How to Change Button Color in Squarespace

How to Change Button Color in Squarespace Using Site Styles

The Site Styles panel is the fastest way to change button colors across your entire Squarespace site. This method updates every button that uses the default template styling - primary buttons, secondary buttons, and any button blocks you have added to your pages.

Step 1: Open the Site Styles Panel

Log in to your Squarespace account and open the site editor. In the left-hand navigation, click Design, then select Site Styles. This opens a panel on the right side of the screen where you can customize fonts, colors, spacing, and other global design settings.

Step 2: Find the Button Color Settings

In the Site Styles panel, scroll down to the Buttons section. Depending on your template, you may see separate options for Primary Button and Secondary Button styles. Each button type has its own color settings for the background (fill), text, and border. Some templates also include hover state colors - the color the button changes to when a visitor moves their cursor over it.

Step 3: Change the Button Background Color

Click on the color swatch next to the button background (or fill) option. A color picker will appear where you can select a new color visually or enter a specific hex code. If you have brand colors defined, enter the exact hex value to ensure consistency. Click outside the color picker to apply the change - you will see the preview update in real time on the page behind the panel.

Step 4: Update Button Text and Border Colors

After changing the background color, adjust the text color so it remains readable. Dark backgrounds need light text. Light backgrounds need dark text. If your template supports border colors, set the border to match or complement the background. For outlined button styles (sometimes called "ghost buttons"), the border color is what gives the button its visual presence, so choose a color with strong contrast against your page background.

Step 5: Set Hover State Colors

Hover states give visitors a visual cue that the button is clickable. Most Squarespace templates let you set a different background color, text color, and border color for the hover state. A common approach is to darken the background color by 10 to 20 percent on hover, or to swap the background and text colors (for example, a filled button becomes outlined on hover). For more color and layout strategies, our Squarespace design tips guide covers visual hierarchy and contrast principles.

Step 6: Save Your Changes

Click Save in the top left corner of the editor to publish your button color changes. Open your site in a new browser tab and check several pages to confirm the buttons look correct everywhere - especially on pages with different background colors where contrast may vary.

How to Change Button Color on a Specific Page Using Custom CSS

Site Styles changes affect every button on your site. If you want to change the color of a button on just one page - or style a specific button differently from the rest - you need Custom CSS.

Step 1: Find the Button's CSS Selector

Open the page with the button you want to change. Right-click the button and select Inspect (or Inspect Element). The browser's developer tools will open and highlight the button's HTML element. Look for the CSS class name - it will be something like .sqs-block-button-element or a page-specific class. Note the class name for the next step.

Step 2: Add Custom CSS in Squarespace

Go to Design > Custom CSS in your Squarespace dashboard. Add a CSS rule targeting the specific button. For example, to change a button's background color on a specific page, use the page's collection ID or section ID as a parent selector:

.page-section .sqs-block-button-element { background-color: #ff6600 !important; color: #ffffff !important; }

Replace YOUR_SECTION_ID with the actual section ID from the Inspect tool, and replace the hex codes with your desired colors. The !important flag ensures your custom rule overrides the template default. For a complete walkthrough of working with Squarespace's CSS editor, see our guide to adding custom CSS to Squarespace.

Step 3: Style Hover States with CSS

To change the hover color of a specific button, add a corresponding hover rule:

.page-section .sqs-block-button-element:hover { background-color: #cc5200 !important; }

This changes the button's background color when a visitor hovers over it. You can also add transition effects for a smooth color change: transition: background-color 0.3s ease;

Button Color Best Practices for Squarespace Sites

Use High Contrast Between Button and Background

Your button needs to visually pop against its surroundings. A blue button on a blue background is invisible. A bright orange button on a white background is immediately noticeable. Test your button colors against every section background on your site - not just the one where you first placed the button.

Keep Button Colors Consistent Across Your Site

Use one primary button color for all main call-to-action buttons (Buy Now, Sign Up, Contact Us) and a secondary color for less important actions (Learn More, Read Full Article). Consistency trains visitors to recognize clickable elements instantly. Changing button colors on every page creates confusion.

Choose Colors That Align with Your Brand

Your button color should come from your brand's color palette - ideally your accent color or the most visually distinct color in your palette. If your brand uses navy blue and gold, gold is the stronger button color because it contrasts with most page backgrounds and draws the eye. For a broader approach to visual branding on Squarespace, our guide to customizing your Squarespace website covers color palettes, fonts, and layout choices.

Test Button Colors on Mobile

Buttons that look great on desktop can appear too small, too dark, or too close to surrounding elements on mobile screens. Preview your site on an actual phone after changing button colors. Pay attention to tap target size - buttons should be at least 44 pixels tall for comfortable mobile tapping. Check that the text inside the button remains legible on smaller screens.

Do Not Use Red Unless It Means Delete or Cancel

Red buttons carry a strong psychological association with warnings, errors, and destructive actions. Unless your brand is specifically red-themed, avoid red for primary action buttons like Buy Now or Sign Up. Green, blue, orange, and black are safer choices for conversion-focused buttons.

Squarespace Button Types and How They Use Color

Squarespace templates typically include three button styles: Primary (solid filled background), Secondary (outlined with a border, no fill), and Tertiary (text-only with no background or border). Each style uses color differently.

Primary buttons are your main calls to action. Their background color is the most important - it determines visibility and click-through rate. Secondary buttons rely on border color for visual presence. They work best as supporting actions next to a primary button. Tertiary buttons are essentially styled links and use text color alone. They are useful for low-priority actions where you do not want to compete with primary CTAs. For deeper exploration of how Squarespace handles styling and layout, our Squarespace SEO guide covers how design decisions affect both user experience and search performance.

Make Your Squarespace Buttons Work Harder

Button color is not just a design choice - it is a conversion tool. The right color draws the eye, creates urgency, and tells visitors exactly where to click. The wrong color lets your buttons disappear into the page.

Start with Site Styles for global changes, use Custom CSS for page-specific adjustments, and test every change on both desktop and mobile. A few minutes of button color optimization can measurably improve how visitors interact with your entire site.