Create Blank Site Template

For one of my requirement, I was trying to create a Blank Site Collection on SharePoint 2013. To do so, I navigate to

Central Administration -> Create Site Collections.

But I could not see the template called a Blank Site Collection listed on the Create Site Collection Page.

Then later identified that the Blank Site Collection template, by default will not be listed here. To make it listed we need to do the following steps. There are two ways of configuration.

1.Using PowerShell.

2.Modify the server files.

Using PowerShell

• Open the SharePoint 2013 Management Shell.
• Enter Command $template = Get-SPWebTemplate “STS#1”
• Enter Command New-SPSite -Url “<URL for the new site collection>” -OwnerAlias “<domain\user>” -Template $template

Modify the server files

• 1.Navigate to the following location: c:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\Web
• 2. Server Extension\15\TEMPLATE\1033\XML
•  Open the WebTemp.xml
• Make 2 copies of the WebTemp.xml file and place them on the desktop. (a copy is for a backup and the other is to modify)
• Identify the below tag
  <Configuration ID=”1″ Title=”Blank Site” Hidden=”TRUE” ImageUrl=”/_layouts/15/images/stbs.png?rev=23″ Description=”A blank site for you to customize based on your requirements.” DisplayCategory=”Collaboration” AllowGlobalFeatureAssociations=”False” > </Configuration>
• Change the Hidden Attribute to False. i.e. the tag will be
  <Configuration ID=”1″ Title=”Blank Site” Hidden=”Flase” ImageUrl=”/_layouts/15/images/stbs.png?rev=23″ Description=”A blank site for you to customize based on your requirements.” DisplayCategory=”Collaboration” AllowGlobalFeatureAssociations=”False” > </Configuration>
• Save the file as the same name as the original (WebTemp.xml)
• Do an IISRESET
• Now, come back to the Central Administration. Do a Refresh. You can see the Template.

 

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