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How to Restore a SharePoint Site Layout After Applying a Template
Question details
The user needs to revert a SharePoint site to its previous layout and configuration after a new site template unintentionally altered it.
- Product
- SharePoint
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Applying a new site template to an existing SharePoint environment.
- Observed behavior
- The site layout changed entirely, and simply reselecting the original home page did not restore the previous layout and data.
Verify that you have Site Owner or Designer permissions for the SharePoint site, as these are required to access site contents, modify homepages, and restore page versions.
Reassign the Original Page as the Homepage
Use this method if the applied template simply generated a brand-new homepage without overwriting your original page's data.
Open your SharePoint site, click on the Settings gear icon in the top right corner, and select 'Site contents'.
Locate and click on the 'Site Pages' library to view all the pages associated with your site.
Find your original home page in the list, which is commonly named 'Home.aspx'.
Click the three vertical dots (Show actions) next to the page name and select 'Make homepage' from the menu.
Restore the Homepage from Version History
Use this method if the template overwrote your existing homepage's layout and information, requiring you to revert to an earlier saved state.
Simplify Document Collaboration with WPS Office
Managing complex SharePoint site templates and site-wide layouts can be overwhelming. If you are looking for a simpler, lightweight solution for team document collaboration, consider WPS Office. It provides robust file sharing, easy version control, and seamless compatibility with Microsoft Office formats without the overhead of intricate site management.
- 1. Download the App: Visit the official WPS website to download the free application for your desktop or mobile device.
- 2. Save to WPS Cloud: Upload your team's documents to WPS Cloud for secure, centralized access.
- 3. Access Version History Easily: Right-click any document in your WPS Cloud drive to instantly view and restore previous versions without needing complex administrator permissions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why didn't changing the homepage back to Home.aspx fix my site layout?
Site templates often overwrite the existing content, sections, and web parts on the Home.aspx file itself. Simply setting it as the homepage again just displays the newly modified version. To fix this, you must use Version History to restore the file to its previous state.
Will restoring the homepage version also fix my site navigation menu?
No, page version history only restores the layout and web parts of that specific page. Any changes the template made to the global site navigation, themes, or overall site settings must be reconfigured manually.
How do I know which version to restore in SharePoint?
In the Version History menu, check the 'Modified' date and time, as well as the 'Modified By' column. Look for the version saved immediately preceding the exact time you applied the new site template.
