Remix Icon looks like a small detail, until you ship a WordPress page and every button feels a little “flat.” We have watched teams spend hours hunting mismatched icons across three libraries, then lose consistency the next time a plugin updates. Quick answer: Remix Icon gives you a clean, neutral icon set you can add by CDN, NPM, or self-hosting, and it works great in WordPress when you load it the WordPress way (enqueue) and keep accessibility in mind.
Key Takeaways
- Remix Icon is a free, open-source library of 3,100+ neutral UI icons that helps you keep a consistent visual language across a WordPress site.
- Choose one style per interface layer—Line for text-heavy clarity and Fill for emphasis—then control size with font-size or ri-2x–ri-10x and alignment with ri-fw.
- To use Remix Icon fast, load it via CDN and pin the version (e.g., @4.3.0) to prevent unexpected icon changes after updates.
- For build pipelines, install Remix Icon via NPM/Yarn and import the CSS so dev, staging, and production stay consistent.
- In WordPress, add Remix Icon safely by enqueueing the stylesheet (not hardcoding a <link> in theme files) to avoid losing changes during theme updates.
- Keep Remix Icon accessible and stable by hiding decorative icons with aria-hidden, labeling meaningful icons, and choosing icon fonts for many icons or SVG sprites for maximum sharpness and control.
What Remix Icon Is And When It Is The Right Choice
Remix Icon is an open-source icon library with 3,100+ neutral-style symbols built for UI work. It shines when you want one consistent “visual language” across your site instead of a patchwork of icon sets.
Here is when we recommend it:
- You want consistency fast. One library reduces design drift across landing pages, product pages, and dashboards.
- You need icons that feel “system-like.” Remix Icon’s neutral style fits SaaS, ecommerce, professional services, and content sites.
- You want a free, commercial-safe option. No weird licensing surprises mid-project.
If your brand depends on a very distinctive icon style, you might still use custom SVGs. But for most business WordPress sites, Remix Icon is the clean middle ground.
Licensing, Attribution, And Brand Safety Basics
Remix Icon is open-source and free for personal and commercial use, and it does not require attribution. That matters because licensing affects your legal risk. Licensing -> reduces -> review cycles.
Brand safety also improves because the icons are neutral. Neutral icons -> reduce -> accidental “brand voice” shifts that happen when you borrow icons with strong stylistic fingerprints.
Picking The Right Style And Size For UI Consistency
Remix Icon gives you two main styles:
- Line (outline):
ri-admin-line - Fill (solid):
ri-admin-fill
A simple rule keeps your UI from looking messy: pick one style per interface layer. Line icons -> improve -> readability in text-heavy areas. Fill icons -> boost -> emphasis on primary actions.
For size, Remix Icon supports classes like ri-2x up to ri-10x (they scale in em). Icons also inherit font-size, so your theme typography still controls the rhythm.
If you need perfect alignment in lists or menus, add fixed width:
ri-fw-> stabilizes -> column alignment
Get Remix Icon: Library Options And Setup Paths
You have three sane ways to load Remix Icon. Your choice affects speed, control, and compliance.
CDN -> speeds up -> setup. Self-host -> increases -> control. NPM -> supports -> build pipelines.
Use The CDN (Fastest For Most Sites)
For most marketing sites and early ecommerce builds, CDN is the fastest start. Add this inside your site <head>:
<link href="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/[email protected]/fonts/remixicon.css" rel="stylesheet"/>
Pin the version (@4.3.0). Version pinning -> prevents -> surprise icon changes if the library updates.
Install Via NPM Or Yarn (Best For Build Pipelines)
If you run a front-end build step (webpack, Vite, etc.), install via NPM:
npm install remixicon --save- Import the CSS:
import 'remixicon/fonts/remixicon.css'
Build pipelines -> improve -> repeatability across dev, staging, and production.
Self-Host The Assets (Best For Control And Compliance)
If you work in regulated spaces or you want fewer third-party calls, self-host.
- Download
remixicon.cssand font files from the official GitHub repo - Serve them from your domain
Self-hosting -> reduces -> third-party dependency risk. It also helps when clients ask, “Which outside services load on our site?”
How To Add Remix Icon To A Website
Once the CSS loads, adding a Remix Icon can be as simple as a class name. Still, the method you choose affects accessibility and sharpness.
Using Icon Fonts In HTML And CSS
Icon fonts are quick and flexible. Use an <i> tag (or a <span> if you prefer):
<i class="ri-admin-line"></i>
Then style it like text:
font-size: 20px:color: #111:
Icon fonts -> speed up -> UI iteration because designers and developers can change size and color without opening an SVG editor.
Using SVG Icons For Sharper, More Accessible UI
SVG often looks sharper, especially on high-DPI screens, and it can be easier to control for accessibility.
One approach is the symbol sprite file:
- Download
remixicon.symbol.svg - Reference a symbol by ID:
<svg class="remix"><use xlink:href="/path/remixicon.symbol.svg#ri-admin-fill"></use></svg>
Then style it:
width: 24px: height: 24px: fill: #333:
SVG -> improves -> crispness at small sizes.
Styling Icons: Color, Size, Alignment, And Hover States
Most icon “bugs” are really just CSS alignment issues.
Use these defaults when your icons sit next to text:
line-height: 1:-> reduces -> vertical wobblevertical-align: middle:-> improves -> baseline alignment
For hover states on buttons or links:
.btn:hover i { color: #0b5fff: }
A small tip we use a lot: set icon spacing in CSS, not with extra spaces in HTML.
.btn i { margin-right: 8px: }
How To Use Remix Icon In WordPress (Safely)
WordPress sites break when people paste random <link> tags into theme files, then update the theme. The safe method is to enqueue the stylesheet.
WordPress enqueue -> prevents -> update losses.
Add Remix Icon Sitewide With Enqueue Scripts And Styles
Add Remix Icon in your theme’s functions.php (or better, a small custom plugin if you want it theme-agnostic):
wp_enqueue_style('remixicon', 'https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/[email protected]/fonts/remixicon.css', array(), '4.3.0'):
We pin the version and name the handle clearly. Clear handles -> improve -> troubleshooting later.
If you use a child theme, enqueue from the child theme. Child theme usage -> reduces -> parent theme overwrite risk.
Use Icons In Blocks, Menus, And Buttons Without Breaking Updates
You have a few practical options:
- Block editor (Gutenberg): add an HTML block with
<i class="ri-shopping-cart-2-line"></i> - Buttons: place the
<i>inside the button text span, then style via CSS - Navigation menus: add icons in menu item titles (carefully) or use CSS
:beforewith icon font classes
We prefer CSS :before for menus when clients edit menu labels often. CSS pseudo-elements -> protect -> menu text from getting “icon garbage.”
WooCommerce And UI Touchpoints That Benefit From Icons
WooCommerce is full of small UI moments where icons help users move faster:
- Cart and mini-cart links
- “Add to cart” buttons
- Account menu items (orders, downloads, addresses)
- Product feature lists (shipping, returns, warranty)
Icons -> reduce -> scanning time. That matters when a shopper is on a phone, under bright light, with a thumb hovering over the wrong button.
If you want help pairing icon choices with conversion goals, we often map it as: page goal -> affects -> icon placement and style.
Accessibility, Performance, And Governance Guardrails
Icons seem harmless until they affect screen readers, page speed, or compliance reviews. Here is the calm, safe way to run them.
ARIA Labels, Decorative Icons, And Screen Reader Behavior
First question: is the icon decorative or meaningful?
- Decorative icon -> set ->
aria-hidden="true" - Meaningful icon -> add ->
aria-label="…"(or include visible text)
Example:
<i class="ri-phone-line" aria-hidden="true"></i>next to visible “Call us” text
Do not rely on an icon alone for meaning. Icons alone -> reduce -> accessibility.
Font Vs SVG: Performance Tradeoffs And Caching Strategy
Fonts load as a file (or a few files) and then every icon is just a class. SVG loads per icon or as a sprite.
General rule we use:
- Many icons across the site -> icon font -> reduces -> repeated markup
- Few icons on key pages -> SVG -> improves -> sharpness and control
Caching matters either way. Browser caching -> lowers -> repeat load cost.
Security, Privacy, And Change Control For Third-Party CDNs
CDNs are fine for many businesses, but you still want guardrails:
- Pin the version (
@4.3.0) so updates do not change icons without review - Document the dependency in your site notes
- Use self-hosting when policy requires it
Third-party calls -> affect -> privacy posture. That is why we treat “where assets load from” as part of your website governance, not a random dev choice.
Common Issues And Clean Fixes
Most Remix Icon problems fall into two buckets: the asset did not load, or CSS made the icon look wrong.
Icons Not Showing, Missing Glyphs, Or Wrong Versions
If an icon shows as an empty square, check these in order:
- CSS loaded? Open DevTools -> Network -> confirm
remixicon.cssreturns 200. - Font files loaded? If fonts 404, your path is wrong (common in self-host setups).
- Class name correct? Remix Icon uses the
ri-prefix. - Version mismatch? An icon name might exist in one version and not another.
Correct version pinning -> reduces -> “it worked yesterday” bugs.
CSS Conflicts, Line-Height Problems, And Misalignment
Themes often set line-height or display rules that make icons jump.
Fixes we reach for first:
i[class^="ri-"] { line-height: 1: }i[class^="ri-"] { vertical-align: middle: }- Add
ri-fwwhen you need neat columns
If the icon looks too low next to text, adjust with a tiny position: relative: top: 1px: and stop there. Tiny nudges -> prevent -> layout drift.
Conclusion
Remix Icon is one of those small upgrades that makes a WordPress site feel “finished.” Use the style system (line vs fill), load it with the right method (enqueue), and treat accessibility like a requirement, not a nice extra.
If you want a steady setup that you can hand to a team without fear, we can help you wire this into your theme or a small custom plugin, document it, and keep it stable during updates. If you are already working through a broader rebuild, start with your highest-traffic pages and add icons where they reduce friction, not where they just look cute.
If you want more WordPress build guidance, you can also browse our resources on WordPress website development, WordPress SEO services, and website maintenance services.
Frequently Asked Questions about Using Remix Icon
How to use Remix Icon on a website with the CDN?
Add the Remix Icon stylesheet in your site’s using the CDN link, then place an icon with a class like . Pin a version (for example, @4.3.0) to prevent unexpected icon changes when the library updates.
How do I use Remix Icon in WordPress without losing changes after theme updates?
Use the WordPress way: enqueue the Remix Icon CSS instead of pasting a tag into theme files. Add wp_enqueue_style() in functions.php (ideally in a child theme or a small plugin) and pin the version to keep updates predictable.
What’s the difference between Remix Icon line and fill styles, and which should I choose?
Remix Icon includes two main styles: Line (outline) and Fill (solid). For UI consistency, pick one style per interface layer. Line icons tend to read better in text-heavy areas, while Fill icons add emphasis for primary actions and key states.
How do I style Remix Icon size, color, alignment, and hover states?
Because Remix Icon can behave like text, you can style it with CSS (font-size, color) and fix common alignment issues with line-height: 1 and vertical-align: middle. For buttons, apply hover color changes and set spacing via CSS margin, not extra HTML spaces.
Is Remix Icon free for commercial use, and do I need to add attribution?
Yes. Remix Icon is open-source and free for personal and commercial use, and it doesn’t require attribution. That reduces legal and review friction for businesses. Teams still often document the dependency and pin versions to support change control and governance.
Should I use Remix Icon as an icon font or as SVG for better performance and accessibility?
Use an icon font when you need many icons across the site—load once, then icons are simple class names. Choose SVG (often via a sprite) when you only need a few icons and want crisper rendering and finer accessibility control. Cache either approach for faster repeat visits.
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