WordPress Guide: How to Easily Add Custom CSS to Your Website

With the advent of WordPress, creating a functional website has never been so simple and straightforward. It allows non-coders to create a professional-level website without much hassle. This is thanks to the thousands of ready-made options like themes and templates to help you create your website’s design and aesthetic. However, this can appear somewhat limiting to the overall creative process.

Essentially, you are stuck with whatever the designer has prepared. Sure, you will get access to some customization options, but these are yet to provide a better solution than your own custom codes. And if you do know how to code, then you might want that freedom to tweak around till your inner perfectionist is satisfied. 

That is why for the purpose of this read, we have created a guide to help you easily add custom CSS to your WordPress website. But first:

What is CSS?

Most of you might have already heard about CSS in case you are creating a blog or a website for online appearance, and if you are an expert on the subject then skip this part. But for all of you who are unacquainted with the term, CSS basically stands for Cascading Style Sheets. 

It is a style sheet language that describes how all the HTML elements will be displayed on the screen. Tweaking, or adding your own custom CSS code can help you customize the appearance, layout, colors and so on. It can give you a whole new level of control and freedom over how your site looks and feels.

Even, beginners, without any coding knowledge, can look to the internet to find some usable CSS code to implement on their site. Getting a basic idea on the topic is fairly simple, and it can help you make any changes that otherwise would have required you to download a premium plugin.

So now that you have a basic idea on the matter, let’s dive into the different ways you can add your Custom CSS to your WordPress website.

Using The WordPress Customizer

The WordPress Customizer is by far one of the most accessible tools to help you add your custom CSS. All you have to do is log in to your WordPress backend, and then from the dashboard, head on over to Appearance>Customize. 

You will notice the option, “Additional CSS” located on the sidebar menu. Simply click on it, and the respective field will appear where you can input your custom CSS. The editor will also assess your code for any syntax errors and pop-up a warning in case there are issues. Once done, click on publish and your custom CSS will go live – changes will be made to your site.

Pros:

• The WordPress Customizer is present as a default option. No need for any third-party solutions like plugins.
• You can get a real-time preview to see how the CSS code is changing the appearance. 
• The editor checks for syntax errors.

Cons:

• The Custom CSS that you are adding is tied to your WordPress theme. If you change the theme, your code will go with it.

Using A Child Theme

Of course, there is always the option to implement your custom CSS directly into your WordPress theme. However, this is not particularly recommended as every time your theme will get an update, your custom CSS will get overridden. Instead, it is advised to use a child theme. 

Regardless, it is worth noting that this is an advanced method of adding custom CSS and if you want something “easy” you will fare better with the other two options. Also, you should opt for this method only if you intend to include a lot of CSS code. For small snippets, using the WordPress Customizer, or a plugin will be the best option.

Using a Free Simple CSS Plugin

One of the best things about WordPress is the availability of Plugins. It provides the CMS with a lot of useful tools and functionalities that can really expand its usefulness. For example, Simple Custom CSS is a free plugin that can help you add custom CSS which can override the default theme styles.

Now, to use the plugin obviously you’ll have to install it first. Once you have done that, head on over to the dashboard and the go-to Appeanrance>Simple CSS. To will open up a full CSS editor where you can add and save custom CSS codes. The Simple CSS plugin also enables a Simple CSS meta box in the WordPress editor which you can then use to add the saved CSS to your posts and pages.

Besides this, there is also the option to head on over to Apperance>Customize and make live CSS tweaks directly using the ‘Simple CSS’ option.

Pros:

• A Standalone custom CSS editor.
• Option to add saved CSS codes separately to different pages and posts as you wish.
• A theme independent solution. All your CSS codes won’t be lost if you switch themes.
• Integrates with WordPress Customizer for live preview to changes.

Cons:

• Lacks a syntax error checker, which is present with WordPress Customizer.

In Conclusion:

So now that you know how to add your custom CSS codes to your WordPress website, we hope you will have more fun in your customization efforts. Adding your own code to your site can help make it more unique and stand out from the crowd. Furthermore, it is less expensive as other customization plugins will cost you money.