Sometimes when you have a blog, you encounter unexpected technical hitches.
Twice recently I’ve opened up my website to find it looks completely different to usual. But I hadn’t been hacked; the problem was my blog theme, or more specifically, one with the same name.
I use a premium WordPress theme called Inspire, which I’ve had installed on this blog for a couple of years.
Somewhere along the way, a free theme with the same name appeared in my dashboard, demanding to be updated. I foolishly clicked ‘update’ in the hope it would disappear.
Instead it installed itself on my blog and wouldn’t let me remove it and reinstall my own theme. Thankfully the support team at my web hosts rolled back the website and the problem was solved.
But ever since then, the update message for the free theme has been lurking in the dashboard, although I’m careful not to touch it.
A couple of weeks ago there was an automatic WordPress update and the free theme installed itself again. After much fiddling around, the web hosts restored the correct theme once more.
Then on Friday I went to post something new and found the free theme was back, but this time there had been no automatic update. Who knows how it managed to install itself this time.
What I do know is that on each occasion it seems to take longer to get rid of it.
So if you ever open this blog and it looks completely different to usual, there’s a good chance I’m struggling in the background with my imposter WordPress theme.
If only I was better at code…
Ellie Crossley says
eugh! That must be really annoying. Do they know how much time and effort goes into creating the perfect blog? And then it just updates itself? Rude!
Carry on doing what you’re doing!
Ellie
Amy Lord says
Thanks Ellie, it is pretty frustrating!
Natalie K. says
Hmmmm… if you have the problem again, I might be able to help, if you want.
Amy Lord says
Thanks very much for the offer Natalie – fingers crossed it won’t happen again!