How to Install a Squarespace Template (Step-by-Step)

Updated October 2026

You bought a Squarespace template. Now what?

The good news: installing it takes about 15 minutes, and you don't need to touch any code. This guide walks you through every step, from getting your template to publishing your website.

By the end, you'll have a fully designed site living in your own Squarespace account, ready for your own words, photos, and brand colors.

Before you start

Have these four things ready so the install goes smoothly.

1. A Squarespace account. Free to create at squarespace.com. You don't need a paid plan to receive the template.

2. The email address for that account. Your template is sent to this exact address, so make sure you’re using the Squarespace account you want your template delivered to.

3. Your order confirmation. It includes your template name and the next steps.

4. A plan for your current site (if you have one). Your new template arrives as a separate site, so nothing on your existing site will change until you decide to switch to your new template.

How to install your Squarespace template

Step 1: Complete the template shop checkout with your Squarespace email address

At checkout, submit the email address tied to your Squarespace account. This is how your template gets matched to you.

Step 2: Accept the contributor invitation

Within 1–2 business days, you'll get an email from Squarespace inviting you to join a site as a contributor. Click Accept Invitation and log in.

Don't see it? Check your spam and promotions folders, and search your inbox for "Squarespace." Once you accept, you’ll immediately be taken to your new template so you can start editing it.

Step 3: Receive ownership of the site

After you've accepted, your template shop owner will transfer full ownership of your template site to your account and remove themselves from the site. You'll get a confirmation email from Squarespace when it's done. From this point on, the site is 100% yours and no one has access but you unless you invite them to become a Contributor.

Step 4: Find your new website in your dashboard

Log in to Squarespace and go to your account dashboard. Your template appears as a new site alongside any sites you already have.

Click it to open the editor.

Step 5: Rename the site

To rename the site, open it, click Edit, click to edit the header, and change the site title to your business name. This effectively updates the website name. This will also make it easy to tell apart from any other sites in your dashboard.

Step 6: Choose a plan and connect your domain

(You do not need a plan to edit your website. It will be set to private or you can password-protect it until ready to launch.) When you're ready to launch, choose a Squarespace plan from the billing section of Settings. Then connect your domain under Domains.

If your domain is already on another Squarespace site, you can move it over once your new site is ready to go live. For more instructions from Squarespace on working with domains, go to their help article here.

Making it yours

Since your template is already fully designed, customizing it is mostly swapping in your own content. Work in this order to save time:

1. Set your fonts and colors first. Open Site Styles (the paintbrush icon) and update your brand colors and fonts once. Every page updates with your changes.

2. Add your logo and favicon. If you have one, upload your logo in the site header settings and your favicon (browser tab icon) under site styles or settings.

3. Replace any placeholder text. Click any text block to edit it. Start with your homepage, then work through each page in the navigation, reading carefully.

4. Swap in your photos. Click an image, then Edit > Replace (instead of Delete) to keep the layout and sizing intact.

5. Delete or move pages you don't need. Unused pages can be removed from the Pages panel. Keep a copy of any page you might want later in the Not Linked section by dragging it from the Linked section to the Not Linked section.

6. Update your SEO settings. Add a page title and description for each page under page settings. This is what shows up in Google. For your Home page SEO settings and site description, go to Settings (gear icon) > Marketing > SEO appearance.

Common issues and quick fixes

• I never got the contributor invite.

  Check spam and promotions. Confirm the email you submitted matches your Squarespace login exactly.

• The invite link says it expired.

  Reply to your order email and we'll send a fresh invite.

• I don't see the site in my dashboard.

  Make sure you're logged in to the same account you submitted. Refresh the dashboard after accepting.

• My colors changed in one section but not the others.

  Some sections use their own color theme. Click the section, open Edit Section → Colors, and choose the right theme.

• I want to use the template on my existing site.

  Templates arrive as a new site. Build in the new site, then move your domain over when it's ready.

FAQ

Can I install a Squarespace template on my existing site? Not directly. Squarespace templates are delivered as a separate site. You build in the new site, then attach or move your domain to it when you're ready to launch.

Do I need a paid Squarespace plan before installing? No. You can receive and customize the template on a free account. You'll need a paid plan to publish it and make it public.

How long does installation take? The transfer usually happens within 1–2 business days of your purchase. The steps on your end could take as little as 15-20 minutes.

Do I need to know code? No. Everything is editable in the Squarespace editor with clicks, not code.

Which version of Squarespace do these templates use? CSD templates use Squarespace 7.1, the current version.

Can I use one template for more than one website? Each purchase covers one website. If you’re building sites for multiple clients, each one needs its own license (purchase.)

Ready to launch?

So that’s a wrap! Accept the invite, take ownership, swap in your brand, and publish. You don’t have to be a developer or know code, and you don’t have to be intimidated by a blank page.

Still shopping for the right fit? Browse the CSD templates and find one built for the way your business works. If you would like a template styled for you, contact me so we can talk about what your business needs.