---
title: "Creating your first website"
canonical_url: https://support.digitalphotogallery.com/articles/article/62e5e28a-67e1-11e6-a1e4-be279144b405
short_url: https://dpg.support/aihm
category: "Getting started > Basics"
locale: en
updated_at: 2018-03-27T15:00:40Z
source: Digital Photo Gallery Support
---

# Creating your first website

### Choose a template

[▶ Video](https://cache.dpg.media/hyqelgcvfopo/videos/3cc2724e-cecf-11e6-ab5d-967fcb7c1249/4bbae650-cecf-11e6-ab5d-967fcb7c1249.mp4)

Visit the [websites screen](https://admin.digitalphotogallery.com/account/websites), click on the **New site** tab and follow these steps:

1. Choose a template that you would like to use.
1. Select the intial theme and layout (these can be changed later).
1. Click **Create**.
1. Enter a name for your website, this can be anything you like.
1. Click **OK**.

### Wait for the site to be created

![](https://cache.media.digitalphotogallery.com/hyqelgcvfopo/images/6d2a631c-d454-11e6-b995-967fcb7c1249/428_support.jpg?generated=20170106210951)

The new site may take a few minutes to build. Please be patient and stay on the screen while it does.}

autoplay

You can add images directly to a set.

### Using sets with the website

[▶ Video](https://cache.dpg.media/hyqelgcvfopo/videos/08a218c6-eb48-11e6-a364-8e12dd763e7d/17bd9254-eb48-11e6-a364-8e12dd763e7d.mp4)

You can also create sets within the website page sets to help you organise your images. [This site](https://flexiblesidescroll.demo.dpg.gallery/gallery/) shows an example of sets in use.
Each one of our Templates has several built-in themes and layouts for you to choose from. Using the **Design** screen you can change the theme and layout to use as-is or to customise further as much as you like. 

### Getting to the Design section

[▶ Video](https://cache.dpg.media/hyqelgcvfopo/videos/20e12608-2e49-11e8-8747-22aeaf0bd45a/2e168188-2e49-11e8-8747-22aeaf0bd45a.mp4)

From the Dashboard got to **Websites** and select your chosen website. Once you're on the **Website management** screen click **Edit Design**.

### Selecting a theme
[▶ Video](https://cache.dpg.media/hyqelgcvfopo/videos/eb3f249e-2e4a-11e8-83f5-1ef790c6f0a9/0414aa0c-2e4b-11e8-83f5-1ef790c6f0a9.mp4)
Go to **Style** > **Theme** to see the premade themes available for your template. Clicking on a theme will preview it on your website on the left of the screen. Click **Save** to apply the theme, or **Cancel** to discard any changes. 

### Selecting a layout
[▶ Video](https://cache.dpg.media/hyqelgcvfopo/videos/bfdd879a-2e4b-11e8-87fb-22aeaf0bd45a/d54f46fe-2e4b-11e8-87fb-22aeaf0bd45a.mp4)
Some templates also have different layouts to choose from. Clicking on a layout will preview it on your website on the left of the screen. Click **Save** to apply the layout, or **Cancel** to discard any changes. 

![](https://cache.media.digitalphotogallery.com/hyqelgcvfopo/images/9e2d2708-2e4c-11e8-bb93-1ef790c6f0a9/1177_support.jpg?generated=20180323034555)

After saving a new theme or layout you can navigate around the site on the left side of the screen to see how it looks across different pages.}

autoplay

Before you tell the world about your site you should add a [public host](https://support.digitalphotogallery.com/articles/article/acf006a6-f69b-11e5-a5da-16474ff850f4).