---
title: "Switching Templates"
canonical_url: https://support.digitalphotogallery.com/articles/article/df9ed924-ac34-11e2-8a5a-f23c91703874
short_url: https://dpg.support/asbh
category: "Websites > Configuration > Upgrading"
locale: en
updated_at: 2018-03-22T23:57:27Z
source: Digital Photo Gallery Support
---

# Switching Templates

In this guide we’ll show you how to migrate your current live site to a new design with zero downtime or disruption to your visitors.

This is useful if you are upgrading from one of our older templates, want to try a new type of design, or even rearrange your content.

### Create the new site

The first step is to create a new website in your account. To do that you should follow [this guide](https://support.digitalphotogallery.com/articles/article/62e5e28a-67e1-11e6-a1e4-be279144b405).

We refine the site build process on a regular basis, so even if you’ve built a DPG site in the past, it’s a good idea to check out the guide. It’s likely that the process is even easier than the last time!

You can also see a step-by-step video of the site building process on [this page](https://support.digitalphotogallery.com/articles/article/430227ea-ab6e-11e2-b460-b8f6b11825bb).

### Set up the site basics

Following the above guides, fill out the standard information like your site name and tagline.

### Copy images

[▶ Video](https://cache.dpg.media/hyqelgcvfopo/videos/d0c534e8-2e1b-11e8-bd8e-22aeaf0bd45a/e00c14ee-2e1b-11e8-bd8e-22aeaf0bd45a.mp4)

For pages like the **Image Slideshow** homepage or a simple gallery with no nested sets, you can select all of the images in your original set and simply add them to the new site set. Images can exist in multiple sets at once.

[▶ Video](https://cache.dpg.media/hyqelgcvfopo/videos/00ed2536-2e1c-11e8-a984-22aeaf0bd45a/0da96154-2e1c-11e8-a984-22aeaf0bd45a.mp4)

If you have a gallery with nested sets (sets within sets), make new versions of those sets inside the new site's gallery using the **[New set](https://support.digitalphotogallery.com/articles/article/25fcb16e-aa1b-11e2-8405-d49a20fffecc)** panel. Then go through each one and [add the images](https://support.digitalphotogallery.com/articles/article/7b889c02-ab37-11e2-afa4-b8f6b11825bb) from the old set to the corresponding new set.

![](https://cache.media.digitalphotogallery.com/hyqelgcvfopo/images/4048a6d8-2e1c-11e8-9544-1ef790c6f0a9/1169_support.jpg?generated=20180322215933)

Once the transactions are in progress in the corner of your screen, you no longer need to keep the window open, so feel free to go for a cup of coffee while the images are adding ☕️🍰}

> 💡 **Tip:** If you have a paid account there are [additional tools](https://support.digitalphotogallery.com/articles/article/9c577f9a-ec04-11e6-921c-6e61028599f7) which can help you clone complex set structures.

### Copying text page content

{video:c1ec3fac-2e1b-11e8-8ea3-22aeaf0bd45a

Migrating text on pages is as simple as copying and pasting the text from the text block on each page.

![](https://cache.media.digitalphotogallery.com/hyqelgcvfopo/images/b3f3b682-2e1b-11e8-8af3-22aeaf0bd45a/1160_support.jpg?generated=20180322215535)

Don't forget to configure the form on the Contact page if you have one.}

### Adding your existing blog

_(Requires edit mode Standard.)_

{video:e1da4f5c-2e1b-11e8-b76c-22aeaf0bd45a

Blogs in DPG operate independently of websites, so they can be attached to multiple sites. In your new site, create a new blog page, click **Edit** and select the relevant blog as the **Source**.

### Final tweaks

[▶ Video](https://cache.dpg.media/hyqelgcvfopo/videos/2effe846-2e1c-11e8-87d6-1ef790c6f0a9/3df8db28-2e1c-11e8-87d6-1ef790c6f0a9.mp4)
Check that the **Navigation** items are in the right order, add any external links or change navigation item names. 

[▶ Video](https://cache.dpg.media/hyqelgcvfopo/videos/989112e0-2e1b-11e8-9c19-22aeaf0bd45a/a55c944a-2e1b-11e8-9c19-22aeaf0bd45a.mp4)
Add social icon links.

You can also choose a different theme or layout and customise the **[Design](https://support.digitalphotogallery.com/articles/category/5f52acde-2d88-11e8-9f8e-76b97dfa4d82)** as much as you like.

### Moving your domain

[▶ Video](https://cache.dpg.media/hyqelgcvfopo/videos/f058678a-2e1b-11e8-ad1e-1ef790c6f0a9/ff813fa2-2e1b-11e8-ad1e-1ef790c6f0a9.mp4)

When you're totally happy with the new site and are ready to go live, you can seamlessly switch over the domain from the old site.

In the **Hosts** panel click **Add Host** then select **Move a host from an existing DPG site** and your existing domain name. If your previous site's DNS records were correctly configured, this change will take pace immediately. Your new site should now be live! 💃

### Deleting the old site

It's probably a good idea to keep your old site around for a few days, but once you are sure everything is working great with the new one, you can [delete](https://support.digitalphotogallery.com/articles/article/381e4d30-ac0a-11e2-a18c-b8f6b11825bb) the old version if you want to. 

### Renaming the new site

![](https://cache.media.digitalphotogallery.com/hyqelgcvfopo/images/0ec63670-2e1c-11e8-8bde-1ef790c6f0a9/1166_support.jpg?generated=20180322215810)

You can rename the new site and sets if you need to.