Preview a Skin
Last modified by Eleni Cojocariu on 2026/09/23 14:52
Steps
Display one page with any skin by adding a skin parameter to its URL, which wins over every skin level.
- Choose one of the skins the wiki can use.
- Add a skin parameter naming that skin to the URL of the page you want to look at, or &skin= if the URL already carries parameters:
https://mywiki.example.org/xwiki/bin/view/Sandbox/?skin=XWiki.DefaultSkin - Open that URL. The page is displayed with the skin you named, for this request only. Load it again without the parameter and the wiki's own skin is back:
FAQ
Does previewing a skin change anything for other users?
No. The parameter is read for the request it is on and is stored nowhere, so every other reader keeps the configured skin, and so does your own next request without the parameter.
Do I need administration rights to preview a skin?
No. The parameter is honoured before any rights check, so anyone who can view a page can preview it with another skin, including a reader who is not logged in.
Why does the previewed page look exactly like the normal one?
Because an out-of-the-box wiki has nothing to contrast: its two skins, flamingo and XWiki.DefaultSkin, render the same interface. The preview shows a difference once a skin with templates or styles of its own is installed. See Available Skins.
