CleanWP Documentation

Introduction

CleanWP is a clean, easy to use, fully responsive, 2 columns, blogging theme for WordPress. It has options to change colors and customize various aspects of the theme, full-width page template, full-width post template, right sidebar, header image support, custom logo support, 3 columns footer and 60+ social icons. Also you can select to display full content or post summaries on homepage using theme options. The theme is very starter-friendly and easy to set up.

Quick Start Guide

  1. Install & activate the theme via Appearance → Themes → Add New.
  2. Set up your menu by going to Appearance → Menus. Create a menu and assign it to the available menu location.
  3. Configure widgets by going to Appearance → Widgets. Add widgets to the available widget areas.
  4. Customize by going to Appearance → Customize → Theme Options. Set up your social links, colors, post options, and more.

Theme Features

  • Responsive Design
  • 2 Columns Layout (Content + Right Sidebar)
  • 1 Navigation Menu (Primary)
  • Right Sidebar and 3 Footer Widget Columns
  • 60+ Social Profile Links
  • Custom Logo Support
  • Custom Header Image
  • Custom Background
  • Custom Colors
  • Full-Width Page Template
  • Full-Width Post Template
  • Excerpt / Full Content Toggle
  • RTL Language Support
  • Translation Ready
  • Block Styles Support
  • WP-PageNavi Support
  • Custom CSS Option

Theme Installation

Method 1: Install via WordPress Dashboard (Recommended)

  1. Log in to your WordPress Dashboard.
  2. Navigate to Appearance → Themes → Add New.
  3. Search for CleanWP in the search box.
  4. Click Install on the CleanWP theme, then click Activate.

Method 2: Upload via WordPress Dashboard

  1. Download the cleanwp.zip theme file from WordPress.org.
  2. Log in to your WordPress Dashboard.
  3. Navigate to Appearance → Themes → Add New → Upload Theme.
  4. Click Choose File, select the cleanwp.zip file, and click Install Now.
  5. After installation, click Activate.

Method 3: Upload via FTP/File Manager

  1. Download the cleanwp.zip theme file and extract it.
  2. Connect to your server via FTP (FileZilla) or use your hosting File Manager.
  3. Upload the extracted cleanwp folder to /wp-content/themes/.
  4. Go to your WordPress Dashboard → Appearance → Themes and activate CleanWP.

Troubleshooting Installation Issues

  • "The uploaded file exceeds the upload_max_filesize directive" – Your hosting limits file uploads. Increase the limit via php.ini, .htaccess, or contact your host. Alternatively, use FTP.
  • "The package could not be installed. The theme is missing the style.css stylesheet" – You may be uploading the wrong file. Make sure you upload only the cleanwp.zip file.

Import Demo Content

You can import the demo content, widgets, and Customizer settings shown in the CleanWP theme demo.

Manual Demo Import

Step 1: Import Main Site Content

This includes: Posts, pages, menus, media, categories, tags, comments, and custom fields.

  1. Download: XML File
  2. Go to Tools → Import.
  3. Under "WordPress", click Install Now if not installed.
  4. Click Run Importer.
  5. Select the XML file and click Upload file and import.
  6. Check "Download and import file attachments", click Submit.

Step 2: Import Widgets

  1. Install the Widget Importer & Exporter plugin.
  2. Go to Tools → Widget Importer & Exporter.
  3. Copy content from: Widgets .wie File and paste into the box.
  4. Click Import Widgets.

Step 3: Import Customizer Settings

  1. Download: Customizer File
  2. Install the Customizer Export/Import plugin.
  3. Go to Appearance → Customize → Export/Import.
  4. Select the .dat file, check "Download and import image files?", click Import.

Regenerate Thumbnails

If your website already has existing posts with featured images, it's highly recommended to regenerate thumbnails after activating the CleanWP theme. This ensures that all images match the new theme's layout and display sizes.

Regenerating thumbnails is optional if your site is completely new and doesn't have any uploaded images yet.

However, if you imported the demo content, regenerating thumbnails is essential to display images correctly across the site.

  1. Install and activate the Regenerate Thumbnails plugin.
  2. Go to Tools → Regenerate Thumbnails.
  3. Click the "Regenerate Thumbnails for All x Attachments" button to start the process.
  4. Wait until all images are regenerated. This may take a few minutes depending on your media library size.
  5. If you want, you can deactivate and delete the plugin once the process is complete.

This step ensures clean image alignment and sharp visuals throughout your website using the CleanWP theme.

Header Image

Use the WordPress Customizer to add or manage the header image that appears at the top of your site.

How to add a header image

  1. Go to Appearance → Customize → Header Image.
  2. Click Add new image and choose/upload your image (recommended width: 1100px or larger).
  3. Crop if prompted, then click Publish.

Useful information

  • Suggested Dimensions – The recommended header image width is 1100px with a height of 275px. The height is flexible.
  • Header Image Link – The header image links to your homepage by default.
  • Hide Header Text – You can hide the site title and tagline text from the header via Appearance → Customize → Site Identity.

If you remove the header image, the site title, tagline, and logo will still be displayed in the header area.

Widget Areas

There are 4 widget areas in the CleanWP theme. The free version does not bundle custom widgets; use WordPress core widgets or plugins of your choice inside these areas.


  1. Main Sidebar

    Right-hand sidebar for your pages/posts. This sidebar is located on the right side of the web page.

  2. Footer 1

    Footer column 1. This widget area is located on the left bottom of the web page.

  3. Footer 2

    Footer column 2. This widget area is located on the middle bottom of the web page.

  4. Footer 3

    Footer column 3. This widget area is located on the right bottom of the web page.

Page Templates

CleanWP includes two custom page templates you can use for full-width layouts without sidebars.

  • Full Width, no sidebar (Page) — Template for pages (template-full-width-page.php)
  • Full Width, no sidebar (Post) — Template for posts (template-full-width-post.php)

How to apply a template

  1. Edit a page or post in the WordPress editor.
  2. In the Page Attributes (or Post Attributes) panel, open the Template dropdown.
  3. Select Full Width, no sidebar and update/publish.

Use featured images with sufficient width (e.g., 1072px+) for best presentation in full-width layouts.

Customizer Theme Options

To see available WordPress Customizer theme options:

  1. Go to your WordPress Dashboard.
  2. Navigate to Appearance → Customize.
  3. Click on Theme Options.

Site Identity Options

Below is the complete list of Site Identity Options available:

Option ID Option Name Description Control Type Accepted Value Default
custom_logo Logo Image ID of the custom logo uploaded through the Customizer. Media Uploader Integer (attachment ID) 0 (none)
blogname Site Title Main title of the website shown in the header, browser-tabs, and search-results. Text A string "My WordPress Site" (installer-set)
blogdescription Tagline Short descriptive sentence (appears next to or below the title when supported by the theme). Text A string "Just another WordPress site"
display_header_text Display Site Title & Tagline Toggles whether the title/tagline are printed on the front-end. When off they remain in the markup for accessibility but are hidden with CSS. Toggle Switch true / false true
site_icon Site Icon (Favicon) Image ID for the favicon/app-icon (512 × 512 px recommended). Used in browser tabs, bookmark tiles and WP mobile app. Media Uploader Integer (attachment ID) 0 (none)

Colors Options

Below is the complete list of Colors Options available:

Option ID Option Name Description Control Type Accepted Value Default
background_colorBackground ColorPick the site Background Color. To change Background Color, need to remove background image first.Color PickerHex color code (e.g. #ffffff)#717171
header_textcolorHeader Text ColorPick the Header Text Color for the site title and tagline.Color PickerHex color code (e.g. #ffffff)#000000
header_text_hover_colorHeader Hover Text ColorPick the Header Hover Text Color for the site title link.Color PickerHex color code#c90000
body_text_colorMain Text ColorPick the main text color of the site.Color PickerHex color code#161514
link_colorMain Link ColorPick the main link color.Color PickerHex color code#C90000
link_hover_colorMain Link Hover ColorPick the main link hover color.Color PickerHex color code#111111
menu_bg_colorMenu Background ColorBackground color of the primary menu.Color PickerHex color code#777777
menu_colorMenu Link ColorColor of the menu links.Color PickerHex color code#ffffff
menu_hover_colorMenu Link Hover ColorColor of the menu links on hover.Color PickerHex color code#cccccc
menu_current_colorMenu Current Link ColorColor of the active/current menu link.Color PickerHex color code#afafaf
submenu_one_bg_colorSub Menu Level 1 Background ColorBackground color of the first-level dropdown submenu.Color PickerHex color code#888888
submenu_two_bg_colorSub Menu Level 2 Background ColorBackground color of the second-level dropdown submenu.Color PickerHex color code#999999
post_headings_colorPost Title ColorColor of the post titles.Color PickerHex color code#1e1e1e
post_headings_hover_colorPost Title Hover ColorColor of the post titles on hover.Color PickerHex color code#444444
sidebar_headings_colorSidebar Widget Title ColorColor of the sidebar widget titles.Color PickerHex color code#000000
sidebar_text_colorSidebar Text ColorColor of the sidebar text.Color PickerHex color code#555555
sidebar_link_colorSidebar Link ColorColor of the sidebar links.Color PickerHex color code#333333
sidebar_link_hover_colorSidebar Link Hover ColorColor of the sidebar links on hover.Color PickerHex color code#777777
footer_headings_colorFooter Widget Title ColorColor of the footer widget titles.Color PickerHex color code#ffffff
footer_text_colorFooter Text ColorColor of the footer text.Color PickerHex color code#666666
footer_link_colorFooter Link ColorColor of the footer links.Color PickerHex color code#666666
footer_link_hover_colorFooter Link Hover ColorColor of the footer links on hover.Color PickerHex color code#222222
main_border_colorMain Border ColorMain border color used throughout the theme.Color PickerHex color code#dddddd

Header Image Options

Below is the complete list of Header Image Options available:

Option ID Option Name Description Control Type Accepted Value Default
header_imageHeader ImageUpload or select a header image. Suggested width is 1100 pixels.Media UploaderImage URL(none)

Background Image Options

Below is the complete list of Background Image Options available:

Option ID Option Name Description Control Type Accepted Value Default
background_imageBackground ImageUpload or select a background image for the site.Media UploaderImage URL(none)
background_presetPresetChoose a preset for how the background image is displayed.DropdownDefault / Fill Screen / Fit to Screen / Repeat / CustomDefault
background_position_xImage Position (Horizontal)Horizontal position of the background image.RadioLeft / Center / RightLeft
background_position_yImage Position (Vertical)Vertical position of the background image.RadioTop / Center / BottomTop
background_sizeImage SizeHow the background image is sized.DropdownAuto / Contain / CoverAuto
background_repeatRepeat Background ImageWhether the background image repeats.CheckboxRepeat / No RepeatRepeat
background_attachmentScroll with PageWhether the background image scrolls with the page or is fixed.CheckboxScroll / FixedScroll

Menu Options

Below is the complete list of Menu Options available:

Option ID Option Name Description Control Type Accepted Value Default
primary_menu_textMenu Mobile TextText displayed for the primary menu toggle on mobile devices.TextA stringMenu
disable_primary_menuDisable Primary MenuCompletely disable the primary menu.Checkboxtrue / falsefalse

Post Options

Below is the complete list of Post Options available:

Option IDOption NameDescriptionControl TypeAccepted ValueDefault
hide_posted_dateHide Posted DateHide the posted date from posts.Checkboxtrue / falsefalse
hide_post_authorHide Post AuthorHide the author name from posts.Checkboxtrue / falsefalse
hide_post_categoriesHide Post CategoriesHide post categories from posts.Checkboxtrue / falsefalse
hide_post_tagsHide Post TagsHide post tags from posts.Checkboxtrue / falsefalse
hide_comments_linkHide Comment LinkHide the comment link from posts.Checkboxtrue / falsefalse
hide_thumbnailHide Thumbnails from Every PageHide featured images/thumbnails from every page.Checkboxtrue / falsefalse
hide_thumbnail_singleHide Thumbnails from Single Posts/PagesHide featured images from single posts and pages.Checkboxtrue / falsefalse
hide_read_more_buttonHide Read More ButtonHide the "Read More" button on post summaries.Checkboxtrue / falsefalse
thumbnail_linkThumbnail LinkWhether thumbnails should link to their post.Dropdown

One of the values below:

  • Yes
  • No
Yes
blogpoststylePost ContentSelect to show full content or excerpt on the homepage and archive pages.Dropdown

One of the values below:

  • Show excerpt
  • Show content
Show excerpt
read_more_textRead More TextCustom text for the "Read More" button.TextA stringRead More
hide_post_navigationHide Post Navigation from Single PostsHide the previous/next post navigation on single posts.Checkboxtrue / falsefalse
hide_posts_navigationHide Posts Navigation from Home/Archive/Search PagesHide the posts navigation on listing pages.Checkboxtrue / falsefalse
posts_navigation_typePosts Navigation TypeSelect the type of navigation for post listings. If WP-PageNavi plugin is active, it will replace this navigation.Dropdown
  • Normal Navigation
  • Numbered Navigation
Normal Navigation

Other Options

Below is the complete list of Other Options available:

Option IDOption NameDescriptionControl TypeAccepted ValueDefault
enable_widgets_block_editorEnable Gutenberg Widget Block EditorEnable the Gutenberg block-based widget editor instead of the classic widget editor.Checkboxtrue / falsefalse
disable_responsive_embedsDisable Responsive Embedded ContentDisable the responsive embedded content feature.Checkboxtrue / falsefalse
customcssCustom CSS CodesAdd custom CSS styles. Use this option only if you are compatible with CSS styling. Any bad input here can ruin the entire look of your theme.TextareaCSS code(empty)

Translation & RTL

CleanWP is fully translation-ready and supports Right-to-Left (RTL) languages like Arabic, Hebrew, and Persian out of the box.

🌐 Translating the Theme

The theme includes a cleanwp.pot file located in the /languages folder inside the theme directory. You can use this file to create translations in your own language using any of the following tools:

After translating, save your files as:

  • cleanwp-[language_code].po
  • cleanwp-[language_code].mo

Place them inside the /languages folder in the theme.

↔️ RTL Language Support

CleanWP includes built-in RTL support. If your WordPress site language is set to an RTL language, the theme will automatically adjust layout direction, alignment, and spacing accordingly. No extra setup required.

If you're customizing your site with RTL content, make sure your text widgets, menus, and custom styles are also RTL-compatible for best results.

Performance & SEO Tips

Here are some best practices to improve your site's performance and SEO when using CleanWP:

  • Use a caching plugin — Install W3 Total Cache, WP Super Cache, or LiteSpeed Cache to improve page load times.
  • Optimize images — Use plugins like Imagify or EWWW Image Optimizer to compress images.
  • Use a CDN — A Content Delivery Network (e.g., Cloudflare) serves your content from servers closest to your visitors.
  • Install an SEO plugin — Use Yoast SEO or Rank Math to manage meta tags, sitemaps, and structured data.
  • Keep WordPress updated — Always use the latest versions of WordPress, themes, and plugins.
  • Minimize plugins — Only keep the plugins you actually use.
  • Use quality hosting — A good hosting provider makes a significant difference in performance.
  • Set featured images — Always set a featured image for posts to ensure proper display in the post layout and when sharing on social media.

FAQ

In this section, you'll find quick answers to the most frequently asked questions about using the CleanWP theme. If you can't find your answer here, you can contact our support team for more help.

My menus disappeared after theme activation. What should I do?

Go to Appearance → Menus → Manage Locations and reassign your existing menus to the correct theme location (Primary Menu).

How do I switch between excerpt and full content display?

Go to Appearance → Customize → Theme Options → Post Options and change the Post Content dropdown to either "Show excerpt" or "Show content".

How do I add social media links?

Go to Appearance → Customize → Theme Options → Social Links and enter your profile URLs for each social network.

How do I change the footer copyright text?

Go to Appearance → Customize → Theme Options → Footer and enter your custom text in the Footer Copyright Notice field.

How do I add numbered page navigation?

  1. Install and activate the WP-PageNavi plugin.
  2. The plugin will automatically replace the default navigation with numbered pagination.

How do I use a static page as my homepage?

  1. Create at least two pages (one for the homepage, one for the blog).
  2. Go to Settings → Reading.
  3. Select A static page under "Your homepage displays".
  4. Choose your homepage and posts page from the dropdowns.
  5. Click Save Changes.

Troubleshooting

This section covers common technical problems you may encounter. If your issue isn't listed, reach out to our support team.

Post thumbnails are missing when sharing on social media

Install an SEO plugin like Yoast SEO or Rank Math and enable Open Graph tags. Always set a featured image for each post.

I get "The uploaded file exceeds the upload_max_filesize directive" error

Increase the upload limit via php.ini, .htaccess, or contact your hosting provider. Alternatively, use FTP.

The primary menu is not showing

Make sure the primary menu is not disabled. Go to Appearance → Customize → Theme Options → Menu Options and ensure Disable Primary Menu is unchecked. Also verify you have assigned a menu to the Primary Menu location via Appearance → Menus.

Widgets are not appearing

Go to Appearance → Widgets and make sure widgets are added to the correct widget areas. Consider disabling "Enable Gutenberg Widget Block Editor" in Theme Options → Other Options.

Support & Licensing

The CleanWP theme is released under the GNU General Public License v2.0 (GPL v2). You can use the theme on unlimited websites and modify the code.

What's included in free support:

  • Help with theme installation and setup
  • Bug fixes and troubleshooting related to the theme
  • Guidance on using built-in theme features

What's not included in free support (but available as paid tasks):

  • Theme customization or resolving third-party plugin conflicts
  • Custom coding or feature implementation requests
  • Performance tuning, SEO setup, or server configuration assistance

If you need help, please contact us. We typically respond within 24-48 hours on working days.

Contact Support

Upgrade to CleanWP PRO

For more features including color options, font options, news ticker, related posts, and much more, consider upgrading to CleanWP PRO.

Changelog & Versioning

The following is a log of all updates and changes made to CleanWP. We recommend always using the latest version.

= Version 1.2.9 =

  • Fixed coding issues.

= Version 1.2.8 =

  • Fixed coding issues.
  • Theme Customizer updated.
  • Many improvements.

= Version 1.2.7 =

  • Fixed site title SEO issues.

= Version 1.2.6 =

  • Font Awesome icons are updated from v5 to v6.
  • Fixed coding issues.

= Version 1.2.5 =

  • Fixed coding issues.
  • Theme customizer updated.
  • New features added.

= Version 1.2.4 =

  • Fixed coding issues.
  • Theme customizer updated.
  • Webfonts Loader removed.

= Version 1.2.3 =

  • Fixed coding issues.
  • Many code improvements.
  • Theme customizer updated.
  • FontAwesome updated.
  • Social buttons updated.
  • RTL language support added.
  • Screenshot updated.
  • Accessibility improved.
  • Webfonts Loader added.

= Version 1.2.2 =

  • Fixed more minor coding issues.
  • Added custom hooks.
  • Added 'wp_body_open' hook.

= Version 1.2.1 =

  • Fixed more minor coding issues.
  • Screenshot was updated.
  • Full-width page template was added for posts.

= Version 1.2 =

  • CSS codes are minified.
  • Theme customizer updated.
  • Theme description updated.
  • Fixed minor coding issues.

= Version 1.1.6 =

  • Removed/Replaced old functions.
  • Fixed minor coding issues.

= Version 1.1.5 =

  • Theme is now supporting to the WordPress built-in "Custom Logo" feature. Please reupload your logo using Theme customizer.
  • Theme tags updated.
  • Fixed minor coding issues.

= Version 1.1.4 =

  • Fixed minor coding issues.

= Version 1.1.3 =

  • Fixed minor coding issues.

= Version 1.1.2 =

  • Added More Color Options to Theme customizer.
  • Fixed minor coding issues.

= Version 1.1.0 =

  • Theme customizer updated.
  • Fixed minor coding issues.

= Version 1.0.8 =

  • Theme customizer updated.

= Version 1.0.7 =

  • Fixed a coding issue.

= Version 1.0.6 =

  • Fixed minor coding issues.

= Version 1.0.5 =

  • Fixed social links issues.
  • Added more social buttons.
  • Theme options updated.
  • Fixed minor coding issues.

= Version 1.0.4 =

  • Fixed minor coding issues.

= Version 1.0.3 =

  • Fixed minor coding issues.

= Version 1.0.2 =

  • Fixed minor coding issues.

= Version 1.0.1 =

  • Added featured images to single post and pages.
  • Enabled featured images on both excerpts and contents.
  • Removed donation box.
  • Removed additional favicon option.
  • Added missing file definitions.

= Version 1.0 =

  • Initial Release.

Date Formats

You can use the following date format values to control how dates appear in various places such as custom widgets, post metadata, news tickers, and more. These formats follow the standard PHP date formatting rules used by WordPress. Refer to the table below to choose a format that best fits your design and content style.

Format KeyExample Output
H:i00:50
g:i a12:50 am
g:i A12:50 AM
g:i:s a12:50:48 am
g:i:s A12:50:48 AM
d.m.y27.11.10
Y.m.d2010.11.27
Y-m-d2010-11-27
Y/m/d2010/11/27
m.d.Y11.27.2010
m-d-Y11-27-2010
m/d/Y11/27/2010
d.m.Y27.11.2010
d-m-Y27-11-2010
d/m/Y27/11/2010
m/d/Y g:i:s a11/27/2010 12:50:48 am
m/d/Y g:i:s A11/27/2010 12:50:48 AM
Y/m/d \a\t g:i a2010/11/27 at 12:50 am
Y/m/d \a\t g:i A2010/11/27 at 12:50 AM
d F27 November
F, YNovember, 2010
F j, YNovember 27, 2010
d M Y27 Nov 2010
M j, YNov 27, 2010
M j, Y @ H:iNov 27, 2010 @ 0:50
l, F j, YSaturday, November 27, 2010
l, F jS, YSaturday, November 27th, 2010