TEMPLATES option missing from design menu?

I want to change templates and cannot for the life of me find where that section is.

All official Squarespace guides say that it's under 'Design', but I don't see it anywhere.

Also, why isn't there just a quick search option in the editor platform? Eliminates the need for the user to memorise the structure of the editor. It has terrible UX flow for people looking to make task-oriented changes. 

You are using Squarespace 7.1, the new version of Squarespace that they are currently testing. 

All sites in version 7.1 share the same template so that option isn't available. For more information see:

https://support.squarespace.com/hc/en-us/articles/360028367571-Version-7-1-style-and-design-options#toc-templates-in-version-7-1

Good  I like this....   QUOTE.."add a new page with starter layout,  and create a new section to change a pages feel"...  the variants are limitless. Thank you 7.1..... and Paul2009

I'm having this same issue. How do I edit my background image when there is no longer an option to do so? 

My website is stuck with the background image from 7.0, and I would like to change it.

So how do you actually change the template then?

I'm having the same template problem. If you have to choose a new design by starting a new trial doesn't that mean you have to pay for another site?

Also, I have a template that I like and selected which is from 7.0 (I am now in 7.1). It is showing up in the dashboard but won't show up to edit under Design, nothing is showing up to edit. ?

The procedure for moving from 7.0 to 7.1 or the other way round  is the same. I would do it this way

1. Spend time looking at the demos of templates until you find the  template you want to use.

2. Start a new two week trial with that template, no payment is needed, and your account log on does not change, you are simply adding a second site on your dashboard. 

3. Build the new site, you have two weeks, and if you know you want to keep it and are not ready to go live at that time, you will still need to activate it with a credit card. Choose your billing plan that fits your needs.  I think You will have the option of a new free domain if you want it at time which can actually be a second one. 

4. When ready to move sites, use the Domain transfer option in the config of the new site. Moving one Squarespace domain to a new site is a pretty quick operation. 

5. New site up and running, cancel the old site, not your account just the site, and at that moment you will receive a credit for any time left on your billing period, be it a month or a year. 

Note during the time you have both sites in your dashboard you have to go to whichever site you want to edit. Your Dashboard will have thumbnails of each site you have with a button that says website on the right. Click it or the thumbnail to get to the edit function. I currently have seven of those six 7.0 and one 7.1 and have no trouble moving from one to the other. 

thank you!

will this be changing again? for me this is definitely a reason to cancel my account... far to complicate for a real successful creative process.... 

I  don't expect any change. 7.0 and 7.1 are very different platforms. Any 7.1 template can be made to look like any other without a master change template switch. You simply use style tweaks, which includes fonts, color schemes,  and layout pages inside your existing site. 

If you miss having the template change feature that is in 7.0 I will tell you that those template families can be so drastically different from each other that the template change function was not something you would necessarily want to use. It could be easier just to start from scratch. 

4 minutes ago, derricksrandomviews said:

Any 7.1 template can be made to look like any other without a master change template switch.

One huge advantage to this change in v7.1 is that if you find a piece of code that has been created for v7.1 it has a much greater chance of working with your site.

Unlike v7.0. I see so many people struggling when they find a piece of code that does x and then it doesn't work because it wasn't designed for their template.

8 minutes ago, creedon said:

One huge advantage to this change in v7.1 is that if you find a piece of code that has been created for v7.1 it has a much greater chance of working with your site.

Unlike v7.0. I see so many people struggling when they find a piece of code that does x and then it doesn't work because it wasn't designed for their template.

Boy,  that is the truth. What works for Avenue won't work for Wexley and vice versa, etc.