How to Save, Export and Import Templates in Elementor

Every Elementor designer eventually builds the same things more than once: a hero layout that works well, a pricing table you are proud of, a footer that converts. Rebuilding them from memory on every project wastes hours. Elementor's template system lets you save those pieces once and reuse them anywhere, on the same site or on a completely different one.

In this tutorial you will learn how to save pages and sections as templates, organize your library, export templates as files, import them into another site, and move entire websites with all their settings in one package.

Types of Templates

Type	What it contains	Typical use
Page	A full page layout	Landing pages, about pages
Section or Container	A single block	Heroes, CTAs, testimonials
Theme Builder templates (Pro)	Header, footer, single, archive, and more	Site-wide structure
Popup (Pro)	A popup design and its settings	Offers, signups
Website Template	A whole site: settings, pages, templates, content	Starter sites and client handovers

Saving a Section or Container

1. Right-click the container you want to save.
2. Choose Save as Template.
3. Give it a descriptive name, such as Hero / Split with Image, and save.

The section is now in your library, ready to insert on any page of this site.

Saving a Whole Page

In the editor, open the menu next to the publish button and choose Save as Template. Name it clearly, for example Page / Service Detail. You can now start new pages from this layout.

Inserting a Saved Template

1. Click the folder or template icon in an empty area of the page.
2. Open the My Templates tab.
3. Find your template and click Insert.

Remember that inserted templates are copies. Editing them on one page does not change the saved template or other pages. If you need sections that stay in sync, use Components with atomic elements in Elementor Pro.

Organizing Your Library

Templates live in your WordPress dashboard under Templates. A library of fifty templates with names like "Section 12" is useless, so build habits early:

• Use a naming pattern such as Type / Variant: Hero / Centered, Hero / Video, CTA / Dark.
• Delete experiments you will never use again.
• Use favorites for the templates you insert most often.
• Keep a demo page on your own site that shows your best sections, so you can browse them visually.

Exporting a Template as a File

To use a template on another site:

1. Go to Templates in your dashboard.
2. Hover over the template and click Export Template.
3. A JSON file downloads to your computer.

You can select several templates at once and export them together as a ZIP file.

Importing a Template

1. On the other site, go to Templates and click Import Templates.
2. Choose the JSON or ZIP file and import.
3. The template appears in the library, ready to insert.

Images referenced in the template are usually pulled from the original site. If that site goes offline, upload the images to the new site and replace them.

Exporting and Importing a Whole Website

For a complete site, use Elementor's website template feature, found in Elementor's tools as export and import options. You can choose what to include:

• Site Settings, such as global colors, fonts, and layout.
• Pages and posts.
• Theme Builder templates, popups, and other templates.
• Plugin list, so the importer knows what to install.

On the receiving site, import the package and select which parts to apply. This is ideal for agencies that start every project from a proven base, or for moving a design from a staging site to a client site.

Design System Considerations

Templates built with Global Colors, Global Fonts, Variables, or Classes depend on those settings existing on the destination site. When moving individual templates, either:

• Export and import your variables and classes as well, which Elementor supports, or
• Recreate the design system on the new site with the same names, so the template picks up the right values.

Otherwise, a template may arrive with default colors and fonts instead of your brand's.

Common Problems

• Import fails. The file may be too large for your server's upload limit. Ask your host to raise it, or split the export.
• Widgets are missing. The template used widgets from Elementor Pro or an add-on that is not active on the destination site.
• Styles look different. The destination site has different global settings or a different theme.

Wrapping Up

Templates turn your best work into reusable assets. Save sections and pages with clear names, export them as files to share between sites, and use full website templates when you need everything at once. Combined with a consistent design system, your template library becomes one of the biggest time savers in your Elementor workflow.