How to Fix a Missing Theme Options Tab in BuddyBoss

Introduction

Some users experience a missing Theme Options tab in BuddyBoss, especially when using AWS servers. This issue can prevent you from accessing the theme customization settings. This guide explains how you can fix a missing Theme Options Tab in BuddyBoss.

Custom Workaround

Before proceeding, make sure you have a complete site backup.

1. Go to Appearance > Theme Editor in your WordPress admin dashboard.
   
2. Under Select theme to edit, choose your active theme (preferably BuddyBoss Child Theme), then click Select.
   
3. From the Theme Files list, click Theme Functions (functions.php).
   
4. Paste the following code just before the closing PHP tag (?>):
   

add_filter( 'buddyboss_theme_redux_is_theme', '__return_true', 999 );

/**
 * Get path from template directory to current file.
 *
 * @param string $file_path Current file path
 *
 * @return string
 */
function buddyboss_theme_dir_to_current_file_path( $file_path ) {
    $file_path = trailingslashit( $file_path );
    $file_path = str_replace( '\\', '/', $file_path );
    $file_path = str_replace( '//', '/', $file_path );

    $chunks = explode( '/', $file_path );
    if ( ! is_array( $chunks ) ) {
        $chunks = array();
    }

    $chunks = array_reverse( $chunks );
    $template = get_template();
    $tmp_file = array();

    foreach ( $chunks as $path ) {
        if ( empty( $path ) ) {
            continue;
        }
        if ( $path == $template ) {
            break;
        }
        $tmp_file[] = $path;
    }

    $tmp_file = array_reverse( $tmp_file );
    $tmp_file = implode( '/', $tmp_file );

    return $tmp_file;
}

/**
 * Filter Redux URL
 *
 * @param string $url Redux url.
 *
 * @return string
 */
function buddyboss_theme_redux_url( $url ) {
    if ( strpos( Redux_Helpers::cleanFilePath( __FILE__ ), Redux_Helpers::cleanFilePath( get_template_directory() ) ) !== false ) {
        return $url;
    } else if ( strpos( Redux_Helpers::cleanFilePath( __FILE__ ), Redux_Helpers::cleanFilePath( get_stylesheet_directory() ) ) !== false ) {
        return $url;
    }

    $tem_dir = trailingslashit( get_template_directory_uri() );
    $file_dir = buddyboss_theme_dir_to_current_file_path( $url );
    $redux_url = trailingslashit( $tem_dir . $file_dir );

    if ( filter_var( $redux_url, FILTER_VALIDATE_URL ) ) {
        return $redux_url;
    }

    return $url;
}
add_filter( 'redux/_url', 'buddyboss_theme_redux_url' );

5. Click Update File to save the changes.
   

Fix Layout Issues (Optional)

If the Theme Options page layout appears broken after adding the code above, you can apply this additional fix:

add_filter( 'style_loader_src', 'bb_fix_theme_option_for_custom_wp_installation' );

add_filter( 'script_loader_src', 'bb_fix_theme_option_for_custom_wp_installation' );

function bb_fix_theme_option_for_custom_wp_installation( $url ) {

    if ( is_admin() ) {

        $url = str_replace( 'plugins/bitnami/wordpress/wp-content/themes/buddyboss-theme/', 'themes/buddyboss-theme/', $url );

    }

    return $url;

Troubleshooting and FAQs

Q: The Theme Options tab is still missing.
A: Ensure the code is added to the active child theme’s functions.php and that there are no caching issues on the server.

Q: The layout of Theme Options looks broken.
A: Apply the layout fix code above to correct style and script paths.

Q: Can this code affect other parts of my site?
A: No, it only adjusts paths for BuddyBoss Theme Options on admin pages.

Q: Will this be overwritten during theme updates?
A: If added to a child theme, the code will remain intact during updates.

Q: Who can I contact for further assistance?
A: Please review the BuddyBoss Support Policy or consult a developer for custom work.