How to Fix the Plesk Error: meta.xml was not found in archive

Customizing Plesk with a branded theme can enhance your client experience and reinforce your company identity. However, installing custom branding themes isn’t always straightforward. One common issue is the Plesk Error: meta.xml was not found in archive error.

Understanding the Problem

When you try to install a theme using the Plesk CLI:

plesk bin branding_theme -i -vendor admin -source /path/theme-file.zip

You might encounter:

Meta information file meta.xml was not found in archive.
exit status 1

Even though your ZIP contains a meta.xml file, Plesk is unable to detect it. This typically happens because of incorrect ZIP structure, file permissions, or invalid XML syntax.

Step 1: Check the ZIP Structure

Plesk expects a very specific structure for branding themes. The meta.xml file must be at the root level of the archive:

theme-file.zip
├── meta.xml
├── css/
│   └── custom.css
├── icons/
└── images/

You can verify the structure using:

unzip -l /path/theme-file.zip

If meta.xml is inside a subfolder, like theme-file/meta.xml, Plesk will fail to find it.Fix: Move all files to the root of the ZIP and repackage:

cd /tmp
unzip /path/theme-file.zip -d theme-file
cd theme-file
mv theme-file/* .
rm -rf theme-file
zip -r /path/theme-file.zip .

Step 2: Validate meta.xml

meta.xml must be valid XML format and include required fields:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<meta>
  <name>theme-file</name>
  <description></description>
  <version>1.0.0</version>
</meta>

Even a small syntax error can prevent Plesk from recognizing the theme.

Step 3: Check File Permissions

Ensure the ZIP file is readable by Plesk:

chmod 644 /path/theme-file.zip

Step 4: Install the Theme

Once your ZIP is correctly structured and permissions are set, install the theme:

plesk bin branding_theme -i -vendor admin -source /path/theme-file.zip

If everything is correct, Plesk will install your theme without errors.

Conclusion

Installing custom Plesk branding themes is simple once you understand the expected ZIP structure, XML requirements, and permissions. By ensuring that meta.xml is at the root level, validating your XML, and checking file permissions, you can avoid the common meta.xml not found error and successfully deploy your custom theme.

If you’re facing issues like the Plesk Error: meta.xml was not found in archive, our expert team at Skynats can help you quickly identify and resolve the problem. With our Server Management Services and Hourly Server Support Services, we provide reliable troubleshooting and control panel management to ensure smooth server operations.
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