The WordPress admin interface may soon receive a significant upgrade, as developers prepare to introduce CSS custom properties for color scheme customization. Although the change might seem subtle on the surface, it marks a foundational shift that could reshape the way users interact with the admin dashboard for years to come.
This improvement, included as part of the roadmap for WordPress 5.7, aims to streamline and modernize the admin theme system. Front-end developer Kirsty Burgoine from Human Made has led efforts to bring CSS custom properties to the admin environment, starting with a rework of its color palette. The initial phase of the project reduced the number of active color definitions from 199 to 99, laying the groundwork for a more maintainable and scalable system.
Rethinking the Foundations of Admin Styling
WordPress’s current admin color system is functional but dated. Developers have long had the ability to register custom admin color schemes, but the process has never been straightforward or future-proof. Many third-party developers rely on tools like the “Admin Color Schemes” plugin, which adds user-selectable color options. Yet, keeping these schemes up to date with new WordPress releases remains a challenge.
The move toward CSS custom properties—also known as CSS variables—promises to address many of these limitations. With modern browser support now near-universal, this shift allows for easier theming, reduced code duplication, and improved maintainability. According to Burgoine, future work will focus on creating a sensible naming system for these variables. The core CSS team is currently seeking community feedback on how best to implement these attributes.
Developer Kelly Choyce-Dwan has contributed to the official admin palette, which now features standardized blue, gray, red, yellow, and green hues. Once custom properties are in place, this groundwork could unlock far greater design flexibility within the WordPress admin.
A Renewed Vision After Years of Frustration
For long-time WordPress users and developers, hopes for a truly customizable admin theme system have come and gone over the years. Concepts have surfaced in the form of plugin experiments and mockups, but few have delivered on their promises. For some, including this reporter, the emergence of CSS custom properties reignites that long-dormant optimism.
Past efforts, like the DP Dashboard plugin introduced in 2013 by designer Tung Do, showcased bold prototypes for a redesigned admin experience. While the project never made it past its early beta stage, it left a lasting impression. Today, eight years later, a more stable path toward admin customization finally appears to be within reach—albeit in a more practical, incremental form.
The flexibility offered by CSS custom properties is a game changer. Rather than creating wholly separate themes that break with every update, a variable-based system enables lightweight customization that adapts to changes in the core UI. This approach reduces the maintenance burden while preserving the consistency that users expect from the WordPress admin.
Toward a Prospect of Flexible Admin Design
While the current focus is limited to color schemes, developers are optimistic that this effort could expand into a broader global styling system. In the future, elements such as button radius, font choices, and heading sizes could be adjustable via theme settings—offering designers even more creative control without the risk of breaking functionality.
The evolution of the WordPress block editor (Gutenberg) also plays a role in this progress. As more admin features are rebuilt as reusable components, the entire system becomes more modular and adaptable to future changes. This component-based architecture could help resolve long-standing issues with backward compatibility that have historically hindered custom admin themes.
There’s still a long road ahead before WordPress achieves a fully skinnable admin interface. However, developers are beginning to imagine a future where admin themes could mirror front-end themes, perhaps even integrating with the existing theme.json structure used in block-based themes. While the idea of a dedicated admin theme directory may still be niche, its potential is gaining recognition within the developer community.
Even in the early stages, the shift to CSS custom properties is already delivering benefits. It allows the core team to simplify and clean up admin CSS, making it easier for developers to introduce their own color schemes. In the long term, this may open the door to a more personalized and accessible admin experience for users across the WordPress ecosystem.
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