---
title: "Create a Child Theme in HubSpot CMS: Step-by-Step Guide"
description: Learn how to create a child theme in HubSpot CMS to customize your site safely. Follow our step-by-step guide for easy implementation and updates.
image: https://bereto.dev/hubfs/Captura%20de%20pantalla%202025-11-03%20a%20las%2012.44.22%20p.m..png
---

[Skip to content](https://bereto.dev/blog/how-to-create-a-child-theme-in-hubspot-cms#main-content)

[![bereto.dev](https://bereto.dev/hubfs/bereto_dev_logo.svg "bereto.dev")](https://bereto.dev/)

- [Services](https://bereto.dev/services)
- [HubSpot Marketplace](https://bereto.dev/hubspot-marketplace)
- [Projects](https://bereto.dev/projects)
- [Blog](https://bereto.dev/blog)
- [About Me](https://bereto.dev/about-me)

This is a search field with an auto-suggest feature attached.

- There are no suggestions because the search field is empty.

[Contact](https://bereto.dev/contact-me)

[Contact](https://bereto.dev/contact-me)

This is a search field with an auto-suggest feature attached.

- There are no suggestions because the search field is empty.

- [Services](https://bereto.dev/services)
- [HubSpot Marketplace](https://bereto.dev/hubspot-marketplace)
- [Projects](https://bereto.dev/projects)
- [Blog](https://bereto.dev/blog)
- [About Me](https://bereto.dev/about-me)

 July 29, 2025  - 3 min read

# Create a Child Theme in HubSpot CMS: Step-by-Step Guide

 Learn how to create a child theme in HubSpot CMS to customize your site safely. Follow our step-by-step guide for easy implementation and updates.

 By [Roberto Pacheco](https://bereto.dev/blog/author/roberto-pacheco)

![Create a Child Theme in HubSpot CMS: Step-by-Step Guide](https://bereto.dev/hubfs/Captura%20de%20pantalla%202025-11-03%20a%20las%2012.44.22%20p.m..png)

Create a Child Theme in HubSpot CMS: Step-by-Step Guide

3:01

If you’ve downloaded our theme from the HubSpot Marketplace and want to customize it safely—without losing your changes after updates—creating a **child theme** is the way to go.

In this post, we’ll walk you through what a child theme is, why you need one, and how to create one step-by-step inside HubSpot CMS.

 

## What is a Child Theme?

A **child theme** is a separate theme that inherits everything from a **parent theme** (in this case, the theme you downloaded). You can override templates, modules, styles, and add custom functionality—without modifying the original files.

This means you can **safely update the parent theme** when new versions are released, without losing your custom work.

 

## Step-by-Step: Creating a Child Theme

### 1. Open Your HubSpot Design Tools

Go to **Marketing > Files and Templates > Design Tools** in your HubSpot portal.

 

### 2. Create a Child Theme Folder

Right-click the folder where you’d like to store your theme (e.g., /themes/) and choose:

> **New file > Theme > Child theme**

In the dialog, you’ll need to:

- **Name your child theme folder**, e.g., my-custom-child-theme
- **Select the parent theme** – this will be the theme you downloaded from the Marketplace.

Click **Create child theme**.

 

### 3. Understand the Child Theme Structure

HubSpot will automatically create a folder with the following:

- A theme.json file that references the parent
- Empty folders for modules, templates, and assets

Example theme.json

`{   "label": "My Custom Child Theme",   "screenshot_path": "../parent-theme/images/screenshot.png",   "parent_theme_path": "../parent-theme" }`

> 🔎 Note: You don’t need to copy all files. HubSpot uses everything from the parent unless you override a specific file.

 

### 4. Start Overriding Templates or Modules

Want to customize a template?

1. Copy the file from the **parent theme** into your child theme.
2. Edit it directly in the child theme folder.

You can override:

- Templates (e.g. blog.html, page.html)
- Modules
- CSS / JS assets
- Global partials

HubSpot will automatically use your child version when it exists.

 

### 5. Apply Your Child Theme

Now that it’s ready, you can use your **child theme** just like any other theme:

- Create new pages using the child theme templates
- Apply the child theme to your blog
- Customize it with theme fields in the page editor

## Benefits of Using a Child Theme

- **Safe Updates** – Keep parent theme updates separate from your customizations
- **Clean Workflow** – All your overrides live in one organized place
- **Full Flexibility** – Customize layouts, modules, styling, and scripts freely

## Pro Tips

- Always test your overrides thoroughly.
- Avoid renaming folders/files from the parent unless you fully control usage.
- Document what you’ve customized for easier team collaboration.

A **child theme** gives you the flexibility to make a theme truly your own—without compromising upgradability. Whether you’re tweaking layouts or extending functionality, this is the best practice path to scaling your website design.

---

[HubSpot Tutorial](https://bereto.dev/blog/tag/hubspot-tutorial), [HubSpot CMS](https://bereto.dev/blog/tag/hubspot-cms), [HubSpot Theme Development](https://bereto.dev/blog/tag/hubspot-theme-development), [Child Theme](https://bereto.dev/blog/tag/child-theme), [CMS Customization](https://bereto.dev/blog/tag/cms-customization), [Marketplace Theme](https://bereto.dev/blog/tag/marketplace-theme), [Simple Theme](https://bereto.dev/blog/tag/simple-theme)

## Related articles

[![](https://bereto.dev/hs-fs/hubfs/connect-a-domain-without-reverse-proxy.webp?width=352&name=connect-a-domain-without-reverse-proxy.webp)](https://bereto.dev/blog/connect-your-domain-to-hubspot-a-clear-step-by-step-guide-with-dns-tips)

[Connect Your Domain to HubSpot: Step-by-Step Guide](https://bereto.dev/blog/connect-your-domain-to-hubspot-a-clear-step-by-step-guide-with-dns-tips) 

 What you need before you start

[![](https://bereto.dev/hs-fs/hubfs/photo-1554774853-aae0a22c8aa4.jpg?width=352&name=photo-1554774853-aae0a22c8aa4.jpg)](https://bereto.dev/blog/stop-building-everything-from-scratch-why-startups-should-leverage-existing-tools)

[Leverage Existing Tools to Boost Startup Success](https://bereto.dev/blog/stop-building-everything-from-scratch-why-startups-should-leverage-existing-tools) 

 Many new entrepreneurs believe every app, CRM, or website must be built from scratch. It feels unique—but in practice,...

[![](https://bereto.dev/hs-fs/hubfs/Frame.jpg?width=352&name=Frame.jpg)](https://bereto.dev/blog/introducing-hubspot-devtools-a-free-chrome-extension-to-speed-up-hubspot-cms-development)

[HubSpot DevTools: Free Chrome Extension for Developers](https://bereto.dev/blog/introducing-hubspot-devtools-a-free-chrome-extension-to-speed-up-hubspot-cms-development) 

 Working withHubSpot CMScan be a great experience for developers, but there are a few repetitive tasks that quickly...

bereto.dev © 2026 | [Privacy Policy |](https://devteam.partners/legals#privacy)[Terms & Condition](https://devteam.partners/legals#terms)

```json
{
  "@context" : "https://schema.org",
  "@type" : "BlogPosting",
  "author" : {
    "@type" : "Person",
    "name" : "Roberto Pacheco",
    "url" : "https://bereto.dev/blog/author/roberto-pacheco"
  },
  "dateModified" : "2025-11-03T18:45:18.626Z",
  "datePublished" : "2025-07-29T19:26:59.000Z",
  "headline" : "Create a Child Theme in HubSpot CMS: Step-by-Step Guide",
  "image" : [ "https://bereto.dev/hubfs/Captura%20de%20pantalla%202025-11-03%20a%20las%2012.44.22%20p.m..png" ],
  "mainEntityOfPage" : {
    "@id" : "https://bereto.dev/blog/how-to-create-a-child-theme-in-hubspot-cms",
    "@type" : "WebPage"
  },
  "publisher" : {
    "@type" : "Organization",
    "logo" : {
      "@type" : "ImageObject",
      "url" : "https://bereto.dev/hubfs/bereto_dev_logo.svg"
    },
    "name" : "bereto.dev"
  }
}
```