How to Change Header Background Color in WordPress

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Changing the header background color of your WordPress site is straightforward. Mostly, it is done via the WordPress customizer. 

However, because there are thousands of WordPress themes, with some themes offering advanced features, customization, and flexibility, the process might be slightly different. 

This is why I will share an example using the Kadence theme. 

While the specific process can vary greatly depending on your WordPress theme, there are several common methods you can try to change header background color in WordPress.

Let’s get to it.

3 Ways to Change Header Background Color in WordPress

1. Using the Theme Customizer

Many modern WordPress themes offer a visual theme customizer. This built-in tool allows you to modify various aspects of your website’s appearance, including header color, without needing to write any code.

Undoubtedly, this is the most beginner-friendly way to change the header background color in WordPress. It works for most themes, except where the developer offers unique and advanced ways to achieve similar effects.

The first step is to access WordPress Customizer. To do this, go to your WordPress dashboard and hover over Appearance. Next, click Customize from the snapout menu.

On the Customizer screen, locate options related to the Header. 

In this example, I use the Kadence theme to show you how to change the WordPress background header color. 

Your theme would surely offer a similar step and option.

Click the header option to open its settings. 

Next, click the small gear setting icon to open the header design control tab (General and Design tabs). 

Your theme might not offer two header customization tabs like Kadence or Astra, but it will surely follow a similar procedure to reach this point. 

What you need to do is find the tab that relates to the header element customization control. This tab would have options like a swatch color picker, border setting, padding control, etc. 

Once you locate this tab or setting. Next, click the swatch color picker to open the color setting snapout control panel. 

Something similar to this image below.

Choose your desired color from the option. You can choose a gradient, or solid color, or use an image background in the header template. Whatever option you choose, ensure it provides the best user experience and adds more value to your site. 

There is an important factor to consider when customizing WordPress header templates. 

Most modern WordPress themes work with block editing features. Depending on the element available in the header templates, the overall background might be the full header (main row background) or a specific block. 

So, make sure you’re editing the main row background header color to make the changes apply to the full header. 

If you want the changes to apply to a block section in the header templates, you should hover over the section to reveal the small pencil icon. Next, click the pencil icon to open the specific setting for that particular block. 

Just like we have in the image below.

This will open the setting for that particular header template block and you can customize its features. 

Remember to click publish when finishing editing to make the changes go live on your website.

2. Twenty Twenty-Four Theme (Full Site Editing)

If you’re using a full site editing theme like the default WordPress Twenty Twenty-Four theme, the process is different but still user-friendly and straightforward. 

The WordPress Twenty Twenty-Four Theme does not use a WordPress theme customizer, instead, every theme customization is done via the Gutenberg editor. 

Go to Appearance > Theme> and open the Twenty Twenty-Four or other Full Site Editing themes. On the next screen, click anywhere on the page to open the theme in the block editor. 

Click your website header section on the Gutenberg editor page to open the header setting option.

This action will open the sidebar settings, where you can customize header elements like color, layouts, typography, padding, border, sticky header, global setting, etc. 

From the sidebar setting, click the customization tab to change the header background color and access other design elements.

You can select solid or gradient color, add background images, change typography, set borders, adjust padding, and more.

This is more straightforward considering it uses WordPress Gutenberg default editor. It is no different than writing an article in the editor. 

Also, you can add block features to the header like when writing an article. Simply click the
+ sign to open the blocks search box. Search for your desired block, and add it to the header section. 

Likewise, click save when you finish editing.

3. Adding Custom CSS

In rare situations, your WordPress theme might not offer a direct or simplified way to edit the background header color. This is very unlikely, but we can’t tell what a developer might find suitable for their product. 

If your theme doesn’t offer direct control over the header color through the customizer or block editor, you can often modify it using custom CSS rules.

Locate the custom CSS editor of your theme, then follow the process below. 

• Access Custom CSS – This is usually found under the Appearance menu in your WordPress dashboard.
• Identify Header Element – Use browser developer tools to inspect your header and find the appropriate CSS selector (e.g., #header, .site-header). You need to replace the example header class with the actual CSS class or ID of your theme.
• Add Custom CSS – Write a CSS rule to change the background color of the identified element.

Example CSS:

#header {
    background-color: #f0f0f0; /* Replace with your desired color */
}

Click save to apply changes.

Conclusion.

I hope you learn how to change the WordPress header background color by reading this post. If you have other questions about customizing WordPress, check the relevant post.

Here is how to center the WordPress page title. We also have an article on installing WordPress plugins.

And if you’re a beginner, and still learning the WordPress terms and core components, you may be interested in what widgets are in WordPress.