This article contains instructions on preparing your file for submission to ThemeForest. For help with our upload process —including how to format your submission title, tags and description— view our item upload guide.
1. Save your main file(s):
Organize your file and documentation so that it is easy to view, edit and understand. Group, label and organize common elements so that buyers are able to easily edit your file. The more editable your file is, the more valuable it is to buyers. Ensure that you validate your code, and code in a style that represents the latest and best practices in the industry.
If you’re submitting:
- Joomla, Drupal, OpenCart or osCommerce themes, ensure that your theme contains a GPL licensing directory. Create a directory inside your .zip called “Licensing” and place inside it the two .txt files which we provide here for each type of theme. Learn more about GPL and ThemeForest here.
Note: You do not have to do this for WordPress themes. The license details will be automatically attached to WordPress uploads.
- Magento and PrestaShop themes, create a directory inside your .zip called “Licensing” and place inside it the two .txt files which we provide here for each of these types of themes licensed under the OSL v.3.
- Email Templates, ensure that your submission adheres to email design standards (using tables and inline CSS) and displays consistently across a variety of email clients. See CampaignMonitor’s guide.
- PSD Templates, ensure your layers are grouped and named in a clear and organized way.
2. Check your assets:
Make sure you have the right to use any of your assets in a commercial resale work. If you have assets that are linked to the main file, be certain you’ve included them in your .zip file. For more information on what assets you can use, see this article.
3. Create a help file:
This should include concise instructions on installation, customization and use, written in English and formatted as a .pdf, .doc, .txt, or HTML document. Keep in mind that buyers may have little to no familiarity with design software, so incorporate clear explanations and visuals when necessary. You may create a screencast or flash instructions in addition to, but not instead of, text instructions. A documentation template can be found here.
Note
Do not assume that the buyer of your item has any significant level of coding knowledge. When preparing your documentation, treat the buyer like a beginner.4. Final Steps:
Check that your preview image, thumbnail, title, description and tags follow our formatting standards. Put your finished design and all supporting information into a single zipped folder.
Note
It is recommended that you watermark the images in your live preview template. Unfortunately no live preview can be totally secure, and it is a trade off. In the long run, live previews will sell more files than they lose.5. Upload your file to ThemeForest!
