Last Updated on April 24, 2022 by WP Knowledge Hub
If you’re here, than you probably already know what CSS is, so I’ll skip the boring intro part.
You probably just want to know how to add additional CSS to your theme.
You can change the default look of certain WordPress themes quite easliy by adding custom CSS to your WordPress site. Here are the easiest ways:
Add Custom CSS to the Default WordPress style.css
You can add custom CSS to the existing WordPress stylesheet by going to the Theme File Editor under Appearance > Theme File Editor > and choosing the style.css file.
Warning: this is not the best way. Sometimes it may not work if you theme’s CSS files are loaded somewhere else, and you could lose your CSS if you update the theme (unless you are using a child theme).
Add Custom CSS with through the WordPress Customizer
One of the easiest ways to safely add CSS is using the Customizer. Go to your WordPress dashboard and go to Appearance > Customize > Additional CSS. Here you can add CSS to your heart’s desire.
Add Custom CSS Using a WordPress Child Theme
Another option is to create a WordPress child theme – it allows you to modify the parent theme without any risk of breaking your live site.
If you’re not sure what you want to do yet, you can test your custom CSS out on the child theme first. That way you’ll be allowed to experiment a lot more that way!
Troubleshooting Common WordPress Custom CSS Issues
If your CSS is not working, it could be for a few reasons:
- Your WordPress website has a caching plugin installed, in which case you need to clear that cache.
- Your web hosting company has a built-in cache on your WordPress managed account. For example, if you chose to have your website hosted on GoDaddy’s Managed WordPress server, you will have a built-in cache you will need to clear.
- Your CSS is not written correctly. Look for errors in the code, or typos.
