WP 4.8 – Can’t Change Text Color of Links in Post Editor

You cannot do that with the post editor. It has to be via the CSS of your theme. You may wanna try this plugin to set the color of links:

https://www.ads-software.com/plugins/simple-custom-css/

Not talking the default text link color, talking about being able to override the color in the post editor on a per link / post basis. Always have been able to do that until the upgrade. We have been doing this everyday on posts for years. I’m a developer I know how to change the default link color in the CSS with out a plugin.

Sorry, my bad I misunderstood.

Always have been able to do that until the upgrade. We have been doing this everyday on posts for years.

Well, if it happened after the upgrade, may be there has been some change that overrides any URL formatting made from the Visual Editor?

I had the very same issue. I found that I now have to click right before (or right after) the link and hold shift while using the left or right arrow keys to highlight the link and then I can successfully change the link color.

It’s a bit of a PITA to be honest. I use to just be able to click and drag over the link to change it.

I’ve had the same problem since the upgrade. (It was fine beforehand, but not immediately after I did the upgrade.)

I tried @erecinella’s technique, but that wouldn’t work for me, either. Anyone else find a way to get around the problem? Hope it’s corrected soon!

Thanks for the suggestion, by the way, @erecinella!

Sorry, it didn’t work you! ??

Thank you, @erecinella! I think I’ve found something that is working for me, though. If I change the font color just after typing the words and then add the link in a separate step, the color seems to be staying. Also a PITA, but it’ll hold me over until they fix the update issue.

I tried both of the solutions offered (@haoconnor and @erecinella) and neither of them worked – the URL link still shows in the default black font color. Does WordPress monitor issues like this, where something so basic goes away in an “upgrade” and there doesn’t seem to be a fix or workaround?

I am having same issues and would love to know if anyone has found a workaround.

Hi. Let me try to share with you what I have done with my little knowledge of html.

Try these steps that worked for me.

1. On your editor, set to link color of your choice.

2. On your HTML tab, check the text where you can find the <span> tag. Copy the <span> tag together with the color set in it, then paste it somewhere just before the linked text. So it would look like you need to have 2 (or sometimes 3) <span> tags with the same color set on it. As you can see on my example below, you may notice I have 2 <span> tags with #800000 as the link color on them.
eg. <span style="text-decoration: underline; color: #800000;"><!-- <a href="https://www.facebook.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">--><span style="color: #800000; text-decoration: underline;">LINK</span><!--</a>--></span>

NOTE: Don’t forget to put another closing tag </span> for every <span> tag you added on your code.
This worked for me. I hope it would help you as well guys.

• This reply was modified 7 years, 3 months ago by growandteach.
• This reply was modified 7 years, 3 months ago by growandteach.
• This reply was modified 7 years, 3 months ago by growandteach.
• This reply was modified 7 years, 3 months ago by Marius L. J..
• This reply was modified 7 years, 3 months ago by Marius L. J.. Reason: Added code enclosures

Any fix for this from WordPress… still having the same issues. Going to try a few of the suggestions, but it seems to have changed ALL LINKS on the site not just new pages. What a PITA!

UPDATE 18 MINS LATER: @erecinella’s work around did work and didn’t. My comment below was not entirely correct. You do not have to move the cursor one more space as I originally wrote below. Then….I found The Way…..The following steps are all while in the editor of course. Just adding that for even newer newbies than me.

STEP 1. Highlight the text and add your link. (the text colour will change. My text was blue. When I did this step, it turned black with an underline signifying the text is linked.)

STEP 2. Click on the new link once. It will highlight the linked text in light blue.

STEP 3. Now click AGAIN and drag your cursor to highlight the text within the already highlighted box.

STEP 4. Go to the text colour drop down menu and select the colour that you want the link text to be.

STEP 5. Big sigh of relief!
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PREVIOUS COMMENT 18 MINS EARLIER:

@erecinella @haoconnor At first erecinella’s fix didn’t work for me either but then I did it again and found that I had to move the cursor one more position with the arrow key while holding the shift key and it worked.

I have no idea how you would possibly even think to do that in the first place @erecinella but I am SO grateful you did!!!

I have been at my wits end trying to put links in today. Wasted a whole Saturday trying to figure it out! It used to be so simple…….”Back in My Day.” Like, a couple of months ago.

Talk about exasperating!!!!

• This reply was modified 7 years, 1 month ago by cashtrafficker. Reason: Found THE WAY

I’m glad it worked for you! I have been doing it that way since they switched whatever they switched and it has been working fine. That said, it is still a PITA since it does take a bit longer when you have to highlight each link individually and change the color instead of just highlighting a bunch at a time and doing it.

UPDATE 17 HOURS LATER:

Yeah thanks erecinella but I have to update again! I used the method I explained above today and it didn’t work! ARRRRGGH! So today I wrote in black, added the link, highlighted the linked text again, did everything as above…….and it didn’t change the linked text colour. It was still black.

So I removed the link and, lo and behold, the text changed to blue. I then added the link again and the text stayed blue. Sacre Bleu!!!

Basically, it’s a God damn hot mess and everyone will just have to play around with it.

The good thing is: It can be done! There is hope!