Add classes to previous/next post links

Add Classes to Previous/Next Post Links in WordPress

When navigating between posts in WordPress, the default previous_posts_link() and next_posts_link() functions output simple links without custom classes. Adding CSS classes to these links allows you to style them consistently with your theme or add JavaScript hooks. This tutorial shows you how to add classes to previous and next post links in WordPress quickly and cleanly.

When to Use This

You want to style the previous/next post links with custom CSS.
You need to add JavaScript event listeners or animations targeting these links.
You want to integrate the links into a design system or framework that requires specific classes.
You prefer semantic and maintainable code without editing theme template files directly.

Quick Fix: Add Classes to Previous/Next Post Links

Create a custom function to output the previous post link with a class.
Create a custom function to output the next post link with a class.
Replace the default previous_posts_link() and next_posts_link() calls in your theme with these custom functions.
Alternatively, add filters or override the functions via functions.php or a mini-plugin.

Why This Happens

By default, WordPress’s previous_posts_link() and next_posts_link() functions generate simple anchor tags without any CSS classes. This is because these functions prioritize simplicity and backward compatibility. They accept a link text parameter but do not have a built-in way to add classes or other attributes directly.

To add classes, you need to either:

Manually output the links using get_previous_posts_link() and get_next_posts_link() and wrap them with your own markup.
Use filters or custom functions to modify the output.

Step-by-Step: Add Classes to Previous/Next Post Links

Below is a clean and reusable approach that you can add to your theme’s functions.php file or a custom mini-plugin.

<?php
// Custom function to output previous posts link with class
function my_previous_posts_link_with_class( $label = 'Previous Page', $class = 'prev-post-link' ) {
    $link = get_previous_posts_link( $label );
    if ( $link ) {
        // Add class attribute to the anchor tag
        $link = str_replace( '<a href=', '<a class="' . esc_attr( $class ) . '" href=', $link );
        echo $link;
    }
}

// Custom function to output next posts link with class
function my_next_posts_link_with_class( $label = 'Next Page', $class = 'next-post-link' ) {
    $link = get_next_posts_link( $label );
    if ( $link ) {
        // Add class attribute to the anchor tag
        $link = str_replace( '<a href=', '<a class="' . esc_attr( $class ) . '" href=', $link );
        echo $link;
    }
}
?>

Then, replace your theme’s default calls in the template files (usually index.php, archive.php, or home.php) like this:

<?php
// Instead of previous_posts_link();
my_previous_posts_link_with_class( '← Older Posts', 'btn btn-primary prev-link' );

// Instead of next_posts_link();
my_next_posts_link_with_class( 'Newer Posts →', 'btn btn-primary next-link' );
?>

Adding via a Mini-Plugin

If you prefer not to modify your theme’s functions.php, create a mini-plugin:

<?php
/*
Plugin Name: Custom Previous/Next Posts Link Classes
Description: Adds CSS classes to previous and next posts links.
Version: 1.0
Author: Your Name
*/

function my_previous_posts_link_with_class( $label = 'Previous Page', $class = 'prev-post-link' ) {
    $link = get_previous_posts_link( $label );
    if ( $link ) {
        $link = str_replace( '<a href=', '<a class="' . esc_attr( $class ) . '" href=', $link );
        echo $link;
    }
}

function my_next_posts_link_with_class( $label = 'Next Page', $class = 'next-post-link' ) {
    $link = get_next_posts_link( $label );
    if ( $link ) {
        $link = str_replace( '<a href=', '<a class="' . esc_attr( $class ) . '" href=', $link );
        echo $link;
    }
}
?>

Activate this plugin and update your theme templates as shown above.

Testing Your Changes

Clear any caching plugins or server caches.
Visit an archive page or the blog homepage where previous/next post links appear.
Inspect the previous and next post links using your browser’s developer tools.
Verify that the anchor tags now include the classes you specified (e.g., btn btn-primary prev-link).
Apply CSS styles targeting these classes to confirm styling works.

Variations and Enhancements

Customizing Labels: Pass custom link text to the functions, e.g., my_previous_posts_link_with_class('Older Posts', 'custom-class').
Adding Multiple Classes: Pass space-separated classes as the second parameter.
Using Filters: Hook into previous_posts_link_attributes and next_posts_link_attributes filters (available in newer WP versions) to add classes.
Accessibility: Add ARIA attributes or roles by modifying the output string similarly.
Button Markup: Wrap the links in <nav> or <div> containers with classes for better layout control.

Works On

Developer Snippets Navigation, Pagination, Theme

Environment	Compatibility
Web Servers	Apache, Nginx, LiteSpeed
Control Panels	cPanel, Plesk, DirectAdmin