# Load the Parent Theme Stylesheet in a Child Theme

> Loads the parent theme's style.css before the child theme's own stylesheet, for child themes created without the enqueue code in functions.php.

- Type: PHP
- Runs: Frontend only
- Category: [Page Builders & Themes](https://wpide.com/library/category/page-builders/)
- Tags: child-theme, themes, css
- Author: WPIDE Team
- Installs: 0
- Updated: 2026-10-28
- Page: https://wpide.com/library/child-theme-load-parent-style/

## Code

```php
add_action( 'wp_enqueue_scripts', function () {
    if ( ! is_child_theme() || wp_style_is( 'parent-style', 'enqueued' ) ) {
        return;
    }

    $parent = wp_get_theme( get_template() );

    wp_enqueue_style( 'parent-style', get_template_directory_uri() . '/style.css', array(), $parent->get( 'Version' ) );

    // Make sure the child stylesheet loads after the parent one.
    $child = wp_styles()->query( get_stylesheet(), 'registered' ) ? get_stylesheet() : 'child-style';

    if ( wp_styles()->query( $child, 'registered' ) ) {
        wp_styles()->registered[ $child ]->deps[] = 'parent-style';
    } else {
        wp_enqueue_style( 'child-style', get_stylesheet_uri(), array( 'parent-style' ), wp_get_theme()->get( 'Version' ) );
    }
}, 5 );
```

## Notes

Does nothing when no child theme is active or the parent stylesheet is already loaded.

## How to use it

Install the free WPIDE plugin (https://wordpress.org/plugins/wpide/), find "Load the Parent Theme Stylesheet in a Child Theme" in its snippet library and add it in one click; or create a new PHP snippet in WPIDE (or any code snippets plugin) and paste the code above. More snippets: https://wpide.com/library/