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How to Fix Link and Text Color Issues in Twenty Twenty-Three

35 threads Sep 16, 2025 Theme → Twenty twenty-three

Content

Many users of the Twenty Twenty-Three theme encounter challenges when trying to customize the colors of links and text. This is a common point of confusion, as the theme's block-based, global styles system works differently than the classic WordPress Customizer. This guide will explain why these issues occur and provide the most effective solutions.

Why This Happens

The Twenty Twenty-Three theme uses a global styles system. This means color settings are often inherited from a central palette (Base, Contrast, Primary, Secondary, etc.) rather than being set on each individual block. A change in one global style can unintentionally affect elements across the site. Furthermore, some blocks, like Archives, Categories, and Tag Cloud, do not have their own color controls and rely entirely on these global settings.

Common Solutions

1. Use the Global Styles Interface

The primary method for changing site-wide link and text colors is through the Site Editor.

  • Navigate to Appearance → Editor.
  • Click the Styles icon (the half-shaded circle) in the top-right corner.
  • To change general link colors, go to Colors → Links.
  • To change text and link colors for specific blocks (like Paragraphs), go to Blocks → [Select Block] → Colors.

2. Apply Custom CSS for Specific Blocks

For blocks that lack built-in color options, you will need to add custom CSS. This can be added in the Additional CSS section under Appearance → Customize.

Example for Archives/Categories blocks:

.wp-block-archives a,
.wp-block-categories a {
    color: #000000 !important;
}

Example for Table block links:

.wp-block-table a {
    color: your-desired-color-here !important;
}

3. Clear Caches and Check for Conflicts

If your changes in the Global Styles interface are not reflecting on the front end:

  • Clear all caches: This includes your browser cache, any caching plugins, and server-side cache.
  • Check for plugin conflicts: Temporarily deactivate all plugins to see if the issue resolves itself. If it does, reactivate them one by one to identify the culprit.

4. Check Color Contrast in the Editor

Some users have reported that explanatory text in the Site Editor itself can be pale grey on a dark grey background, making it hard to read. This is a known usability observation. While there is no user setting to change this, ensuring your monitor brightness and contrast are properly calibrated can sometimes help.

Conclusion

Most link and text color issues in Twenty Twenty-Three stem from the powerful but sometimes complex global styles system. Start your customization within the Styles panel, and use targeted custom CSS for blocks that need more specific control. Always remember to clear your cache after making changes to ensure you see the correct results.

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