Table of contents
1. Check the source code manually 2. Use online theme detection tools 3. Look for visual or branding clues 4. Inspect the CSS stylesheet 5. Consider contacting the site owner Getting started Additional resources
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WordPress Guide → Theme → Find Out Theme A Site Is Using

How to find out what WordPress theme a site is using

Ever landed on a WordPress site and thought, “I need that theme”? You’re not alone. Whether you’re hunting for design inspiration, benchmarking against competitors, or just curious, it’s natural to want to know what theme a site is running.

Good news: there are a few quick ways to figure it out—no detective hat required.

1. Check the source code manually

This is easy, but might make you feel like a pro. 

  1. Right-click anywhere on the site and choose View Page Source or Inspect (depending on your browser).
  2. Use Ctrl + F (or Cmd + F on Mac) to search for wp-content/themes.
  3. You’ll usually see a path like /wp-content/themes/theme-name/ in a CSS or JS file reference. That folder name is almost always the theme name.

If you see something like /themes/astra-child/, you’re likely looking at a child theme. The parent might be “Astra,” and you can dig further to confirm.

2. Use online theme detection tools

Not a fan of poking around in code? Try a WordPress theme detector:

Just paste in the site URL, and these tools will analyze it for theme name, version, and even plugins. Some can also give insight into the hosting provider or CDN.

3. Look for visual or branding clues

Not all clues are hidden in code. You can often spot hints right on the page:

  • Check the footer for credits like “Powered by [Theme Name]” or “[Agency Name] Theme.”
  • Look for links to theme shops like ThemeForest, StudioPress, or Elegant Themes.
  • Pay attention to signature design patterns—navigation styles, hero layouts, typography—that may point to a known theme.

4. Inspect the CSS stylesheet

Here’s a reliable method that gives you clear theme info:

  • Find the theme folder (as shown earlier with wp-content/themes/theme-name)
  • Navigate directly to the theme’s style sheet:
  • https://example.com/wp-content/themes/theme-name/style.css

At the top of that file, you’ll usually see a block of commented-out metadata:

yaml
CopyEdit
/*
Theme Name: OceanWP
Theme URI: https://oceanwp.org/
Author: Nick
Version: 3.5.3
*/

This is where you can confirm the theme name, author, and whether it’s a child or parent theme.

5. Consider contacting the site owner

If you’ve checked everything and still can’t identify the theme, try the direct route. Reach out via the site’s contact form or social links and ask nicely. Most site owners are happy to share—and it’s a great excuse to start a professional conversation.

Limitations and false positives

Some themes just don’t want to be found:

  • Developers can rename or mask theme folders.
  • Many custom themes are built from scratch or heavily modified.
  • Theme detectors sometimes confuse frameworks (like Genesis or Underscores) for the actual theme.

So if you’re hitting dead ends, it’s not you—it’s just a well-hidden setup.

Additional resources

How to change WordPress themes the right way and avoid potential problems→

We’ll go over some reasons why you may want to switch to a new theme and how to prepare your website. Then, we’ll show you a few ways to change your WordPress theme.

Step-by-step guide to building custom WordPress themes →

You’ll have all the tools you need to build a website that’s not just functional but genuinely impressive!

Best free WordPress themes ranked by real performance→

We’ll show you how pairing the right theme with high-performance WordPress hosting – like the plans offered by Liquid Web – can transform your site into a speed machine!