Today I am working on one of my client websites. The site needs to add the translation file and some customization. However, the website doesn’t use the child theme. The active theme is a paid theme. So If I want to add the translation file and change the templates for the theme, when the theme is updated, all customization will be gone. To avoid this issue, I need to create the child theme for the current theme.
Now, when I create the child theme and activate it, all customizations that are set by the theme customizer settings from the parent theme is gone. Because the theme customizer settings are saved with the theme and store in the database. SO when I change the active theme, the parent theme customizer settings are disappear.
How can I export the theme customizer settings from the parent theme to my new child theme? There is a simple way to do with a few minutes. I use the Customizer Export/Import plugin. Follow the steps below.
- The parent theme is active
- install Customizer Export/Import plugin
- activate the plugin
- navigate to Appearance>Customize
- you will see new Export/Import menu under Additional CSS menu
- At the Export/Import menu, click on Export button
- It will create the dat file and let you download it
- navigate to Appearance>Themes
- activate the child theme
- navigate to Appearance>Customize
- back to Export/Import menu again
- At the Export/Import menu, choose the dat file that you just download it. Then click on “Download and import image files?” option for importing header and other image files.
- Next, click on Import button
- Once the import is done, click on Publish button for saving the settings.
And that’s it.
