How to Customize the Color of Forum Bullets

Introduction

BuddyBoss uses the theme’s default bullet color for discussion lists and the BB Forums List widget. To highlight individual forums, you can override those colors by editing two template files in your child theme.

Modify the Discussion Page Template

1. Copy from the parent theme:
   wp-content/themes/buddyboss-theme/bbpress/loop/topic-list.php
   
2. Paste into your child theme at the same path:
   wp-content/themes/your-child-theme/bbpress/loop/topic-list.php
   
3. Open the copied file and locate line 68, which outputs the bullet icon.
   
4. Add or adjust an inline style to change its color, for example:
   <span class=”bb-topic-icon” style=”color:#FF0000;”></span>

Modify the BB Forums List Widget Template

1. Copy from the parent theme:
   wp-content/themes/buddyboss-theme/sidebar/bbpress.php
   
2. Paste into your child theme:
   wp-content/themes/your-child-theme/sidebar/bbpress.php
   
3. In the copied file, find where the widget renders each bullet icon (often a <span> or pseudo-element).
   
4. Apply your custom color, for example:
   <span class=”bb-forum-icon” style=”color:#0073AA;”></span>

Troubleshooting and FAQs

Q: My color change isn’t visible—what should I check?
A: Make sure you’re editing the child theme copy (not the parent), then clear any site and browser caches.

Q: Will these edits be overwritten by theme updates?
A: No—because the templates live in your child theme, parent-theme updates won’t affect them.

Q: I can’t find line 68 in my file—where else can I look?
A: Search for the bullet’s CSS class (e.g., .bb-topic-icon) to locate the correct markup in case the template has shifted.