How to Change Specific Border Colors in the Shopify Sahara Theme without Affecting Other Elements

Running an eCommerce store on Shopify offers tremendous flexibility, but even the best themes can sometimes present unique challenges. One common query from store owners using the Sahara theme is: How can I make specific borders on my site white? While changing the general border color may seem simple, the issue arises when other elements, like size guides or email inputs, inadvertently change too.

In this guide, we’ll explore how to modify specific border colors—specifically focusing on the footer—in the Sahara theme without affecting other parts of your website.

Identifying the Problem

Many users encounter a situation where changing the border color affects multiple areas on their Shopify site. This is generally due to shared CSS classes across different elements. When you change a CSS style, it applies to all HTML elements that share the same class.

Why Does This Happen?

1. Global CSS Classes: CSS (Cascading Style Sheets) is designed to apply styles across all elements that share the same class or ID. If your footer and other elements like forms or size guides share a class such as .border-default, any change to this class impacts all linked components.

2. Theme Limitations: Themes might not have specific selectors or separate settings for each element, leading to unintended shared styling.

3. Built-In Theme Settings: Most Shopify themes, including Sahara, provide settings to change styles globally, rather than providing specific customization for every use case.

Analyzing the Code

Before making any changes, it’s crucial to inspect how your CSS is structured:

• Locate the Specific CSS Class: Use your browser’s Developer Tools to find the exact class applied to the footer elements. Right-click on the footer border you want to change and select “Inspect.” This tool will show you the HTML and CSS specific to that element.

• Determine Shared Classes: Check if this class is applied to other elements like form inputs or other page borders. If it’s a shared class, changing it will affect all elements using that class.

Step-by-Step Guide to Change Footer Border Color Only

Here’s a detailed guide to alter only the footer border color to white without impacting other elements:

Step 1: Accessing Your Theme Code

1. Log into Shopify Admin: Head to your Shopify admin dashboard.
2. Navigate to Online Store: Click "Online Store" in the left-hand menu.
3. Select Themes: Find the current theme, under "Themes" click "Actions" dropdown, and choose "Edit Code."

Step 2: Add Custom CSS for Targeted Styling

1. Access CSS Files: Open the relevant CSS file. This could be base.css, theme.css, or style.css found under the “Assets” folder.

2. Create a Specific Footer Class: Add a unique class to your footer <div> or specific element within your footer if not already in use. For example, .footer-custom-border.

3. Insert Custom CSS: At the bottom of the CSS file, add the following code:

   .footer__links-mobile-item.footer-custom-border {
       border-color: #fff !important;
   }
   

4. Ensure Specificity: The !important declaration is essential here—it forces the browser to prioritize this style over others.

Step 3: Update Your Footer’s HTML

• Modify Footer HTML: Access appropriate HTML snippets or Liquid files for the footer. Locate the element and insert your custom class if it isn’t there:

  <div class="footer__links-mobile-item footer-custom-border">
      <!-- Footer Content -->
  </div>
  

Step 4: Test Changes

1. Preview Your Site: After saving your changes, preview your website to ensure the footer’s border is the only one affected.
2. Cross-Browser Check: Verify these changes across different browsers to confirm consistency.

Additional Considerations

• Backup Your Files: Always save a copy of your original CSS and HTML files in case you need to revert changes later.

• Use Child Themes: If possible, create a child version of your theme to avoid directly changing the original theme files, preserving your changes when updating your theme.

Anticipating Similar Issues

FAQ

• Q: How do I identify which CSS class is affecting my element?

  • A: Use the Developer Tools available in most browsers. Right-click on the element, select “Inspect,” and locate the styles applied to it.

• Q: Why use !important in CSS?

  • A: !important adds priority to your CSS rule, forcing the browser to apply it even if another conflicting style exists.

Conclusion

Achieving the right look for your Shopify store—especially with themes like Sahara—can require a bit of specificity in styling. By understanding how CSS works globally and learning to precisely target specific elements, you can solve this common issue without unintended consequences on other parts of your site. With this guide, you can now confidently change individual border colors exactly where needed, enhancing your site's appearance and user experience.