[Resolved] How to activate Generatepress theme without using existing website content

[Mary]

Hello,
I have an existing HTML website and would like to rebuild my site from scratch using the generatepress theme.

When I Preview the theme it shows my website in its old structure and format. It looks the same as the old site. How do I build the website from scratch using the generatepress theme?

Thanks,
Mary

[Leo]

Hi there,

Do you have WordPress install already?

It doesn’t look like it from the website you’ve linked.

Let me know 🙂

[Mary]

Yes, I have WordPress install on my hosting site and generatepress installed. However, the generatepress is NOT activated yet. So you are seeing my old HTML site.

The links you provided seem to be general information. I do not see how they address this question. I am new to WordPress and it is not intuitive to me how to make changes to my website using the WP theme.

Thanks,
Mary

[Leo]

I didn’t actually provide any links.

So what happens when you activate GeneratePress site?

You don’t see any changes at all?

This might be something you will need to check with your host.

[Mary]

Leo,

Oh, I see that with each reply the GP forum adds their generic documentation links at the bottom of the reply.

I have not activated the GP Premium theme yet. I do not want the look and navigation of my old website. I am wanting to build my website from scratch. If I activate the theme, I am concerned that it will use all of my old site formatting and structure. Then what is the point of buying a WP theme if it looks exactly like my HTML website?

Here is my thinking…It will be much easier to build the website from scratch in WordPress instead of having to undo all of my old formatting, navigation and styles to make it look like the new GP theme. It also seems that I am not able to access new functionality in GP using my existing website content. I cannot add widgets to the existing pages in the Live Preview mode.

I hope this helps clarify what I am wanting to do.
Thanks,
Mary

[Leo]

If you have a fresh WordPress install and activate the free Generatepress theme, then your website definitely look like what it is right now.

Can we first make sure that you actually activated the free GeneratePress theme first?
https://generatepress.com/install-generatepress/

The product you just purchased is GP Premium which is a plugin that needs to the free theme to work.

Let me know 🙂

[Mary]

Leo,

Okay. Now I see what I did. I had already found those instructions and installed the GP free version thinking it was the Premium version. Ha!

I have the GP Premium zip file downloaded to my laptop. How should I install that? via the Upload Theme button?

Thanks,
Mary

[Mary]

Leo,

FYI…I read the GP Premium installation instructions (finally) and was able to upload the GP Premium version.

I think I am good for now. That solve both my issues.

Thank you for your help!

Mary

[Leo]

Glad you figured out 🙂

Here is a quick explanation if there is still some confusion:
https://docs.generatepress.com/article/generatepress-and-gp-premium/

[Mary]

Leo,

Thanks for the extra info.

I am guessing that if I create a new Pages in WordPress I can build my website from scratch. I can then change the Home page pointer (url) to be the new Home page.

Is that correct?
Thanks,
Mary

[Leo]

This should help:
https://wordpress.org/support/article/creating-a-static-front-page/

[Author]

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