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Add a CSS ::selection rule to your active WordPress theme to change the highlight and text colors that appear when someone selects text. Classic and hybrid themes commonly use Appearance > Customize > Additional CSS; block themes use the Site Editor’s Styles or another styling method supported by the theme.

What CSS changes the text selection color?

The ::selection pseudo-element styles the portion of a document highlighted by a user. Add this rule and replace the example hex colors with the colors you want:

::selection {
  background-color: #2d6cdf;
  color: #ffffff;
}

/* Optional legacy Firefox selector */
::-moz-selection {
  background-color: #2d6cdf;
  color: #ffffff;
}

MDN’s ::selection reference documents the pseudo-element and its role in styling selected text. Include both selectors when you want broad browser coverage.

Where should you add the CSS in WordPress?

Theme workflow Where to add the CSS How to apply it
Classic or hybrid theme with a Customizer Appearance > Customize > Additional CSS Paste the rule, preview it, then publish.
Block theme using the Site Editor Appearance > Editor > Styles, or the theme’s supported theme.json or custom CSS workflow Add the styling through the option the active theme supports, then save.

WordPress documents the Customizer’s Additional CSS feature and the Site Editor’s block-theme styling approaches in its Customizer documentation, Styles overview, and theme.json documentation. If you do not see a Customizer option, check whether your site uses the Site Editor instead.

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How to change the selection color step by step

  1. Identify the active theme’s workflow. In the dashboard, check whether Appearance > Customize or Appearance > Editor is available.
  2. Open the appropriate CSS or styling area. For classic and hybrid themes, go to Appearance > Customize > Additional CSS. For block themes, open Appearance > Editor > Styles or use the theme’s documented custom CSS or theme.json method.
  3. Paste the rule. Set background-color to the highlight color and color to the selected text color. Keep the ::-moz-selection rule if you want to include the optional legacy selector.
  4. Preview, then publish or save. In the Customizer, use the preview before publishing. Select text on the front end to check the result.
  5. Check readability in different contexts. Try selecting paragraphs, links, and headings on light and dark page sections. MDN advises considering contrast for selected text; WordPress color controls may also warn about combinations that are hard to read. See MDN’s selection styling guidance and WordPress Styles documentation.

What to check if the color does not change

  • No Additional CSS panel: The active theme may be a block theme or may not support the Customizer. Try Appearance > Editor > Styles or the theme’s documented styling method.
  • The rule works in one theme but not another: The CSS is associated with the active theme. WordPress says Customizer CSS remains available through theme updates, but it stops applying when you switch themes unless you add it to the new theme. See WordPress Customizer documentation and the Customize screen documentation.
  • Only some text changes: A plugin, editor iframe, or component with its own styling may need a more specific selector. Start with the global rule, then inspect the affected element before narrowing the CSS.
  • The editor looks different from the site: The rule targets selection in the front-end document. Selection in editor controls may be styled separately by WordPress, the editor, or a plugin.

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