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Install a MediaWiki skin by placing its code in your wiki’s skins/ directory, loading it with wfLoadSkin() in LocalSettings.php, and checking that its branch or release matches your MediaWiki version. Set $wgDefaultSkin only after previewing the result with ?useskin=skinname. This workflow also covers disabling skins, controlling user choices, customizing CSS and JavaScript, and recovering from upgrade-related breakage.
What a MediaWiki skin controls
A skin supplies the presentation layer around MediaWiki content. It determines navigation placement, page chrome, typography, responsive behavior, menus, logos, and the templates and styles used to render a page. It does not replace MediaWiki core, extensions, pages, or database content. Installing a skin changes files and configuration; it does not migrate article data.
A skin is available only when two conditions are met: its directory is under the wiki installation’s skins/ directory, and it is registered in LocalSettings.php. The directory name and the skin’s registered name are related but are not interchangeable in every case, so follow the skin’s own installation instructions when they specify a different value.
Check compatibility before downloading anything
Compatibility is the decision that prevents most installation failures. MediaWiki skins are maintained against particular MediaWiki releases. If you obtain a skin from Git, check out the branch or tag matching your MediaWiki release, commonly the corresponding REL branch. A skin that worked on one release may fail after a core upgrade because registration APIs, templates, resource modules, or PHP requirements changed.
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Record your wiki’s release
Use your administrator interface or the version information shown by your maintenance tools to record the exact MediaWiki release, not merely the major year. Then check the skin’s documentation for:
- Supported MediaWiki release branches or tags.
- Required PHP version and other runtime prerequisites.
- Required extensions, libraries, or Composer dependencies.
- Additional configuration variables or logo settings.
- Whether the skin uses the current registration system.
Skin-specific instructions take precedence over the generic steps in this guide. A skin may need an extension enabled first, a dependency installed with Composer, or a particular directory name.
Use a staging copy when possible
Test a new skin on a staging wiki or a private administrator-only copy before changing a public default. Keep a backup of LocalSettings.php and the existing skins/ directory. A syntax error or missing dependency can prevent normal page rendering, so ensure you have shell or file access to undo the change.
Obtain the skin code
A standard MediaWiki tarball includes several skins. For other skins, use a release tarball, Wikimedia Git, a ZIP archive, or the documented mediawiki-skins-cli workflow. Choose one source that provides a version compatible with your core release; do not mix files from unrelated branches.
| Distribution method | When it is useful | Checks before installation |
|---|---|---|
| Skin included in the MediaWiki tarball | You want one of the skins shipped with your core download. | Confirm the included directory and read its skin documentation. |
| Release tarball | You want a packaged, versioned download without Git history. | Verify that the release supports your MediaWiki version and extract it without adding an extra wrapper directory. |
| Wikimedia Git | You need a specific branch, tag, or current development revision. | Check out the matching release branch or tag; avoid using an unpinned development branch on production. |
| ZIP archive | You are transferring files through a control panel or a system without Git. | Inspect the archive layout and place the directory containing the skin files directly under skins/. |
mediawiki-skins-cli |
You want the documented command-line workflow for obtaining skins. | Follow the tool’s version and dependency requirements and verify the resulting directory. |
Check the extracted layout
After extraction, the skin’s files should be in a single directory beneath skins/. A common mistake is creating a doubled path such as skins/SkinName/SkinName/skin.json. The file that identifies and registers the skin should be in the directory expected by that skin’s instructions. Correct the extra nesting before editing configuration.
Install a skin in the skins/ directory
- Locate the wiki root. Find the directory containing
LocalSettings.php,index.php, and the existingskins/directory. - Copy or extract the skin. Put the complete skin directory inside that
skins/directory. Preserve filenames, capitalization, permissions, and any bundled subdirectories. - Inspect prerequisites. Read the skin’s installation page for extensions, Composer packages, configuration variables, or build steps required in addition to copying files.
- Set ownership and permissions. The web-server account must be able to read the skin files. Do not make the entire wiki tree world-writable; apply the same safe ownership and permissions used by your other MediaWiki code.
- Keep a record. Note the skin version, source, branch or tag, and installation date so you can reproduce or remove it later.
Do not put a skin in the web root, an extension directory, or a user-upload directory. MediaWiki discovers skins from its configured skins/ location, not from arbitrary folders.
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Enable the skin in LocalSettings.php
Add one load statement for every skin that should be available:
wfLoadSkin( 'SkinName' );Replace SkinName with the registered name specified by the skin. The spelling, capitalization, and punctuation must match that name. Put the statement in LocalSettings.php after the core setup has loaded and in the location recommended by the skin documentation. A skin in the directory is not usable until it is enabled in this file.
Enable several skins
Each available skin needs its own statement:
wfLoadSkin( 'Vector' );
wfLoadSkin( 'MinervaNeue' );
wfLoadSkin( 'ExampleSkin' );Loading several skins does not make all of them the default. It makes them candidates that administrators can offer to users and that you can preview with the URL parameter described below.
Clear or refresh caches after installation
Reload a page after saving LocalSettings.php. If the skin does not appear, clear relevant application, opcode, proxy, or browser caches according to your hosting setup. During development, use the cache-clearing procedure appropriate to your MediaWiki release rather than deleting unrelated files. A cache issue should be considered only after confirming the directory and registration name.
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Use the lowercase symbolic name from the skin definition in LocalSettings.php:
$wgDefaultSkin = 'vector';The value is not necessarily the display label shown in documentation or menus. Use the symbolic name defined by the skin, usually written in lowercase for the configuration variable. Check the skin’s page or definition if you are unsure.
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Changing $wgDefaultSkin changes the default experience for users who were using the previous default. Users who had selected another enabled skin can continue using their selection unless you suppress alternatives. Apply the setting only after testing the skin on representative pages, including talk pages, forms, tables, and pages that use your important extensions.
Preview a skin without changing the site default
Append ?useskin=skinname to a page URL. For example:
https://wiki.example.org/Main_Page?useskin=vectorReplace the hostname, page path, and value with your own wiki and the skin’s symbolic name. This lets an administrator or tester inspect the rendering while the existing default remains unchanged. Test logged-in and logged-out views if both are important, because menus and account controls can differ.
Inspect template data during development
Skin-development documentation also describes ?useskin=json for inspecting template data. Use it as a diagnostic aid when developing or adapting a skin, not as a production presentation mode. Protect any page or endpoint that could reveal information your access policy does not intend to expose.
Use a preview checklist
- Open the main page, a long article, a talk page, a category page, a history view, and a special page.
- Check navigation menus, search, login and logout controls, edit links, notifications, and user tools.
- Resize the browser to phone, tablet, and desktop widths.
- Test right-to-left content if your wiki serves languages that use it.
- Check keyboard navigation, visible focus, color contrast, headings, labels, and screen-reader landmarks.
- Verify that high-use extensions still place their controls and messages correctly.
- Compare page-load behavior and browser console errors with the current skin.
Control which skins users can choose
Users can choose among enabled skins through Preferences unless the administrator suppresses alternatives. Keep only maintained, tested skins enabled on a production wiki. An unused skin still adds files to maintain and can become a compatibility liability after a core upgrade.
Disable a skin safely
- Remove or comment out its
wfLoadSkin()line inLocalSettings.php. - Confirm that the site’s default and any policy-approved alternatives are still enabled.
- Test a fresh session and an existing user session.
- After confirming that no one needs it, remove the skin’s files from
skins/.
Disabling and later re-enabling a skin does not lose user settings according to the core skin documentation. Keep the files or a versioned copy if you expect to restore it and want a quick rollback.
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Plan a default change for existing users
Changing $wgDefaultSkin affects users who were using the old default; users who explicitly selected another enabled skin may retain that selection. Announce the change, provide a preview URL, and decide whether your policy permits personal skin choices. Do not remove the old skin until you know whether saved preferences or operational documentation still depend on it.
Customize appearance with CSS and JavaScript
For site-wide overrides, use wiki pages rather than editing vendor skin files. This keeps customizations separate from upgrades and lets authorized administrators review changes through the wiki interface.
| Page | Scope |
|---|---|
MediaWiki:Common.css |
CSS applied across skins. |
MediaWiki:Common.js |
JavaScript applied across skins. |
MediaWiki:Vector.css and MediaWiki:Vector.js |
Overrides for the Vector skin. |
MediaWiki:Minerva.css and MediaWiki:Minerva.js |
Overrides for the Minerva skin. |
User: and User: |
Per-user overrides for a particular skin. |
Use the exact page names associated with the skin you are customizing. Put rules that truly apply to every skin in the common pages; put selectors that depend on one skin in its skin-specific page. Keep a change log, test after skin updates, and remove obsolete selectors instead of accumulating overrides.
Do not edit bundled skin files for routine branding
Direct edits inside the skin directory are overwritten by upgrades and make it difficult to reproduce a deployment. Use the skin’s documented configuration variables, media-wiki message pages, common CSS and JavaScript pages, or a maintained child/custom skin when those are the supported mechanisms.
Compare candidate skins before choosing one
There is no universal best skin. Evaluate candidates against the needs of your wiki and the cost of maintaining them.
| Criterion | Questions to answer |
|---|---|
| Release compatibility | Is there a branch or tag for your exact MediaWiki release, and does the maintainer document upgrade support? |
| Maintenance status | Are fixes and release updates available, and is the project using the current registration system? |
| Extension integration | Do your essential extensions render correctly and expose their controls in the expected locations? |
| Responsive behavior | Does navigation remain usable on small screens, and are tables, forms, and wide images handled acceptably? |
| Accessibility | Are keyboard focus, labels, contrast, landmarks, and heading structure usable for your audience? |
| Right-to-left support | Does the layout remain coherent for the languages your wiki publishes? |
| Customization surface | Are CSS, JavaScript, templates, messages, and logo settings documented and stable? |
| Performance and assets | How many scripts, stylesheets, fonts, and images are loaded, and do they create console or network errors? |
| Upgrade effort | Will each MediaWiki release require configuration changes, template work, or a replacement skin? |
Use the ?useskin= preview parameter to compare candidates on the same pages. Record concrete findings instead of relying on a screenshot of the home page; skin problems often appear only in special pages, extension interfaces, mobile navigation, or right-to-left content.
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Prepare for MediaWiki upgrades
Treat every MediaWiki upgrade as a skin compatibility event. Official upgrade guidance notes that some older skins were not adapted to the newer skin registration system. Before upgrading production, identify the skin branch or tag for the target release and read its release notes.
- Inventory enabled skins. List every
wfLoadSkin()line and identify which skin is the default. - Check target-release support. Confirm a compatible branch or tag and any new dependencies.
- Clone the upgrade in staging. Upgrade core and extensions there before touching production.
- Validate registration. Confirm the skin still uses the documented loading method and that its definition is found.
- Review configuration. Recheck logo variables, custom messages, CSS, JavaScript, and any skin-specific settings.
- Exercise representative pages. Test desktop, mobile, logged-out, right-to-left, extension-heavy, and special-page views.
- Deploy with rollback ready. Keep the previous core, skin version, configuration backup, and maintenance plan available until verification is complete.
Do not assume that a skin that merely loads is fully compatible. A page can render while menus, forms, extension output, accessibility behavior, or responsive layouts are broken.
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The skin does not appear in Preferences
- Confirm its directory is directly under the wiki’s
skins/directory. - Check for an extra nested directory created by ZIP extraction.
- Verify the
wfLoadSkin()name against the skin’s registered name. - Check for PHP syntax errors or a missing dependency in the server log.
- Clear relevant caches after correcting the installation.
The wiki shows an error immediately after enabling the skin
Restore the previous LocalSettings.php or remove the new load line to regain access. Then check the skin’s required MediaWiki and PHP versions, required extensions, Composer dependencies, and registration instructions. Reinstall the matching branch or tag rather than repeatedly changing configuration at random.
The skin loads but the page layout is broken
Compare the skin branch with the MediaWiki release, inspect browser-console and server-log errors, and test without custom CSS or JavaScript. An old override can target markup that changed in the new skin. Check extension integration and the skin’s documented configuration before editing templates.
The logo or branding is missing
Review the skin’s logo setting and the file path, URL, permissions, and image format. A core upgrade or skin change may use a different configuration variable or asset location. Test the logo in a private window and at the site’s canonical URL to rule out a browser cache issue.
Users see different skins than expected
Check $wgDefaultSkin, the list of enabled skins, and users’ saved Preferences. A default change does not necessarily override an explicit personal selection. Decide whether alternatives should remain available and communicate the policy before removing a skin.
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Test the skin at several viewport widths and with representative right-to-left pages. Inspect skin-specific CSS and JavaScript separately from common overrides. Verify that the candidate skin explicitly supports the languages, navigation model, and extensions your wiki uses.
Production checklist
- MediaWiki release recorded and skin branch or tag matched.
- Skin-specific dependencies and instructions completed.
- Directory placed directly under
skins/with correct permissions. - Correct
wfLoadSkin()statement added toLocalSettings.php. - Preview completed with
?useskin=skinname. - Default changed only after representative-page testing.
- Common and skin-specific CSS or JavaScript reviewed.
- Desktop, mobile, keyboard, accessibility, extension, and right-to-left checks passed where applicable.
- Upgrade and rollback notes recorded.
Key configuration examples
A minimal setup with an enabled skin and a default looks like this:
wfLoadSkin( 'Vector' );
$wgDefaultSkin = 'vector';For multiple choices:
wfLoadSkin( 'Vector' );
wfLoadSkin( 'MinervaNeue' );
wfLoadSkin( 'ExampleSkin' );
$wgDefaultSkin = 'vector';The names in these examples illustrate the syntax. Replace them with the exact registered names and lowercase default value documented by the skin you install.
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