how to change color of social media icons in wordpress

By WPutopia.com September 14, 2025 WordPress Insights
how to change color of social media icons in wordpress

The Digital Aesthetic Arms Race

Customizing your WordPress site's appearance has exploded in popularity in recent years. Befitting the web's hyper-competitive era, designers and site owners have put a creative spin on every visual element. The humble social media icon, a staple of modern websites, has become a key battleground. Hobbyists can combine the satisfaction of a cohesive color scheme with the strategic advantage of a perfectly branded user experience. In the digital world, the battle for user attention is already under way.

Taking Control of Your Social Palette

For the common WordPress user wondering how to change color of social media icons in wordpress, the process is more accessible than you might think, especially with the latest tools. As a developer who's tackled this countless times, my first suggestion is to always check your theme's built-in customizer options. Many modern themes, particularly those fully compatible with WordPress 6.6, offer native color controls for these icons. Navigate to Appearance > Customize > Menus or Header settings and look for a 'Social' or 'Icon' section. You'll often find straightforward color pickers there.

If your theme lacks this functionality, don't fret. A dedicated plugin is your next best friend. I recommend plugins like "Social Icons Widget & Block by WPZOOM" or "Simple Social Icons". They are lightweight, user-friendly, and give you granular control. After installation, you'll typically find a new block or widget named "Social Icons". Adding it to your desired area (footer, sidebar) will present you with settings to input profile links and, crucially, choose your icon colors, both for the default state and on hover.

For those on performance-focused platforms like Kinsta WordPress hosting, where every millisecond counts, a bit of custom CSS is the most elegant solution. It avoids adding another plugin. Access the Additional CSS section in the Customizer and use code targeting your specific icons. A sample snippet might look like this:

You'll need to identify the correct CSS class for your theme's icons, which can be done using a browser's inspect tool. This method offers the most control without any performance overhead. It's the difference between a plugin's ease-of-use (the 4) and the developer's precise, optimized method (the 5). It's the classic 5 vs 4 debate: ultimate control versus ultimate convenience.

Beyond the Icons: A Cohesive Digital Presence

Mastering how to change color of social media icons in wordpress is just one step in crafting a professional and cohesive online presence. Consistent branding across every element of your site builds trust and recognition with your audience. Whether you choose the plugin path for its simplicity or the custom CSS route for its elegance, the goal is a seamless integration that enhances your site's design, not distracts from it.

If navigating the Customizer, selecting the right plugin, or writing custom CSS feels daunting, that's where professional help shines. The team at WPutopia specializes in these precise customizations. We offer comprehensive WordPress services, including theme upgrades to ensure compatibility with the latest versions like WordPress 6.6, expert plugin installation and configuration, and ongoing WordPress maintenance to keep your site secure, fast, and looking perfect. Let us handle the technical details so you can focus on your content and your business.

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