How to Change Your Squarespace Template in 7.1 (Even Though They Say You Can’t)

Spoiler alert: You can’t change templates in Squarespace 7.1 the traditional way—but you absolutely can get the design you want. Here’s how.

Confused About Changing Your Squarespace Template?

You thought changing your website’s vibe would be easy. A few clicks, maybe a snazzy new template, and boom—fresh look, fresh energy, ready to go.

But then Squarespace hit you with the ol’ “Actually, you can’t switch templates in version 7.1.”

Excuse me, what?

You start googling:

• how to change template on Squarespace

• change Squarespace template

• can you change template on Squarespace 7.1?

And now you’re here. Welcome. Take a breath. I’ve got you.

Can You Change Templates on Squarespace?

In Squarespace 7.1, all templates share the same underlying structure and features. You can’t switch between templates like in version 7.0 because every site now runs on the same flexible system - FLUID ENGINE.

So while the answer is technically "no," there are smart, doable workarounds that get you the new look you’re after—without tearing your hair out, or defenestrating your laptop in rage.

Option 1: Start Fresh with a New Site and Template

This is the cleanest way to "change your template" on Squarespace 7.1:

1. Buy the Template You Want – All my templates are 7.1-ready and Fluid Engine optimized.

2. Wait Until I Transfer You Site Ownership – Your new template gets added as a fresh site in your Squarespace account.

3. Copy Over Content – Manually move over your text, images, blog posts, etc.

4. Start a New Subscription & Transfer Your Domain – Point your domain to the new site.

5. Cancel the Old Subscription – Once everything’s running smoothly, shut down the old site.

This works for anyone, whether you’re already on 7.1 or migrating from 7.0. It’s a good option if you don’t have a gazillion blog posts to transfer and your old site wasn’t ranking top on Google anyway.

Option 2: Use a Little Plugin to Copy Design Elements

Want to keep your current site but steal the design of another? This Chrome extension is your new best friend – it will help you change your Squarespace Template by importing new page layouts and design tweaks to the existing one.

How it works:

• Install the SquareWebsites Tools PRO extension.

• Open the template site and copy the page layouts page by page, and all the style tweaks.

• Paste them into your existing 7.1 site.

It lets you bring over the design without starting from scratch. You don’t need to play with site settings, transfer blog posts, or worry about SEO if you had it well optimized before. Handy, right?

Option 3: Rebuild It Yourself with Fluid Engine

Already on 7.1 and want to DIY? Use Squarespace’s Fluid Engine—a powerful, drag-and-drop page builder—to recreate your dream layout.

• Customize your site styles (colors, fonts, spacing).

• Drag content blocks wherever you want.

• Use template-inspired layouts as your guide.

Advantages? You actually don’t need to buy a new template for this one, you just change the existing design. Yes, it takes time. But if you’re a control freak, you might even enjoy it.

Option 4: Buy a Template + Let Me Do It For You

If you’re allergic to tech or just really don’t have time to mess around, this is your dream solution. Buy one of my 7.1 templates and add either the Template Installation Add-On or the Squarespace Site Customization Service to your order. I’ll take care of the nitty-gritty: installing, styling, tweaking, and making your new site look as intentional as your vision.

All you have to do is send me your content (or let me help with that too), and I’ll handle the rest. Website stress? What’s that?

BONUS: Upgrading from Squarespace 7.0 to 7.1 - the How & the Why

If you’re someone still on 7.0 who just stumbled across a beautiful 7.1 template that makes your heart skip a beat—don’t panic. You’re not stuck. It’s totally possible to rebuild your site on 7.1 and give your brand a whole new life. In fact, now’s the perfect time to embrace the shift. 7.1 gives you so much more creative freedom with features like Fluid Engine, better mobile controls, and modern layouts. It might feel like a big leap, but trust me—it’s worth it.

You can do it straight from your site dashboard with one click—just know your site might look a bit different post-move, and there’s a 100-page limit.

So, when is it a smart move to upgrade?

If your current 7.0 site is outdated, not ranking well, or is starting to feel more like a digital dust bunny than a brand powerhouse—starting fresh on 7.1 is the way to go. You’ll get access to all the latest features, modern layouts, better mobile responsiveness, and the magic of Fluid Engine.

But if you’ve got unsupported by version 7.1 features, a high-ranking blog with hundreds of pages, complex navigation, or heavily optimized SEO settings (think meta titles and descriptions galore), then upgrading might be worth the hassle of installing a new template on an existing website (option 2).

In short: If the time saved by staying on 7.0 is outweighed by the creative and strategic flexibility of 7.1, it’s time to make the leap. Just go in eyes wide open—there’s no undo button, and you’ll need to republish everything manually.

If you decided to upgrade, find the details here.

Final Thoughts (a.k.a. Your Pep Talk)

Squarespace doesn’t make changing templates easy—especially if you’re on 7.1 or migrating from 7.0. But you’re not stuck. Not even close.

Whether you want a total website rebrand or just a subtle glow-up, you’ve got options:

• Start fresh with a new template site.

• Use a plugin to import design elements.

• Rebuild manually with Fluid Engine.

And if the thought of doing all that alone makes your eye twitch—hire me to do what you can’t.

Because the only thing worse than website shame is website limbo. Let’s get you out of it.