New Themes

You can’t use WordPress.COM themes on self-hosted sites, but you can install any of these https://www.ads-software.com/extend/themes/ easily from the dashboard – this explains how that works:

https://www.ads-software.com/extend/themes/

Some of those are the same theme as the ones on .COM, though they are usually not totally identical because of modifications .COM makes to themes.

Thank you. So basically I would have to download one by one and check if I like them?
I thought perhaps there was a way of downloading a pack with lots of different themes.

Have you tried from the dashboard – it’s really quite fast to install from there and activate or preview.

Some hosting companies do preinstall a bunch…sounds like yours doesn’t have that?

Thank you. I just realised that I can search for themes from the dashboard. I wasn’t aware that I could browse “Featured” “Newest”, etc.
I thought I had to download them from here then instal them on my blog.

Oh sorry, I actually posted the wrong link above – twice the same one – duh. See this: https://codex.www.ads-software.com/Using_Themes

And yes, you are right – it’s very quick and easy (and cool) ?? – lots of fun to try out different ones too!

Thank you, it makes sense now! ??
Would you perhaps know where I could find social media button plugin to add to sidebar?
I noticed that some blogs have little buttons side by side, all leading to their social media pages.

Actually, if you are moving from .COM, you probably already have or will want to have JetPack installed on your site – there are social media features included there. You can find more info about JetPack here:

https://jetpack.me/

Some themes also have social media icons as an option or you can search the plugins page here: https://www.ads-software.com/extend/plugins/ (those plugins can be installed via the dashboard same way themes are but it might be easier to search around on the page first…)

When they moved my content, they installed JetPack.
Did you understand what I meant? Little icons side by side all in a single line.
On my old blog, I have single boxes for each social network, but I wanted to tidy it up a bit and have it all in one line.

Yep, I think JetPack has that – look at this one:

https://www.ads-software.com/extend/plugins/jamie-social-icons/

or any of these:

https://www.ads-software.com/extend/plugins/search.php?q=social+icons

Do make sure that any plugins you use are compatible with WP3.5+ (it says on the plugins page).

Or are you saying they ARE there but messy? A link to your site might help if that’s the case.

There are not there.
This is my old blog: https://lilinhaangel.wordpress.com/
This is the blog I’m trying to set up, but I’m struggling, can’t find a decent theme! https://lilinhaangel.com

If you have a look at my old blog, there are social network buttons just below the title (top), but I wanted to have something similiar in the sidebar of the new blog.

I would like lots of preview posts on my new blog with pictures, with a carousel of rotating last posts at the top. That would be my perfect theme.

I think I just found my ideal theme “curiosity” but it doesn’t work properly! ??