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Free Plugin by WordPress.org v2.10.1

Create Block Theme

A WordPress plugin to create block themes.

Create Block Theme

The facts

Rating
4.8★ from 37
Active installs
20k+
Price
Free
Last updated
25 Jun 2026
Added
Jun 2022
Requires WP
6.8
Tested up to
WP 6.9.7
Requires PHP
7.4
Downloads
471,639

Our analysis

AI-assisted

Create Block Theme is a WordPress plugin that enables you to create and manage themes directly from the WordPress Editor. You can start with a blank theme, base a new theme on the active one, or create a child theme. Additionally, it allows for the creation of style variations and the export of themes, making it suitable for developers looking to customise themes efficiently.

The plugin enhances the theme development process by adding images to the theme’s assets folder and ensuring that the block markup is export-ready. It also improves typography controls in the block inspector, allowing for more detailed customisation. This plugin is aimed at developers who are comfortable making significant changes to their themes.

Best for: This plugin is best for developers looking to create and customise WordPress themes.

What it does well

  • Create blank themes or child themes
  • Export themes and save style variations
  • Enhances typography controls in the block inspector
  • Automatically adds images to theme assets
  • Ensures block markup is export-ready

Where it falls short

  • May require a good understanding of WordPress theme development
  • Changes made could affect the site permanently

Verdict

Create Block Theme offers useful tools for theme development within WordPress. It is particularly beneficial for developers who need to make extensive customisations.

From the developer

WordPress.org's own description of Create Block Theme, lightly tidied.

This plugin allows you to:

  • Create a blank theme
  • Create a new theme based on the currently active theme
  • Create a child theme of the active parent theme
  • Create a new style variation
  • Export a theme
  • Save user changed templates and styles to the active theme
  • Expand the typography controls in the block inspector while authoring a theme (opt-in, under Editor preferences)

All newly created themes or style variations will include changes made within the WordPress Editor.

This plugin also makes several changes to the contents of a theme, including:

  • Adds all images used in templates to the theme’s assets folder.
  • Ensures the block markup used in templates and patterns is export-ready.
  • Ensures most strings used in templates and patterns are translate-ready.

Disclaimer: The Create Block Theme plugin offers critical developer-friendly features; you can think of it as a Development Mode for WordPress, and you should keep in mind that changes made through this plugin could change your site and/or theme permanently.

(Make sure you know what you’re doing before hitting that ‘Save’ button 😉)

Step 1 – Setup

Install and activate the Create Block Theme plugin.

There will be a new panel accessible from the WordPress Editor, which you can open by clicking on a new icon to the right of the “Save” button, at the top of the Editor.

Step 2 – Style Customizations

Make changes to your site styles, fonts and templates using the Editor.

Step 3 – Export

Still in the WordPress Editor, navigate to the Create Block Theme menu at the top of the Editor.

To save recent changes made in the Editor to the currently active theme:

  • Select “Save Changes” to save any recent changes to the currently active theme.

Read the full description on the official page →

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