waybar-styles(5) File Formats Manual waybar-styles(5)

# [NAME](#NAME)

waybar-styles - using stylesheets for waybar

# [DESCRIPTION](#DESCRIPTION)

Waybar uses Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) to configure its appearance.

It uses the first file found in this search order:

- **$XDG\_CONFIG\_HOME/waybar/style.css**
- **~/.config/waybar/style.css**
- **~/waybar/style.css**
- **/etc/xdg/waybar/style.css**
- **/etc/xdg/waybar/style.css**

# [EXAMPLE](#EXAMPLE)

An example user-controlled stylesheet that just changes the color of the clock to be green on black, while keeping the rest of the system config the same would be:

```
@import url("file:///etc/xdg/waybar/style.css")
#clock {


  background: #000000;


  color: #00ff00;
}
```

## [Hover-effect](#Hover)

You can apply special styling to any module for when the cursor hovers it.

```
#clock:hover {


  background-color: #ffffff;
}
```

## [Setting cursor style](#Setting_cursor_style)

Most, if not all, module types support setting the \`cursor\` option. This is configured in your \`config.jsonc\`. If set to \`false\`, when hovering the module a "pointer"(as commonly known from web CSS styling \`cursor: pointer\`) style cursor will not be shown. Default behavior is to indicate an interaction event is available.

There are more cursor types to choose from by setting the \`cursor\` option to a number, see Gdk3 official docs for all possible cursor types: https://docs.gtk.org/gdk3/enum.CursorType.html. However, note that not all cursor options listed may be available on your system. If you attempt to use a cursor which is not available, the application will crash.

Example of disabling pointer(\`Gdk::Hand2\`) cursor type on a custom module:

```
"custom/my-custom-module": {


    ...


    "cursor": false,
}
```

Example of setting cursor type to \`Gdk::Boat\`(according to https://docs.gtk.org/gdk3/enum.CursorType.html#boat):

```
"custom/my-custom-module": {


    ...


    "cursor": 8,
}
```

# [SEE ALSO](#SEE_ALSO)

•

[**waybar(5)**](/man/enterprise-packages/waybar/waybar.5)

2026-11-02

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Document: waybar-styles(5) from waybar 0.15.0-r3 (Chainguard OS)