How to Change Your Squarespace Template (And What to Expect Before You Do)
Squarespace makes building a website approachable — but one of the most misunderstood parts of the platform is how templates actually work. If you're wondering how to change your Squarespace template, the answer depends heavily on which version of Squarespace you're using, how much content you've already built, and what you're trying to achieve.
Here's what's actually happening under the hood, and what changes when you switch.
Squarespace 7.0 vs. 7.1: Templates Work Very Differently
Before anything else, you need to know which version of Squarespace you're on. This single factor determines your entire experience with templates.
Squarespace 7.0 operates on a traditional template model. Each template is a distinct design system with its own layout options, style controls, and features. Switching templates in 7.0 is a real change — you're moving from one design framework to another.
Squarespace 7.1 (the current default for new sites) eliminated this distinction entirely. Every Squarespace 7.1 site uses the same underlying template. What you're actually customizing is the design — fonts, colors, section layouts, and page structures — not a discrete template. There is no "template switch" in 7.1 the way there was in 7.0.
To check your version: go to your Squarespace dashboard, open Settings, then look under Advanced. Your version will be listed there.
How to Change Templates in Squarespace 7.0
If you're on 7.0, changing your template is possible — but it's not a one-click reset. Here's the general process:
- From your Home Menu, go to Design
- Select Template
- Click Change Template
- Browse the template library and click Preview on any template to see it applied to your site
- If you want to apply it, click Use This Template — then confirm
⚠️ Important: Switching templates in 7.0 does not delete your content (pages, blog posts, products, images stay intact), but it will reset your style customizations — fonts, colors, spacing, and any CSS you've added. Your content populates into the new template's structure, but it rarely looks polished without manual adjustments afterward.
Some page types may also behave differently across templates, particularly index pages, cover pages, and gallery sections, since 7.0 templates vary in which features they support.
What "Changing a Template" Means in Squarespace 7.1
In 7.1, there's no template library to browse and no switch to flip. Instead, Squarespace gives you a design system where you control:
- Global fonts and colors via the Design panel
- Section-by-section layouts within the page editor
- Pre-built page layouts you can apply when adding new pages
The closest equivalent to changing a template in 7.1 is using Squarespace's built-in starting layouts when you create a new page, or doing a broader design overhaul through Design → Site Styles.
Some users find 7.1 more flexible because you're not locked into one template's feature set. Others find it more confusing because the visual changes require hands-on editing rather than a simple swap.
Key Variables That Affect Your Experience 🎨
Even knowing the mechanics, the impact of switching (or redesigning) varies significantly based on a few factors:
| Variable | Why It Matters |
|---|---|
| Amount of existing content | More pages = more cleanup work after a switch |
| Custom CSS | Template changes in 7.0 often break custom CSS |
| E-commerce setup | Product pages and checkout styles may shift noticeably |
| Third-party integrations | Some embed blocks behave differently across templates |
| Design experience | A major redesign in 7.1 requires comfort with the editor |
If you're running a site with dozens of pages, active e-commerce, or injected code blocks, a template change demands more post-switch review than a simple three-page portfolio site.
Can You Preview Before Committing?
In 7.0, yes — you can preview any template on your live site's content before applying it. The preview is reasonably accurate, though it won't show every edge case. You can exit without applying changes.
In 7.1, since there's no template to switch, previewing a different "look" means manually adjusting your Site Styles or duplicating a page and testing layouts — there's no one-click preview mode for wholesale design changes.
What Doesn't Transfer (Or Breaks) After a Switch
Even with content intact, these elements commonly need attention after a 7.0 template change:
- Navigation styling — menus render differently across templates
- Footer layout — content may stack or collapse unexpectedly
- Blog post formatting — typography and spacing resets
- Banner images — focal points and aspect ratios shift per template
- Custom CSS — almost always needs to be rewritten for the new template's selectors
In 7.1, design overhauls carry similar risks — particularly if you've heavily customized individual sections or used fluid engine blocks in specific configurations.
The Piece That Only You Can Determine
The process itself is straightforward once you know your version. What's harder to answer in general terms is whether switching — or redesigning — is actually the right move for your specific site.
A site with minimal content and no custom code has almost nothing to lose. A site with years of content, active memberships, and injected scripts has meaningful risk to weigh. The line between "quick refresh" and "significant rebuild" shifts depending entirely on what you've built and how deeply it's been customized.