So you want your chat widget to actually look like it belongs on your site—not just slapped on with someone else’s colors and logo. Good call. If you’re using LiveChat, you’ve got a lot of options, but you also might hit some walls, especially if you’re picky about the details.
This guide is for anyone who’s tired of the out-of-the-box look and wants their chat support to feel like part of their brand. Whether you’re a marketer with a keen eye for color, or a developer who gets twitchy at clashing fonts, you’ll find what you need here.
Let’s get to it.
Step 1: Know What You Can (and Can’t) Change in LiveChat
Before you start, get clear on what’s actually possible. LiveChat lets you do quite a bit with their widget, but you can’t change everything. Here’s a quick, honest breakdown:
What you can easily customize: - Widget colors (main color, text color, button color) - Agent avatars and company logo - Widget position on the screen - Greeting messages and agent names - Chat button style (rounded, square, icon)
What you can’t really change (without heavy custom code): - The overall structure/layout of the widget - Fonts (officially, only Google Fonts via the panel) - Advanced animations or transitions - Complex interactive elements
What’s possible, but requires custom coding: - Deep CSS overrides (risky—LiveChat updates may break your tweaks) - Injecting scripts for custom behavior - Using the LiveChat API or SDK for advanced integrations
Pro tip: Don’t waste time trying to move the entire widget to a weird part of the screen or make it do something totally unique. If you need that level of control, you might be better off building your own chat solution—or at least using LiveChat’s API.
Step 2: Start with the Built-In Customization Tools
Unless you have a unique requirement, start with the tools LiveChat gives you before jumping into code.
Where to find the customization options
- Log into your LiveChat dashboard.
- Go to “Settings” > “Chat widget” > “Appearance.”
- Here you’ll see controls for:
- Theme color: Sets the primary color used by the widget.
- Button style: Change from round to square, adjust icon, etc.
- Agent avatar & logo: Upload your own images.
- Position: Bottom right, left, or custom.
- Greeting messages: Set custom text for first-timers and returning visitors.
What actually matters
- Colors: Use your brand’s exact hex codes. Close enough isn’t good enough—get the real ones from your style guide or design team.
- Logo & avatars: Even if you don’t want to show agent faces, upload a branded logo or icon.
- Position: Don’t overthink this. Bottom right is what 99% of users expect.
Skip: The built-in “background patterns” or cutesy illustrations. They rarely match your brand and often look generic.
Step 3: Match Your Fonts (The Right Way)
Here’s where things get a little trickier. LiveChat only lets you pick from a list of Google Fonts in their appearance settings. If your brand font is there, great—select it and move on.
What if your font isn’t listed?
- If it’s a Google Font, but not showing up: Contact LiveChat support. Sometimes they can add it.
- If it’s a custom font (not Google): You’re mostly out of luck unless you want to inject custom CSS. This isn’t officially supported and can break when LiveChat updates the widget.
Honest take: Unless you’re dead-set on pixel-perfect typography, most users won’t notice if you use a similar Google Font for chat. Save your energy for bigger branding moves.
Step 4: Fine-Tune the Experience
The visuals are only half the story. How the chat widget behaves and what it says can make or break the branded experience.
Tweak these settings:
- Greeting messages: Write in your brand voice. Ditch the stock “Hi! How can I help you?” for something more “you.”
- Agent names/avatars: Use real names and photos if you want to feel personal, or a company logo if you want to stay anonymous.
- Proactive chat triggers: Set up rules for when the widget pops up. Don’t annoy your visitors with aggressive timing.
- Pre-chat forms: Customize the questions to only what you actually need. More fields = fewer chats.
Pro tip: Test your chat on mobile. Some widgets look fine on desktop, but get weirdly cut off or overlap site elements on phones.
Step 5: Going Deeper with CSS and the LiveChat API
If you hit the limits of the settings panel and you’re comfortable with a bit of code, you can dig into LiveChat’s advanced customization options.
Using custom CSS
LiveChat lets you add custom CSS to your widget, but it’s not officially supported—meaning, if they change their code, your tweaks could break.
How to do it:
- In your LiveChat dashboard, go to “Settings” > “Chat widget” > “Advanced” > “Custom CSS.”
- Add your styles. Target classes carefully (use browser dev tools to inspect the widget).
- Save and test on all devices.
What’s safe to change: - Font size - Widget box shadow - Custom button icons
What’s risky: - Changing layout/structure - Hiding core elements (may affect usability or break when updated)
LiveChat API and SDK
If you want to integrate the chat widget with other parts of your site, or trigger it programmatically, check out the LiveChat Developer Docs. You can do things like:
- Open/close the widget with your own buttons
- Pass user info from your app into the chat
- Track events or trigger chats based on user actions
Just know: This is developer territory. If you’re not comfortable with JavaScript, you’ll want to tag in someone who is.
Step 6: Preview, Test, and Keep It Simple
Before you ship your shiny new chat widget, take the time to:
- Preview it on all your main browsers and devices (especially mobile).
- Check how it looks on different pages (does it clash with certain backgrounds?).
- Test chat flows—send a few messages, see what users see.
Don’t fall into the customization rabbit hole. The goal is to make your chat widget clearly a part of your brand, not to turn it into a mini website-within-a-website. Keep it simple, easy to use, and on-brand.
Honest Pros, Cons, and What to Ignore
What works well: - Brand colors, logo, and basic style are easy to match. - Greeting messages and proactive triggers can make a big difference in brand feel. - API is solid for those who need it.
What doesn’t: - Custom fonts are a pain if you’re not using Google Fonts. - Deep layout changes aren’t really possible without major hacks (not recommended). - Widget updates can break custom CSS.
What to ignore: - Overly complex proactive chat rules. More doesn’t mean better. - Fancy background graphics that don’t fit your brand. - Chasing 100% pixel-perfect match. It’s a chat box, not your homepage.
Wrap Up: Don’t Overthink It
Customizing your LiveChat widget is mostly about getting the basics right—colors, logo, message tone, and maybe a font tweak. If you find yourself sinking hours into hacking layout or chasing after tiny details, take a step back. Most users just want fast, friendly help—not a design showcase.
Start simple, get it live, and tweak over time. Your future self (and your visitors) will thank you.