Install an Envato Elements Template Kit in WordPress (Step-by-Step)

You download a zip from Envato Elements, try uploading it under Appearance > Themes, and WordPress immediately throws a missing stylesheet error. That happens because Template Kits aren’t standalone themes. They’re collections of JSON layout files, section templates, and global styling presets built for page builders like Elementor.

I use template kits all the time for client builds and landing pages because they cut out the massive bloat of multi-purpose themes. Here is the exact workflow to install the importer plugin, load your zip file, resolve required dependencies, import your global styles, and assemble clean pages without broken CSS or failed assets.

Template Kit vs. WordPress Theme: Why Direct Upload Fails

A standard WordPress theme controls your global template hierarchy, core functions, and base CSS via style.css and functions.php. An Envato Elements Template Kit is just a bundle of page templates, SVG icons, and JSON schemas packaged for a builder engine.

When you try uploading a kit zip directly to Appearance > Themes > Add New, WordPress looks for theme metadata in a stylesheet header that simply isn’t there. That triggers the classic theme is missing style.css error in WordPress. If you actually bought a standalone theme package from ThemeForest instead, check our guide on how to install an Envato WordPress theme and import demo content.

To run a Template Kit properly, your site needs three core pieces:

• A minimal base theme (I stick with Hello Elementor or Astra).
• The builder engine (the free core or Pro version of Elementor).
• The official Envato Elements plugin (or the standalone Template Kit Import plugin) to unpack the JSON schemas into your library.

Step 1: Bump Your Server Limits Before Importing

Template kits pull in remote images, SVGs, and deep JSON structures all at once. Default shared hosting limits will choke on this, causing 500 errors or freezing imports at 60%.

I always verify memory and execution limits first. If you run Apache, add these directives to your .htaccess file:

php_value upload_max_filesize 64M
php_value post_max_size 64M
php_value memory_limit 256M
php_value max_execution_time 300
php_value max_input_vars 3000

If your host runs Nginx or PHP-FPM where .htaccess values get ignored, bump the memory limit directly in your wp-config.php file.

Add this right above the /* That's all, stop editing! */ line:

define('WP_MEMORY_LIMIT', '256M');
define('WP_MAX_MEMORY_LIMIT', '512M');

Refer to the WordPress documentation on maximum upload sizes if your host overrides these limits at the server level.

Step 2: Install the Base Theme and Elementor

Get your foundation theme and page builder set up before touching the kit files. You can do this through the admin UI or via WP-CLI if you have terminal access.

If you’re using SSH, run this to install and activate both plugins and the Hello Elementor theme in one shot:

wp theme install hello-elementor --activate
wp plugin install elementor --activate
wp plugin install envato-elements --activate

From the WordPress admin dashboard:

1. Head to Appearance > Themes > Add New, search for Hello Elementor, install it, and activate it.
2. Go to Plugins > Add New, search for Elementor, install, and activate.
3. Search for Envato Elements in the plugin directory, install it, and activate it.

Step 3: Upload the Template Kit Archive

Do not unzip the archive you downloaded from Envato Elements. Keep it intact as a .zip file.

In your WordPress dashboard, go to Elements > Installed Kits. If you’re using the standalone Template Kit Import tool, it lives under Tools > Template Kit.

1. Click the Upload Template Kit ZIP File upload box (or drag your zip file into the drop zone).
2. Wait a moment while the plugin parses manifest.json.
3. Once unpacked, you’ll see your kit’s card along with an orange warning banner: Attention: There are X requirements that need installing for this Template Kit to work correctly!

Step 4: Install Plugin Dependencies

Most kits rely on helper add-ons (like MetForm for contact forms or Header & Footer Builder) to render dynamic blocks properly.

1. Click Install Requirements inside that orange banner.
2. A modal will pop up showing all required and recommended plugins found in the kit manifest.
3. Check the required boxes and click Install All Requirements.
4. Wait until every dependency turns green. If an item requires Elementor Pro, the installer flags it. You can still use the free page templates even if you skip Pro-only widgets.

Step 5: Import Global Kit Styles

Skipping this step is why imported pages often look totally plain compared to the live demo. Global styles configure your site-wide typography hierarchy, color variables, layout padding, and button defaults inside Elementor Theme Style.

1. Under Elements > Installed Kits, find the card labeled Global Kit Styles (or Global Styles).
2. Click Import Template on that specific card.
3. Give it about 10 seconds to inject the styles into Elementor’s default palette.

If you see a prompt about overwriting current site styles, click proceed. On a new site, this ensures fonts and color tokens match the designer’s demo.

Step 6: Build Pages and Insert Templates

Template kits don’t create live, published WordPress pages automatically; they simply store ready-to-use section layouts in your library. You create normal pages and inject the templates into them.

1. Go to Pages > Add New.
2. Title the page (e.g., “Home”) and set the Page Attributes > Template setting to Elementor Full Width (keeps your normal header/footer) or Elementor Canvas (blank slate).
3. Click Publish, then click Edit with Elementor.
4. Inside the builder, ignore the pink plus icon. Click the green Envato Elements leaf icon instead.
5. Switch to the Installed Kits tab in the modal, open your kit, find the Homepage card, and click Insert Template.

Elementor will pull down the layout structures, SVGs, and placeholder images directly onto the canvas. Hit Update to save your page.

Handling Broken Layouts and Import Failures

If an import stalls midway or won’t save, here are the exact roadblocks I run into most often.

1. The SVG Upload Error

If you get an error stating “SVG import is disabled for security reasons”, Elementor is blocking raw vector uploads. Head to Elementor > Settings > Advanced, set Enable Unfiltered File Uploads to Enable, and save your changes.

2. 403 Forbidden Errors While Saving

If the layout inserts fine but throwing a 403 when you hit Update, your host’s Web Application Firewall (usually ModSecurity) is tripping over the massive JSON post payload. See our guide to fix Elementor 403 Forbidden server errors when saving.

3. Import Stuck at 50% or Timing Out

When the import progress bar freezes indefinitely, your server hit a PHP execution timeout while fetching external placeholder images. We cover full server-side debugging in our guide on how to fix Envato theme demo imports that are failed or stuck.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use an Envato Elements Template Kit without Elementor Pro?

Yes. The bulk of template kits work fine on free Elementor. However, specific components like popups, dynamic archives, single-post layouts, and custom WooCommerce pages require Elementor Pro or dedicated plugins like Elementor Header & Footer Builder.

Why are images missing or replaced by grey boxes?

Envato authors typically only hold preview licenses for stock photography. To avoid copyright issues, kits substitute commercial stock images with grey dimension placeholders during the import process. You simply replace them with your own assets in the editor.

Can I mix templates from two different Envato kits?

Yes, you can upload multiple kits under Elements > Installed Kits. Just remember that Global Kit Styles can only come from one active kit at a time. Any page template imported from a secondary kit will inherit the typography and colors of your primary active global kit style.

How do I set up the header and footer from the kit?

If you’re on Elementor Pro, import them under Templates > Theme Builder and set display conditions to “Entire Site”. On free Elementor, install Elementor Header & Footer Builder, create a new header item, edit it with Elementor, and insert the kit’s header template there.

Next Steps

Once your template kit pages are imported, test your forms, swap placeholder images, and double-check responsive breakpoints on mobile and tablet views. If you’re rolling this setup out across staging sites, make sure your PHP limits match your production environment before migrating.