously activated on your WordPress site remains in place. At that place'southward no harm done to your site, and you don't get to upload the new theme.

However, you may want to replace the electric current theme, so it's essential to walk through the following solutions to swap out the old one and install the new theme.

How Do I Fix "The theme is missing the style.css stylesheet" Error?

In this section, we'll outline the two principal reasons for seeing the missing stylesheet error, along with information on how to resolve the bug.

How to Resolve a Situation Where Your Theme Is Missing the Way.css File

A missing fashion.css file ways one of two things: the theme developer (potentially you) failed to include it in the root directory, or you unintentionally removed the style.css file yourself.

With the offset situation, we recommend the following form of action:

  1. Contact the theme programmer and notify them of the problem: Although unlikely, you may have a bad download or someone/something on the developer'due south end made an error. Reputable theme developers should give you a quick response with a new theme file. If you're the theme developer, read this guide on creating child themes, especially the section about making a stylesheet.
  2. Look for a new theme: This is virtually likely the best course of activity, because it's rare for a quality theme programmer to miss i of the nigh critical parts. Perhaps you downloaded a theme from a sketchy source or a beginner who'south learning how to code.

You could add a way.css sheet, but that kind of defeats the purpose of using a premade theme in the get-go place. Not to mention, a theme that was meant to accept a stylesheet, but is now missing it, wouldn't work right.

How to Resolve a State of affairs Where WordPress Doesn't Recognize the manner.css Sheet

Sometimes, WordPress can't recognize a style.css sheet within a theme directory when you attempt to upload it in the dashboard.

Reasons for this include the following:

  • You're non uploading the theme properly.
  • You have to unzip the original file from the developer to reveal the theme file.
  • The theme file isn't for WordPress.
  • The file isn't a theme file just something else.
  • The mode.css isn't in the right spot within the root directory.

Some of these reasons may seem uncomplicated, but oft the most superficial reasons crusade frustrating problems.

Accept a wait at the sections below to empathize how to resolve these situations based on the root causes.

Upload the Theme Properly

One reason yous may see "The bundle could not be installed. The theme is missing the mode.css stylesheet" error is due to your process of uploading the theme file.

A new user, or even an experienced user, may accidentally stray away from the all-time steps to upload a theme file.

Please read our guide on installing a WordPress theme to ensure y'all follow the proper steps. The commodity covers finding the best WordPress themes and installing methods, like through the dashboard or FTP. It too guides you through the slightly different ways of installing free vs premium themes.

See If the Theme File Requires Unzipping

Many theme upload errors occur because of a zipped download file. Information technology'south somewhat disruptive for people considering WordPress just accepts zipped files.

Subscribe Now

However, some theme developers give you lot a zipped file within a zipped file, and you must unzip the original parcel to find the valid upload file that only includes the contents of the theme.

For instance, you may find that a theme developer packs other documentation into the original download, so WordPress will await at all this content and wonder where the actual theme file is.

Although nearly reputable theme developers know this confuses, we've stumbled upon the rare situation where you lot have to unzip the first theme download to see things like user manuals and other content.

Outside of uploading a theme file the wrong mode in the previous point, this is the offset problem you lot should troubleshoot before looking at other methods, because it's an easy set up and still somewhat familiar for theme developers to exercise this. Information technology likewise only happens when you purchase a theme from a tertiary-political party developer, seeing as how the WordPress.org Theme Library restricts oddly packaged theme files.

So, let'southward say you upload a zipped file from a third-political party developer, only to find that you receive the error reading: "The package could not be installed. The theme is missing the style.css stylesheet."

At that place's a good chance all you have to practise is unzip the original file provided by the theme developer to excerpt yet another Zippo file inside of it.

The package could not be installed. The theme is missing the style.css stylesheet
"The package could not be installed" error.

To solve the problem, go to the file yous initially downloaded from the theme developer.

It's nigh probable a Zilch file, which makes sense for uploading into WordPress as a theme, merely it may contain additional content files that ataxia the folder and make information technology difficult for WordPress to place the theme files.

new theme file
Observe the theme's zipped download file.

Therefore, open or unzip the file to extract whatever is within of it. It'south usually done by right-clicking and selecting your preferred unzipping or archive utility.

unzip - The package could not be installed. The theme is missing the style.css stylesheet
Unzip the downloaded theme packet.

Now, open up the unzipped file to testify its content. Every bit you can see in this instance, the theme developers included a readme.txt file and another content folder in the root of the theme download. They too have the real, zipped theme file in this area as well. It's the actual theme file you need to upload into WordPress.

Go back to Appearance > Themes > Add New > Upload Theme to cull a file from your computer. Then, brand sure y'all select this zipped theme file without whatsoever extras (like the ReadMe document in this example).

theme file - The package could not be installed. The theme is missing the style.css stylesheet
The bodily theme file.

Remember that you lot may complete this troubleshooting process and find that it'south not a trouble where the theme was packaged strangely. If you don't see a zipped theme file within the original theme package from your developer, consider looking at the other troubleshooting tips beneath.

Effigy Out If the Theme File Is for WordPress

Many website themes exist online. Information technology'south not uncommon to run into a theme pattern you enjoy, only to purchase information technology and detect out information technology's not actually for WordPress. For instance, the ThemeForest market sells website templates for diverse content management systems and website builders, including Drupal, Joomla, Webflow, and Shopify.

Each platform has its root file structure for themes, so WordPress will reject any attempt to upload a theme meant for another organization like Bigcommerce or Magento.

Go on in heed that yous may run into "The theme is missing the fashion.css stylesheet" error for a situation like this. After all, a theme directory from Shopify or Drupal may take its style.css canvass located in a dissimilar place. However, you might also come across another error.

As for fixing this problem, all y'all take to practise is get rid of the non-compatible theme file and cull a new one.

In the future, have a difficult look at all theme product pages to ensure they're for WordPress and not something else. For instance, nigh ThemeForest—and other premium theme product pages—show the platform in which the theme is for several times on the folio. Wait at the category, title, and images on the page.

wordpress mentions
Seek out mentions of "WordPress" on product pages.

Virtually theme sellers besides include an area with the software type or version for that theme. Once more, expect to come across that WordPress is the principal software listed.

wordpress supported
Check out the WordPress software version.

Or you could stick to all-WordPress libraries like the WordPress.org Theme Directory.

If yous're having problem finding any information about the theme online, expect into the theme directory to see how it is. Even though every WordPress theme directory has different configurations and files, yous can get a good idea if it's, in fact, a WordPress theme by looking for some specific files.

All WordPress themes have the fashion.css sheet in the root directory. You should likewise see folders similar assets and potential folders for templates. Seek out files similar index.php, footer.php, and sidebar.php. Yous sometimes encounter these in themes for other platforms, merely they're frequently given different names or located in other places.

style.css - The package could not be installed. The theme is missing the style.css stylesheet
Brand sure the stylesheet is in the right place.

Figure Out if It'southward a Theme File

You can upload many types of zipped folders to WordPress, sometimes making it difficult to see if it's a theme file or not. On the surface, a plugin file looks no different than a theme file.

Yous can say the aforementioned for a site import file from another WordPress site or platforms like Tumblr or Blogger. You may also discover that you're trying to upload a WooCommerce production or WXR file for importing items similar posts and pages. The listing goes on, simply the thought is that none of these files is the aforementioned affair as a WordPress theme file.

Therefore, it'south of import to double-cheque what y'all're uploading in the first place. It'south possible to click on a file type on your calculator that's named something like, or yous take trouble distinguishing between a recent plugin file yous downloaded and a theme file you also downloaded around the same fourth dimension.

The master fashion to avoid this is by remaining organized and focused when y'all save and upload WordPress files. Brand certain y'all proceed theme files in memorable locations and know the names of the files when they get downloaded to your figurer.

Some other way to distinguish between theme files and other WordPress-oriented files is past knowing what the file structure looks like for each one.

We recommend reading our guide on WordPress files and using them, particularly the WordPress Theme Directories section. This fashion, you build your noesis most the WordPress binder structure and identify what a file does when you lot run across its contents.

For this state of affairs, please open up the file you're trying to upload and ensure it looks similar a theme file.

Allow'southward say we accept 2 files, and we don't remember the specific name of the theme. You may have problem deciding which of the two you lot should upload to WordPress. We know that ane of them is a plugin file, and the other is a theme file. Start past unzipping them both to see what'southward inside.

ultimate post and deep theme
Deciding which file is for a theme.

Open up each file separately to clarify the contents.

two files
Open each file directory.

This file has folders like addons, assets, blocks, and classes. It doesn't include standard theme folders and files. Although all plugin files await a little different, it's safe to say this appears more like a plugin than a theme.

this is a plugin - The package could not be installed. The theme is missing the style.css stylesheet
This directory looks similar a plugin.

The other file reveals an all-encompassing collection of folders and PHP files. The style.css file is in there, along with theme essentials similar footer.php, header.php, and sidebar.php. It's also relatively common to see folders for CSS, Fonts, and Template-parts in a theme file.

Therefore, this is the theme file we're looking for, and the other one is for a plugin. In the future, go along an eye out for the classic attributes of a theme file to ensure you upload the suitable files.

common theme files
An example of a theme file.

Make Sure the mode.css File Is in the Right Place

Whether done by yourself or the developer, the style.css file may be missing in the correct place.

It doesn't matter why this occurred, just that WordPress is searching for the fashion.css file in the root directory, and it cannot find information technology.

To prepare this problem, examine the theme's root folder and wait for the style.css file.

We have the root binder for the TwentyTwenty theme open up, and it appears there's no sign of the style.css stylesheet. It'southward possible you unintentionally dragged it into ane of the other folders while organizing, and then yous should at to the lowest degree take a few seconds to click into the folders to see if it'south in at that place.

files in a theme folder
Root folder missing the stylesheet.

Information technology turns out we had moved it to the Templates binder. WordPress may have trouble recognizing the style.css canvas if it's non in the root folder, then move information technology dorsum to the root folder where it belongs.

The package could not be installed. The theme is missing the style.css stylesheet
Stylesheet located in the incorrect identify.

Don't let this common error irksome down your site designing. ✨ Acquire how to quickly resolve information technology (and prevent it from happening in the future!) with this guide 👇 Click to Tweet

Summary

The missing style.css stylesheet fault stems from a faulty theme file, and it only appears when you try to upload a file within the Add Themes section of WordPress.

The top reasons for seeing the message include:

  • The style.css file is missing due to the developer non including it in the directory.
  • The style.css file is missing because you accidentally deleted it or moved it somewhere else.
  • You're not uploading the theme file the correct fashion.
  • You must unzip the file to reveal the actual theme file inside an original package given to yous by the developer.
  • The theme file isn't for WordPress just other platforms like Shopify, or Joomla, or Drupal.
  • The file isn't a theme file. It'due south something else, like a plugin file or even a random certificate or ZIP file from your figurer.

Employ this guide to resolve your theme file issues, and please contact Kinsta customer support if you continue to have problems.


Save fourth dimension, costs and maximize site functioning with:

  • Instant help from WordPress hosting experts, 24/7.
  • Cloudflare Enterprise integration.
  • Global audience reach with 29 data centers worldwide.
  • Optimization with our built-in Application Performance Monitoring.

All of that and much more, in i plan with no long-term contracts, assisted migrations, and a thirty-day-money-back-guarantee. Check out our plans or talk to sales to find the program that's right for you.