How to Configure Template Settings and Defaults in Thrive Theme Builder

In this article, you’ll learn how to edit template settings, set a template as the default for its content type, and configure the layout of a template to full-width.

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Editing Template Settings

Template settings let you customize how a template behaves and what it includes. All template types—post, page, list, homepage, 404, and search—share a similar set of settings.

Accessing Template Settings

1. In the Thrive Theme Builder dashboard, click Templates in the left sidebar.
   
   

   

2. Hover over the template you want to configure and click Edit.
3. The template opens in the Thrive Theme Builder editor.
4. The left sidebar displays the template’s settings and options.

Available Settings

When editing a template, the left sidebar provides options to configure:

• Layout and Visibility — Control the page structure, sidebar visibility, and content width.
• Sections — Manage which header and footer sections are used.
• Typography — Override the theme’s default typography settings for this specific template.
• Colors — Override the theme’s color palette for this template.

You can also access structural elements through the breadcrumbs at the top of the editor—[Template Name] Settings, Layout Container, and Content Wrapper—each with its own settings.

Setting a Template as the Default

The default template is used automatically for all content of that type unless a different template is manually assigned to a specific page or post.

How to Set a Default Template

This process works the same for all template types—post templates, page templates, and list templates.

1. In the Thrive Theme Builder dashboard, click Templates in the left sidebar.
   
   

   

2. Locate the template you want to make the default. If it doesn’t exist yet, create one first (see Creating Post Templates, Creating Page Templates, or Creating List Templates).
3. Hover over the template and click the More option (three-dots icon).
   
   
4. Select Set as default.

The template is now marked as the default and will be used for all matching content.

What Happens When You Set a New Default

• The previously default template loses its default status but is not deleted.
• All pages or posts using the old default template automatically switch to the new default—unless they have a manually assigned template.
• Manually assigned templates are not affected by default template changes.

Setting a Template Layout to Full-Width

By default, templates may include a sidebar and a contained content width. You can switch any template to a full-width layout.

How to Set Full-Width

1. In the Thrive Theme Builder dashboard, click Templates in the left sidebar.
   
   

   

2. Hover over the template and click Edit to open it in the editor.
3. Click on the Layout Container in the breadcrumbs at the top of the editor.
4. In the left sidebar, select the Full Width option (as opposed to Boxed).
   
   
5. To also remove the sidebar: click on the Content Wrapper in the breadcrumbs, then disable the Sidebar Visibility toggle.
   
   
6. Save the template.

The template now uses a full-width layout, and the content area spans the full width of the page.

Layout Controls

Template layout is controlled through two separate structural elements:

Layout Container (click in breadcrumbs) provides:

• Boxed — Content is contained within a centered container with a defined maximum width.
• Full Width — Content spans the full page width.

Content Wrapper (click in breadcrumbs) provides:

• Sidebar Visibility — Toggle the sidebar on or off.
• Position — When the sidebar is visible, choose whether it appears on the Left or Right.
• Gutter — Control the spacing between the content and sidebar.

Resetting a Template

If you’ve made changes to a template and want to revert it to its original design:

1. In the Templates section, hover over the template.
   
   

   

2. Click the More option (three-dots icon).
   
   
3. Select Reset.
4. Confirm the reset.

Important: Resetting a template reverts its design to the original state it had when first created or downloaded from the cloud. This action cannot be undone. Any customizations you’ve made to the template will be lost.

Best Practices

• Set defaults early — Decide which templates should be the defaults for each content type during your initial theme setup. This ensures consistency across your site.
• Use full-width for landing pages — Full-width layouts work well for homepage templates and special landing pages where you want maximum design control.
• Keep sidebars for content-heavy pages — Blog posts and archive pages often benefit from a sidebar with navigation, categories, or a search bar.
• Test after changing defaults — After setting a new default template, check your key pages and posts to make sure they look correct with the new design.

Related Resources

• Understanding Templates: Learn about template types and how they work.
• Applying Templates to Pages & Posts: Learn how to assign templates to specific content.
• Navigating the Templates Section: Learn how to browse, filter, and search templates.