In this post,you can change page layout in Magento also set a Magento page template layout How to change page layout in Magento There are in few steps,you can page pay layouts. For change the page layout,you need to change root block  template(<reference name=”root”>) using setsetTemplate() method  ,So use <action method=”setTemplate”><template>YourPageLayoutLocation/YourLayput.phtml</template></action> and apply this template by  <action method=”setIsHandle”><applied>1</applied></action>   <?xml version="1.0"?> <layout version="0.1.0"> ....... <HandlerName> <reference name="root"> <action method="setTemplate"><template>YourPageLayoutLocation/YourLayput.phtml</template></action> <action method="setIsHandle"><applied>1</applied></action> </reference> </HandlerName> [...] </layout>   Suppose i am changing template   in checkout cart page <checkout_cart_index translate="label"> <reference name="root"> <action method="setTemplate"><template>page/2columns-left.phtml</template></action> <!-- Mark root page block that template is applied --> <action method="setIsHandle"><applied>1</applied></action> </reference> </checkout_cart_index>