Fixing Click Events in Styled Components & React

Fixing Click Events in Styled Components & React

When working with Styled Components in React, you might face issues where an onClick event is not triggering properly. This guide will help you understand the common causes and solutions to ensure your click events work as expected.

Common Issue: Click Not Triggering on a Styled Component

If you have a Styled Component that looks like this:

const Component = styled.span`
  /* Regular CSS */
  ${css};
`

;<Component onClick={this.handleClick} />

And your handleClick function:

handleClick(e) {
    console.log("hello");
}

But it's not logging "hello" in the console, the issue could be:

1. span elements have display: inline by default – They don’t take up space unless they contain content.
2. CSS properties like position: absolute; z-index: 0; – These can make the element unclickable.
3. Improper event binding – Ensure handleClick is properly bound.

Solution: Fixing Click Events in Styled Components

✅ 1. Ensure Proper Display and Size

Change display: inline to inline-block or block, and set explicit width/height.

const Component = styled.span`
  display: inline-block;
  width: 20px;
  height: 20px;
  background-color: red;
  cursor: pointer;
`

✅ 2. Use Arrow Functions to Bind this

Instead of manually binding handleClick in the constructor, use an arrow function:

handleClick = () => {
  console.log('hello')
}

✅ 3. Ensure Child Component Handles Clicks

If Component is inside a Button, the parent might be capturing the event. Ensure the child handles the event:

<Button>
  <Component onClick={this.handleClick} />
</Button>

Or explicitly stop event propagation:

<Component
  onClick={(e) => {
    e.stopPropagation()
    this.handleClick()
  }}
/>

✅ 4. Use a Button Instead of Span

Since button elements are naturally interactive, you can style one with Styled Components:

const Component = styled.button`
  all: unset;
  width: 20px;
  height: 20px;
  background-color: red;
  cursor: pointer;
`

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

❓ Why does adding CSS fix the issue?

When you add styles like display: block or width/height, it ensures the span has an actual area to be clicked.

❓ Why does z-index matter?

If z-index: 0, another element might be overlapping, preventing clicks from registering.

❓ Can I use styled-components with other interactive elements?

Yes! Try <button>, <div>, or <a> instead of <span> if needed.