How to Use Elementor Templates in WordPress: 2026 Step-by-Step Guide

Elementor ships with more than 100 ready-made templates, and you can drop one onto a blank page in about two clicks. Most beginners never find them. They sit behind a small folder icon inside the editor, so people rebuild every hero section, pricing table, and contact form by hand. That’s hours of work for a layout that was already sitting in the library, waiting.

Quick answer: To use a single layout, open a page with Edit with Elementor, click the folder icon (the Template Library) on the canvas, pick a block or page, and hit Insert. For a whole multi-page design, go to Templates → Website Templates in your WordPress dashboard, preview a kit, and click Apply Kit to bring in every page and its colors at once. Build something yourself? Use Save as Template, then reuse it anywhere or export it as a file to move between sites.

Last reviewed: June 2026. Steps verified against the current Elementor editor and the Website Templates (Kit Library) interface.

Most walkthroughs stop at “click Insert.” This one keeps going: importing third-party kit ZIPs, generating a layout with Elementor’s built-in AI, the free-versus-Pro line that trips up buyers, and the missing-images problem that hits almost every kit import. Elementor reshuffled its plans in 2026 and added bundled “One” plans, but the template features still split along the same free-versus-Pro line they always did.

What Counts as a “Template” in Elementor

People lump three different things under one word. Knowing which one you’ve got saves a lot of grief later.

• A template (block or page). One saved layout. A block is a single section, like a hero banner, a testimonials row, or a pricing grid. A page template is a full-page layout you drop onto an empty page.
• A template kit. A coordinated set covering a whole website: home, about, services, contact, and blog pages that share one color palette and font system. Apply a kit and you get every page in one go.
• Your own saved template. Any section or page you build and save once, then reuse across the site. Headers, footers, and call-to-action blocks live here.

The library mixes free templates with Pro ones (the Pro designs carry a small crown badge). You can browse everything either way. You just can’t insert the crowned ones without a Pro license.

How to Insert a Pre-Made Template Into a Page

This is the everyday move: you’re building a page and want a polished section without designing it from scratch.

• Open the page in Elementor. Go to Pages, open the page you want, and click Edit with Elementor.
• Open the library. Click the gray folder icon in the middle of an empty section, or the folder icon at the top of the editor panel.
• Pick Blocks or Pages. The Blocks tab holds single sections; the Pages tab holds full layouts. Filter by category (about, contact, pricing, services) to narrow it down fast.
• Preview, then insert. Hover a template, click the magnifier to preview it live, and click Insert when you like it.
• Sign in if asked. The first time you insert a Pro template, Elementor prompts you to connect your account. Free templates drop in with no account needed.

That folder icon is what brings drag-and-drop editing to self-hosted WordPress, the same point we cover in our WordPress vs. website builders comparison. Once a template lands on the canvas, every text block, image, and button is editable in place.

How to Apply a Full Website Template (Kit Library)

A single page is one thing. A whole site in an afternoon is the real time-saver. That’s what kits do.

• Open the kit library. In your WordPress dashboard, go to Templates → Website Templates. On older installs this is labeled Kit Library.
• Browse and preview. Filter kits by category, hover the one you like, and click View Demo to see the live multi-page preview.
• Apply the kit. Click Apply Kit (some versions say Import). Elementor sets up the pages, menus, and global design.
• Choose all or selected parts. You can import the entire kit (every page, plus global colors, fonts, and settings) or tick only the parts you want, like just the homepage and the global styles.
• Set your homepage. Imported pages appear under Pages. Point your site at the new home page under Settings → Reading.

Full website kits need Elementor Pro. If you’d rather describe the site in plain language and let software assemble it, that’s a different workflow, and our AI WordPress builder guide walks through the faster, prompt-driven path.

How to Import a Kit ZIP (Marketplace or Another Site)

ZIP kits reach you two ways: a premium kit bought from a marketplace like Envato, or a website kit someone exported from another Elementor site. Each uses a different importer, so check which file you have first.

From a marketplace (Envato Template Kits):

• Download the kit ZIP. Buy the Template Kit, then save the ZIP to your computer.
• Open the kit importer. In WordPress, go to Tools → Template Kit, then click Upload Template Kit ZIP File. Install the free Template Kit Import plugin first if WordPress prompts you.
• Install required add-ons. Many kits depend on free widget plugins. The importer flags which ones to add, so install them before you insert anything.
• Insert what you need. Pull individual templates into pages from the library, or import the kit’s parts together.

From another Elementor site (native website kit): Go to Elementor → Tools → Website Templates (older versions call this Import / Export Kit), drop in the ZIP, and pick which parts to bring over: Templates (headers, footers, saved layouts), Content (pages and posts), and Site Settings (global colors and fonts). It’s the same exporter you’d use to clone a whole site between installs.

Selling something? A WooCommerce kit drops in product, cart, and checkout layouts in one shot, which pairs well with the setup in our WordPress ecommerce hosting guide. Just confirm the kit lists WooCommerce support before you buy.

How to Save Your Own Template and Reuse It

Built a header, a pricing block, or a contact form you’ll use again? Save it once. Reuse it everywhere.

• Save a full page. Click the up-arrow next to the green Publish (or Update) button at the bottom of the panel, choose Save as Template, name it, and save.
• Save one container. Right-click the container handle (the six-dot icon above it) and pick Save as Template. Containers replaced the old sections-and-columns layout, but this save step works the same way.
• Find it later. Saved designs land in the My Templates tab inside the library.
• Reuse it. On any page, click the folder icon, open My Templates, and drag the template onto the canvas (or click Insert).

One caveat worth knowing: turning a header or footer into a true site-wide element (so it appears on every page automatically) uses the Theme Builder, which is a Pro feature. Saving and re-inserting works on the free version, but you’ll be placing it manually each time.

How to Move Templates Between Sites

Designing on a staging site and pushing to production? Or reusing a layout on a client’s separate WordPress install? You don’t need Pro for that. Export the design as a file.

• Export it. Go to Templates → Saved Templates, hover the template, and click Export Template. You’ll download a JSON file (a plain-text layout file, no images baked in).
• Import it on the other site. On the second site, go to Templates → Saved Templates, click Import Templates, and upload the JSON.
• Relink the images. Because the file carries no images, re-upload or reattach them after import. Text, layout, and styling all transfer cleanly.

Think of this as the free, manual version of what Pro’s cloud templates do automatically. For a handful of designs, it’s quick. For dozens across many sites, the cloud library starts paying for itself.

How to Customize an Imported Template

A template gets you 80 percent of the way. The last 20 percent is making it yours, and this is where global styles earn their keep.

Click any element to swap its text or image directly. For colors and fonts, don’t recolor each button by hand. Open Site Settings from the editor menu, then edit Global Colors and Global Fonts. Why edit globally? Change the accent color once and every button, heading, and link tied to it updates together. That’s how you keep a kit looking consistent instead of patchwork.

Layout changes are drag-and-drop: move widgets around, resize columns, and hide elements on specific devices using the responsive preview (desktop, tablet, mobile). Spend five minutes in mobile view before you publish. Templates that look sharp on a wide screen often crowd up at 390 pixels wide.

How to Generate a Template With Elementor AI

Can’t find a library template that fits? Have Elementor build one. Elementor AI lives inside the editor and turns a written prompt into a layout, so it’s worth knowing as an alternative to browsing the library.

• Start an empty container. Add a new container, then look for the Build with AI option (the purple AI icon).
• Describe the section. Type what you want, like “a pricing section with three plans and a highlighted middle tier.”
• Pick a variation. Elementor returns three layouts. Click Use Layout on the one you like and it drops onto the canvas as editable containers.
• Reference a site (optional). Point the AI at a URL and it builds containers styled after that page.

The same panel writes copy, generates images, and produces custom CSS. One honest caveat: Elementor AI is a paid add-on that runs on credits, separate from your Pro plan. And the output needs cleanup, so treat it as a fast first draft, not a finished page.

Free vs. Pro: Which Templates You Actually Get

Here’s the honest split, because the marketing blurs it.

Free Elementor gives you the template library with a mix of free block and page templates. You also get a small set of cloud templates, plus the ability to save, export, and import your own designs. That’s enough to build a site page by page. Many live sites run on nothing but the free plugin.

Elementor Pro unlocks the full Website Template (kit) library, with hundreds of professional kits. It also adds the Theme Builder for site-wide headers and footers, the Popup Builder, dynamic content, and more than 100 extra widgets. Pricing starts at USD 59/year (EUR 60/year) for the Essential plan on one site. Paid tiers climb from there: Advanced Solo around USD 79, Advanced at USD 99 for three sites, and Expert at USD 199 for 25 sites. Elementor dropped its lifetime license back in 2022, so every plan renews yearly, and annual plans carry a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Bottom line on cost: if you only need a few pages, free Elementor plus a marketplace kit ZIP can carry you. Pro earns its price the moment you want consistent site-wide templates, a real kit library, or dynamic content pulling from your posts.

Troubleshooting Common Template Problems

Four issues account for most of what goes wrong. Work through them in order.

Images are missing after I import a kit

The most common headache, and usually not a bug. Kits ship with licensed demo images that often can’t be redistributed, so they don’t always import. Check your Media Library first. If the images aren’t there, re-run the kit’s demo content import (if it offers one) or replace the placeholders with your own images. Either way, plan to swap demo photos before launch anyway.

The template I want shows a crown and won’t insert

That crown means it’s a Pro template. Free accounts can preview it but not insert it. Pick a free template instead (filter the library to free only), or upgrade to Pro. There’s no workaround that’s both legal and safe, so skip any “nulled” Pro plugins you find online. They’re a common source of malware.

The kit import times out or fails halfway

Large kits choke on tight server limits. Raise your PHP memory limit (256 MB or more), max execution time, and upload size through your host’s control panel or php.ini. If you can’t change those, import selected parts instead of the whole kit, or move to faster hosting. Our SSD hosting guide covers the tier where the Elementor editor stops feeling sluggish, since it’s a resource-heavy builder.

The layout looks broken right after I insert it

Two usual causes. First, a missing dependency: the kit needs a widget add-on you haven’t installed, so its custom elements render empty. Install the add-on the importer listed. Second, a theme conflict. Switch to Elementor’s lightweight Hello theme and re-check. If it renders correctly there, your old theme was fighting the template.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are Elementor templates free, or do I need Pro?

Both. The free Elementor plugin includes a library of free block and page templates you can insert right away. You can also save and import your own. Full website kits, the Theme Builder, and hundreds of premium templates require Elementor Pro, which starts at USD 59/year (EUR 60/year) for one site. Pro templates are marked with a crown in the library.

What’s the difference between an Elementor template and a template kit?

A template is one layout: a single section (like a pricing table) or a full page. A template kit is a coordinated set of pages for an entire website (home, about, services, contact, blog) that share the same colors and fonts. You insert a template into a page; you apply a kit to build the whole site at once.

How do I import an Elementor template kit from Envato?

Download the Template Kit ZIP from Envato, then in WordPress go to Tools → Template Kit and click Upload Template Kit ZIP File. If prompted, install the free Template Kit Import plugin first. After upload, install any required add-on widgets the kit lists, then insert its templates from the library.

Why are images missing after I import an Elementor template?

Kits ship with licensed demo images that frequently can’t be redistributed, so they don’t always transfer during import. Check your Media Library, re-run the kit’s demo content import if one exists, or replace the placeholders with your own images. Exported JSON templates never carry images at all, so those always need relinking.

Can I reuse a header or footer across pages with Elementor templates?

You can save a header or footer as a template and re-insert it on each page manually with the free version. To have one appear site-wide automatically, you need the Theme Builder, which is a Pro feature. For most beginners, saving and re-inserting is fine until the site grows.

Do Elementor templates slow down my WordPress site?

Templates themselves don’t, but Elementor adds CSS and markup that can bloat pages if you stack heavy sections. Keep templates lean, use a caching plugin, limit third-party widget add-ons, and host on a server with solid resources. A fast host matters more here than the templates do.

Start With the Library, Not a Blank Page

The hard part of Elementor isn’t the templates. It’s remembering they exist. Once you know that folder icon opens a library of ready-made sections, you stop designing from zero. The same goes for kits: Templates → Website Templates can stand up a whole site, so you edit instead of build.

Keep the workflow simple: insert a template or apply a kit, swap text and images, set your colors and fonts globally, and save anything you’ll reuse. That covers 95 percent of real-world Elementor work, all of it on the free plugin until you specifically need Pro’s site-wide tools.

Building your first site? The hosting finder tool matches you to a plan that keeps the Elementor editor quick instead of laggy. And if you’re still weighing Elementor on WordPress against a hosted site builder, the WordPress-versus-website-builders comparison earlier in this guide breaks down that trade-off in full.