Change navbar color in Twitter Bootstrap

Question

How would I go about modifying the CSS to change the color of the navbar in Twitter Bootstrap?

Answer 1

Example

Just try it like this:

<!-- A light one -->
<nav class="navbar navbar-default" role="navigation"></nav>
<!-- A dark one -->
<nav class="navbar navbar-inverse" role="navigation"></nav>

File navabr.css

/* Navbar */
.navbar-default {
    background-color: #F8F8F8;
    border-color: #E7E7E7;
}
/* Title */
.navbar-default .navbar-brand {
    color: #777;
}
.navbar-default .navbar-brand:hover,
.navbar-default .navbar-brand:focus {
    color: #5E5E5E;
}
/* Link */
.navbar-default .navbar-nav > li > a {
    color: #777;
}
.navbar-default .navbar-nav > li > a:hover,
.navbar-default .navbar-nav > li > a:focus {
    color: #333;
}
.navbar-default .navbar-nav > .active > a,
.navbar-default .navbar-nav > .active > a:hover,
.navbar-default .navbar-nav > .active > a:focus {
    color: #555;
    background-color: #E7E7E7;
}
.navbar-default .navbar-nav > .open > a,
.navbar-default .navbar-nav > .open > a:hover,
.navbar-default .navbar-nav > .open > a:focus {
    color: #555;
    background-color: #D5D5D5;
}
/* Caret */
.navbar-default .navbar-nav > .dropdown > a .caret {
    border-top-color: #777;
    border-bottom-color: #777;
}
.navbar-default .navbar-nav > .dropdown > a:hover .caret,
.navbar-default .navbar-nav > .dropdown > a:focus .caret {
    border-top-color: #333;
    border-bottom-color: #333;
}
.navbar-default .navbar-nav > .open > a .caret,
.navbar-default .navbar-nav > .open > a:hover .caret,
.navbar-default .navbar-nav > .open > a:focus .caret {
    border-top-color: #555;
    border-bottom-color: #555;
}
/* Mobile version */
.navbar-default .navbar-toggle {
    border-color: #DDD;
}
.navbar-default .navbar-toggle:hover,
.navbar-default .navbar-toggle:focus {
    background-color: #DDD;
}
.navbar-default .navbar-toggle .icon-bar {
    background-color: #CCC;
}
@media (max-width: 767px) {
    .navbar-default .navbar-nav .open .dropdown-menu > li > a {
        color: #777;
    }
    .navbar-default .navbar-nav .open .dropdown-menu > li > a:hover,
    .navbar-default .navbar-nav .open .dropdown-menu > li > a:focus {
        color: #333;
    }
}

The default major color uses are as below:

• Navbar Background: #F8F8F8
• Navbar Border: #E7E7E7
• Default Color: #777
• Nav-brand Hover Color: #5E5E5E
• Hover Color: #333
• Active Background: #D5D5D5
• Active Color: #555

You can learn more in To change navbar color in Twitter Bootstrap 3.

Answer 2

Try this too. This worked for me.

.navbar-default .navbar-nav > li > a:hover,
.navbar-default .navbar-nav > li > a:focus {
  background-color: #00a950;
  color: #000000;
}

Answer 3

It took me a while, but I discovered that including the following was what made it possible to change the navbar color:

.navbar{ 
    background-image: none;
}

Answer 4

Using Less

You could also consider to compile your own version. Try http://getbootstrap.com/customize/ (which has a apart section for the Navbars settings (Default navbar and Inverted Navbar)) or download your own copy from https://github.com/twbs/bootstrap.

You will find the navbar settings in variables.less. navbar.less is used to compile the navbar (depends on variables.less and mixins.less).

Copy the 'navbar-default section' and fill in your own color settings. Changing the variables in variables.less will be the easiest way (changing the default or inverse navbar won't be a problem because you have one navbar per page only).

You won't change all settings in most cases:

// Navbar
// -------------------------

// Basics of a navbar
@navbar-height:                    50px;
@navbar-margin-bottom:             @line-height-computed;
@navbar-default-color:             #777;
@navbar-default-bg:                #f8f8f8;
@navbar-default-border:            darken(@navbar-default-bg, 6.5%);
@navbar-border-radius:             @border-radius-base;
@navbar-padding-horizontal:        floor(@grid-gutter-width / 2);
@navbar-padding-vertical:          ((@navbar-height - @line-height-computed) / 2);

// Navbar links
@navbar-default-link-color:                #777;
@navbar-default-link-hover-color:          #333;
@navbar-default-link-hover-bg:             transparent;
@navbar-default-link-active-color:         #555;
@navbar-default-link-active-bg:            darken(@navbar-default-bg, 6.5%);
@navbar-default-link-disabled-color:       #ccc;
@navbar-default-link-disabled-bg:          transparent;

// Navbar brand label
@navbar-default-brand-color:               @navbar-default-link-color;
@navbar-default-brand-hover-color:         darken(@navbar-default-link-color, 10%);
@navbar-default-brand-hover-bg:            transparent;

// Navbar toggle
@navbar-default-toggle-hover-bg:           #ffffd;
@navbar-default-toggle-icon-bar-bg:        #ccc;
@navbar-default-toggle-border-color:       #ffffd;

You could also try http://twitterbootstrap3navbars.w3masters.nl/. This tool generates CSS code for your custom navbar. Optionally, you could also add gradient colors and borders to the navbar.

Answer 5

Do you have to change the CSS directly? What about...

<nav class="navbar navbar-inverse" style="background-color: #333399;">
<div class="container-fluid">
<div class="navbar-header">
  <button type="button" class="navbar-toggle" data-toggle="collapse" data-target="#myNavbar">
    <span class="icon-bar"></span>
    <span class="icon-bar"></span>
    <span class="icon-bar"></span>                        
  </button>
  <a class="navbar-brand" href="#">Logo</a>
</div>
<div class="collapse navbar-collapse" id="myNavbar">
  <ul class="nav navbar-nav">
    <li class="active"><a href="#">Home</a></li>
    <li><a href="#">About</a></li>
    <li><a href="#">Projects</a></li>
    <li><a href="#">Contact</a></li>
  </ul>
  <ul class="nav navbar-nav navbar-right">
    <li><a href="#"><span class="glyphicon glyphicon-log-in"></span> Login</a></li>
  </ul>
</div>

Answer 6

Inverse and default class name mention in Twitter Bootstrap cause them to be black and white color.

Better, you should not override that and add a class near that and write you particular style for that:

my_style{
    background-color: green;
}