Install BuddyApp

Before you start, check that your hosting meets the BuddyApp requirements and that WordPress is installed. Most hosts install WordPress for you in one click; otherwise follow the official WordPress installation guide.

1. Download BuddyApp from ThemeForest

1. Sign in to ThemeForest and open Downloads from your account menu.
2. Find BuddyApp and click Download.
3. Choose All files & documentation. Also download License certificate & purchase code: it holds the purchase code you need to register BuddyApp.
4. Unzip the downloaded main files zip on your computer. The theme files are in its WordPress folder: buddyapp.zip and buddyapp-child.zip.

Do not upload the full package

The main files zip from ThemeForest contains the theme, the child theme, plugins and licensing files. WordPress only accepts the theme zips from its WordPress folder: buddyapp.zip and buddyapp-child.zip. Uploading the full package fails with “The package could not be installed. The theme is missing the style.css stylesheet.”

2. Install from WordPress admin

1. Go to Appearance > Themes > Add New Theme > Upload Theme.
2. Choose buddyapp.zip from the WordPress folder of the main files and click Install Now.
3. Upload buddyapp-child.zip the same way: this is the child theme.
4. Activate BuddyApp Child. The parent theme must stay installed, but it does not need to be active.

If the upload fails with “The uploaded file exceeds the upload_max_filesize directive”, install by FTP (below) or ask your host to raise the upload limit. See common errors.

3. Or install by FTP or SFTP

1. Unzip buddyapp.zip and buddyapp-child.zip (from the WordPress folder of the main files) on your computer.
2. Connect to your server with an FTP client and open wp-content/themes/.
3. Upload the extracted buddyapp and buddyapp-child folders. Each folder must contain a style.css file directly inside it.
4. In WordPress, go to Appearance > Themes and activate BuddyApp Child.

4. The BuddyApp Panel opens

Right after you activate BuddyApp (or BuddyApp Child), WordPress opens the BuddyApp Panel. You find it again any time under Appearance > BuddyApp Panel, right below Themes, or from the BuddyApp Panel link in the admin toolbar.

The Dashboard tab shows a short checklist that turns green as you go: register the theme, install the required plugins, import a demo, customize the theme.

Why the child theme

Your own CSS, PHP and template changes go in the child theme, so BuddyApp updates never overwrite them. Read BuddyApp child theme for how to use it. Activate the child theme before you configure the site: Customizer settings belong to the active theme, so switching later means moving them (see Customizer settings).

Next steps

1. Register BuddyApp with your purchase code, on the Dashboard tab of the panel.
2. Import a demo on the Demo Data tab. The import installs and activates the plugins that demo needs.
3. Customize the design. See Get started for the BuddyApp options.