How to Change Link Color in WordPress – Complete Guide

Are you looking for a way to customize the look of your WordPress website and add a splash of color to your content? Change the link color in WordPress as an easy and effective way to give your website a unique, personalized look.

In this blog post, we’ll show you how it’s done!

Why Change the Link Color in WordPress?

When you add a link to WordPress, your theme will choose the link’s color. In some cases, the default colors of your WordPress theme will be ideal, but at other times, you’ll want greater control over how the links appear.

For instance, you could alter the link’s color to match your company’s brand or unique logo. Alternatively, you can increase color contrast to make your website easier for readers with poor vision.

Make sure to check these locations first. Some themes let you alter the link color from the theme options panel or the WordPress customizer. Review the documentation for your theme as well.

Then, regardless of the theme you’re using, let’s look at ways to modify the link color on your WordPress website. To get to the technique you want to use immediately, click one of the quick links below.

Understand the Basics of HTML Color Codes

In order to change the link color in WordPress, you need to be familiar with HTML color codes. HTML color codes are used to define the color of different elements on a website, such as links, text, and borders.

They are made up of a 6-digit hexadecimal code, which is a combination of numbers and letters, such as #FFFFFF for white or #000000 for black. Know the basics of HTML color codes and you’ll understand how to change the link color in WordPress.

Method 1 Change link color in WordPress with custom CSS (recommended)

Add custom CSS code as the simplest approach to modify the link color in WordPress. This method gives you complete control over all link states and makes your changes persist across theme updates when done correctly.

In the WordPress dashboard, navigate to Appearance > Customize and select the ‘Additional CSS’ menu item. This will take you to a screen where a small code editor will allow you to enter unique CSS code. The code snippets below can be copied and then pasted into this editor.

Links have four distinct states that you can customize: default (unvisited), hover (when mouse is over the link), visited (after clicked), and active (while clicked). Let’s walk through how to style each of these states to create a cohesive user experience.

We will start with the color of each link on our website. You can skip to the end of this section if you want to edit the links in your posts and pages.

Change the default link color

We will first alter the link’s default color. Before someone clicks a link, your visitors will notice this color:

/* unvisited link */
a:link {
  color: red;
}

or

a:link {    
color: #FFA500;
}

You must change #FFA500 to the color you wish to use because this code will make the default color orange. On the website for HTML Color Codes, you can look up different color codes if you’re unsure about which one to use.

You can also use the name of the color. Once you start to type in “blue,” you can look at the different variations of blue you can use.

Change the link hover color in WordPress

After that, we’ll alter the hover color. This approach grabs visitors’ attention well because this hue displays when visitors move their mouse over a link.

/* mouse over link */
a:hover {
  color: hotpink;
}

When users hover over the link, the code above will turn the link pink and emphasize the text. As before, make sure you substitute the desired color.

Change the link color after a visit to WordPress

After a user clicks a link, you might also wish to alter the link’s color. Show which links users have already clicked and you might aid visitors in how they navigate your WordPress blog.

To change the color of the visited link, use the CSS code provided below:

/* visited link */
a:visited {
  color: green;
}

Make sure to replace the color with the one you intend to use. After you make your changes, press the “Publish” button to put them into effect. The color of every link on your website will be altered with the CSS code above, as was already indicated. Use the code example below to alter the links in your posts and pages:

/* unvisited link */
a:link {
  color: red;
}

/* visited link */
a:visited {
  color: green;
}

/* mouse over link */
a:hover {
  color: hotpink;
}

/* selected link */
a:active {
  color: blue;
}

The function of this code is the same as that of the samples above, but entry-content only targets links on your pages and posts.

Method 2 Use CSS to change link color with Theme Editor

While the WordPress Customizer offers a user-friendly approach to CSS customization, the Theme Editor provides direct access to your theme’s stylesheet files. This method gives you more granular control and allows for advanced CSS techniques, though it requires more caution since you’re editing core theme files.

The Theme Editor approach is particularly useful when you need to make complex changes, want to organize your CSS in specific ways, or when you work with themes that don’t fully support the Customizer’s Additional CSS feature. However, remember that changes made through the Theme Editor will be lost when you update your theme unless you’re using a child theme.

Access and use the Theme Editor

To change link color in WordPress with CSS, you’ll need to access the Theme Editor. Go to Appearance > Theme Editor and click on the style.css file. Once you’re in the file, you’ll be able to add custom code to change the link color.

CSS stands for Cascading Style Sheets and is a language used to describe the presentation of web pages. Add some simple lines of code to your WordPress website, and you can change the link color to any color you want. This technique proves especially useful if you want to make sure that all the links on your website have the same color.

For example, if you wanted to change the link color to a light blue, you would use the code that follows:

a{ color: #ADD8E6; }

This code will make all the links on your website light blue. You can also use this same technique to change hover color and text color.

Once you’ve added your code, click the Update File button to save your changes. You should now see the new link color on your website.

Use CSS to change link color in WordPress, and you can easily customize your website to match your exact color preferences.

Use a child theme to make persistent changes

Create a child theme as the best way to go if you want to make permanent changes to your WordPress link color. This will allow you to change your theme without affecting the original theme files.

To create a child theme, you’ll need to create a new folder in your theme directory and add a style.css file with the necessary code. Once you’ve created the child theme, you’ll be able to change the link color in the style.css file. All the changes you make in the style.css file will be kept even if you update the parent theme, which means your link color remains the same.

Troubleshoot WordPress link colors

If you encounter any problems while trying to change the link color in WordPress, the first thing you should do is make sure that you are using the right HTML color code. If you are using an incorrect code, you won’t be able to see any changes to the link color.

Also, if you are using a WordPress plugin to change the link color, make sure it is up-to-date and compatible with your version of WordPress. If you are using a third-party theme, you may need to contact the theme developer to find out how to troubleshoot any link color issues.

Finally, if you are using a visual builder plugin, it may be helpful to consult the plugin’s documentation for instructions on how to troubleshoot link color issues.

Alternative methods

Beyond the core CSS approaches we’ve covered, WordPress offers several alternative methods for changing link colors. These options cater to different skill levels and preferences, from visual drag-and-drop interfaces to pre-built themes with extensive customization options. Each approach has its own advantages depending on your technical comfort level and the specific requirements of your website.

These alternative methods can be particularly valuable if you want to avoid writing code entirely, need to make frequent color changes, or are working with complex designs that benefit from visual editing tools.

Consider using a visual builder plugin

Use a visual builder plugin as an easy way to customize the look and feel of your WordPress site. With the help of a visual builder, you can easily add and edit elements such as menus, columns, and images.

You can also use the plugin to control the color of your links. With a visual builder, you can change the link color to anything you want. You must select the link, click the color picker, and pick the color you want. Once you’ve chosen the right color, hit save, and you’re ready to go!

Use a third-party service or theme

If you’re looking for an easier way to change link colors in WordPress, you can use a third-party service or WordPress theme. There are a variety of services, such as Colorlib, that offer different themes and plugins that can help you customize the look and feel of your website with just a few clicks.

You can also find a variety of WordPress themes with built-in color customization features, such as Astra, which makes it easy to change link colors without having to write any code. These services and themes make it easy to change link colors quickly and easily, so you can focus on other aspects of your website.

Use Linkilo for advanced link management and styling

Linkilo takes link customization beyond basic colors by offering comprehensive internal linking automation with advanced styling options. This WordPress plugin automatically distinguishes between internal and external links, allowing you to assign different colors, icons, and styling to each type without coding.

The plugin includes a built-in link preview system that displays hover cards with page information when users mouse over links. You can customize both your link colors and preview card styling to match your brand guidelines while maintaining clear visual distinction between link types.

Linkilo also provides click analytics, broken link detection, crawler analysis, and automated SEO optimization. The plugin handles technical aspects like rel attributes and opening behavior while giving you complete control over visual presentation. This combination of link management and styling makes Linkilo ideal for sites that need both professional appearance and strategic link control.

Conclusion

Now that you have a better understanding of how to change the link color in WordPress, you can choose the right method for your website. Each option has its own advantages and disadvantages, so it is important to weigh each of them carefully before deciding.

Whichever method you choose, you can be sure that your website will look more professional, and your visitors will be able to navigate with ease. And if you ever need to change the colors again, you can do so with just a few clicks.