Anima or Anima LT: choosing the right update

Anima and Anima LT are two distributions of the same Pixelgrade theme code. The commercial version was released first as Anima and receives updates through WUpdates. When we later published the theme on WordPress.org, the anima name was already being used by an unrelated theme, so the public version had to use the name and folder anima-lt.

Both are standalone theme packages. Names such as Mies LT and Rosa LT describe the design or Starter Site applied to Anima; they do not identify a separate installed theme and do not determine its update source.

The two distributions may display the same version number, but WordPress treats them as different themes because they use different folder names and update systems. Before installing or replacing anything, check both Appearance → Themes and Plugins → Installed Plugins.

If you use Pixelgrade Care

Use this path when the theme card in Appearance → Themes says Anima and Pixelgrade Care is active.

• Keep Anima installed.
• Keep Pixelgrade Care active.
• Anima updates are delivered through Pixelgrade’s WUpdates service.
• A Mies LT, Rosa LT, or other imported design does not change this update path.

To update Anima:

1. Make a full backup of the website.
2. Go to Plugins → Installed Plugins and install any available Pixelgrade Care update first.
3. Open the Pixelgrade dashboard and confirm that Care is connected to the Pixelgrade account used for the theme.
4. Go to Dashboard → Updates, select Anima, and click Update Themes. You can also use Update now from the Anima card in Appearance → Themes.

If WordPress reports Update package not available or the update does not appear:

1. Open the Pixelgrade dashboard and disconnect the current account connection.
2. Sign in to My Account using the account or purchase provider originally used for the theme.
3. Select Recheck Licenses. If the account shows that update access has expired, use the renewal option shown there before continuing.
4. Return to the website, reconnect Pixelgrade Care, and retry Dashboard → Updates.
5. If My Account provides an Anima ZIP download, you can update manually from Appearance → Themes → Add New → Upload Theme. Upload the Anima ZIP and choose Replace current with uploaded.

Do not install Anima LT or Pixelgrade Assistant as a workaround for an Anima update error. They belong to the public WordPress.org distribution and are not a replacement update for this setup.

For screenshots and more detail, see the commercial theme update guide.

If you use Pixelgrade Assistant

Use this path when the theme card in Appearance → Themes says Anima LT and Pixelgrade Assistant is active.

• Keep Anima LT installed.
• Keep Pixelgrade Assistant active.
• Theme updates come directly from WordPress.org and may also be surfaced inside Pixelgrade Assistant.
• An Anima LT update does not require Pixelgrade Care or a Pixelgrade Plus license.

To update Anima LT:

1. Make a full backup of the website.
2. Go to Dashboard → Updates and click Check again.
3. Select Anima LT and click Update Themes. You can also use Update now from its card in Appearance → Themes.

If the update still does not appear or install:

1. Download the latest Anima LT ZIP from WordPress.org.
2. Go to Appearance → Themes → Add New → Upload Theme.
3. Upload the ZIP and choose Replace current with uploaded.
4. Keep Pixelgrade Assistant active after the update so the rest of the Pixelgrade LT setup remains connected.

Do not replace Anima LT with the commercial Anima package or install Pixelgrade Care to obtain an update.

For screenshots and more detail, see the Pixelgrade LT update guide.

The two supported paths

Theme shown in Appearance → Themes	Plugin to keep active	Update source
Anima	Pixelgrade Care	WUpdates
Anima LT	Pixelgrade Assistant	WordPress.org

The version number alone cannot tell you which path to follow. For example, Anima and Anima LT may both report version 2.0.46 while remaining separate packages with different theme identifiers and update sources.

If both plugins—or neither plugin—are active

Use the active theme name as the source of truth:

1. Open Appearance → Themes and find the card marked Active.
2. If it says Anima, activate Pixelgrade Care and deactivate Pixelgrade Assistant. If Care is missing, install it from the recommendation shown by Anima or from Appearance → Install Plugins.
3. If it says Anima LT, activate Pixelgrade Assistant and deactivate Pixelgrade Care. If Assistant is missing, go to Plugins → Add New, search for Pixelgrade Assistant, then install and activate it.
4. Return to Dashboard → Updates and follow the matching update steps above.

If both Anima and Anima LT are installed, you do not need to delete either one to perform an update. Use the name on the active theme card to choose the correct update path, and never upload one distribution as a replacement for the other.

Can I switch from Anima to Anima LT?

It is possible, but it is a migration rather than a normal theme update. Because the folder changes from anima to anima-lt, WordPress can store Customizer settings, Site Editor templates, global styles, and other theme-specific data separately.

If you intentionally want to migrate, first make a full backup and create a staging copy of the website. Install the other distribution without deleting the current one, activate it only on staging, and verify the homepage, posts, menus, templates, global styles, and Pixelgrade settings. Move the live site only after the staging copy matches the existing website. Do not use a distribution switch merely to resolve an update error.