How To Style Contact Form 7

Customizing the appearance of forms may seem intimidating, but using Contact Form 7 allows for simple adjustments to match the design of your website. As a developer, I have encountered challenges with Contact Form 7, however, in this article, I will guide you in styling the form to include your personal style.

Getting Started with Contact Form 7

If you haven’t already, start by installing the Contact Form 7 plugin on your WordPress website. Once activated, you’ll find a new menu item labeled “Contact” in your WordPress dashboard. Click on it to begin creating your first form.

When you create a new form, Contact Form 7 generates a shortcode that you can use to display the form on any page or post. Simply copy the generated shortcode and paste it into the desired location of your website.

Basic Styling Options

By default, Contact Form 7 provides minimal styling for its forms. To add your personal touches, you can start by modifying the CSS of your form. One easy way to do this is by using the Additional CSS feature in your WordPress Customizer.

/* Example CSS for Contact Form 7 */
.wpcf7 {
    background-color: #f5f5f5;
    padding: 20px;
}

.wpcf7 input[type="submit"] {
    background-color: #007bff;
    color: #fff;
    padding: 10px 20px;
    border: none;
    cursor: pointer;
}

Adding Personal Touches

Now that you have the basic styles in place, it’s time to add your personal touches to the form. Contact Form 7 provides several hooks and filters that allow you to customize the form’s appearance and behavior.

For example, you can use the wpcf7_form_class_attr filter to add custom CSS classes to your form. This can be useful for targeting specific forms or adding unique styles.

add_filter( 'wpcf7_form_class_attr', 'my_custom_form_class' );
function my_custom_form_class( $class ) {
    $class .= ' my-custom-class';
    return $class;
}

Additionally, you can use the wpcf7_form_elements filter to customize individual form elements. This allows you to modify the HTML output of each input field, giving you complete control over the form’s appearance.

add_filter( 'wpcf7_form_elements', 'my_custom_form_elements' );
function my_custom_form_elements( $html ) {
    $html = str_replace( 'type="text"', 'type="text" class="my-custom-input"', $html );
    return $html;
}

Conclusion

With Contact Form 7, you have the power to style your forms and add your personal touches. By leveraging CSS and utilizing the available hooks and filters, you can create beautiful and customized forms that seamlessly integrate with your website’s design.

Remember to test your form after making any changes to ensure that it is functioning correctly. Happy styling!