Add templates to Expression Web

You must have explored the built-in templates in Expression Web. These are basic templates that help you create your own website, without requiring many efforts. Although some tweaking is required! To design professional websites you ought to have plenty of site templates for your use. You can create your own or purchase them from other websites. Add these templates to Expression Web and keep them handy. In this article we will see how to add downloaded templates to Expression Web.

In Expression Web 3, to add a template to the same location as the built-in templates:

1. Download the template and unzip it. The template file folder will have an extension of ‘.tem’.

2. Place ‘.tem’ folder at: C:\Program Files\Microsoft Expression\Web 3\en\WEBS

NOTE: C:\ is the drive where Expression Web is installed. If on your machine Expression Web is installed on any other drive then replace C:\ with that drive name in the above path.

3. Now go to Site > New Site > Templates and find your template in the list.

In Expression Web 2, the location would be: C:\Program Files\Microsoft Expression\Web 2\Templates\1033\WEBS12

In Expression Web 1, the location would be: C:\Program Files\Microsoft Expression\Templates\1033\WEBS12

If you do not want to add your custom templates to the default templates folder in Expression Web, you can add them to the My Templates section (only in Expression Web 3). To add a template to My Templates section:

1. Download the template and unzip it. The template file folder will have an extension of ‘.tem’.

2. Place ‘.tem’ at: C:\Users\Minal-Win7\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Expression\Web 3\Legacy\Expression\Web 3\Webs

NOTE: C:\ is the drive where Expression Web is installed. If on your machine Expression Web is installed on any other drive then replace C:\ with that drive name in the above path.

3. Now go to Site > New Site > My Templates. See image below:

My fellow MVPs – Pat and Tina have made a set of 12 Site Templates for Expression Web which are available free for commercial or private/non-profit use. You can find them here. Some other members of the Expression community have contributed their templates to the Microsoft gallery.