Change the color of the clear button (x) in input `type=search`

Question

How do i change the color of X that appears on input[type=search]

By using webkit-search-cancel-button and webkit-appearance: none i have been able to change it to a colored square or circle but i have been unable to change the color of X.

The issue is default color of the X on safari is black and by textbox is black hence this is not visible. Chrome picks a safe color of grey but it too has the same issue.

Answer 1

You probably don't need the solution anymore, but I will just it leave here to see if it helps anyone.

You can't change the color of the clear button (x) directly (as far as I tried), but here's some trick I figured out to change the button appearance.

Basically, I just removed the default clear button and replaced it with a black clear button image (I used base64 encoded image here, you can use any).

[type="search"]::-webkit-search-cancel-button {
  -webkit-appearance: none;
  appearance: none;
  height: 10px;
  width: 10px;
  background-image: url(data:image/svg+xml;base64,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);
  background-size: 10px 10px;
}

<input type="search">