View Categories

How to Add a Font Awesome Icon to the Back Button

0:00 2:00
Table of Contents

To show a Font Awesome icon on your back button, use the fa shortcode attribute in Back Button Anywhere Widget for WordPress. This is a free feature, and the plugin can even load the Font Awesome library for you if your theme does not already.

Font Awesome section of the Back Button Widget settings

Add an icon with the shortcode #

Pass a Font Awesome class in the fa attribute:

[alg_back_button fa="fas fa-angle-double-left"]

To show the icon next to text, use fa_template with the %icon% placeholder:

[alg_back_button fa="fas fa-chevron-left" fa_template="%icon% Back"]

Setting fa renders the button as a simple text link containing the icon, so you can style it with the class and style attributes as usual.

Load Font Awesome (only if needed) #

If your theme or another plugin already loads Font Awesome, skip this step to avoid loading it twice. Otherwise, let the plugin load it:

  1. Go to WPFactory > Back Button and open the Font Awesome section.
  2. Set Load to Yes.
  3. Leave the URL at its default, or paste the URL of the Font Awesome version you want.
  4. Save changes.

Options reference #

Label Option ID Default Free/Pro
Load fontawesome_enabled No Free
URL fontawesome_url A Font Awesome 6 CDN stylesheet Free

Use an icon in a widget #

The widget’s Button label field runs shortcodes, so you can place a full button shortcode with an icon inside another button, or simpler still, use the shortcode directly wherever you need the button. For icon-first buttons, the shortcode is the most reliable route.

Troubleshooting #

  • Icon shows as a square: Font Awesome is not loaded. Set Load to Yes, or confirm your theme loads it. See Font Awesome icon not showing.
  • Wrong icon: match the icon class to the loaded version. Class names and prefixes (fas, far, fa-solid) differ between Font Awesome versions.
  • Icon and translation together: a single shortcode cannot combine the fa attribute with the lang / not_lang_text label swap. Use separate shortcodes if you need both.

Get more control #

Font Awesome icons are free. Back Button Anywhere Widget for WordPress Pro adds menu placement, a floating button, and hide/show rules. See what Pro unlocks.