---
title: 'Global CSS Must Be in Your Custom `<App>`'
---

## Why This Error Occurred

An attempt to import Global CSS from a file outside of [`pages/_app.js`](/docs/pages/building-your-application/routing/custom-app) was made.

Global CSS cannot be used in files other than your [custom `_app.js` file](/docs/pages/building-your-application/routing/custom-app) due to ordering problems and side-effects.

## Possible Ways to Fix It

There are two possible ways to fix this error:

- Move all global CSS imports to your [`pages/_app.js` file](/docs/pages/building-your-application/routing/custom-app).
- If you do not wish your stylesheet to be global, update it to use [CSS Modules](/docs/pages/building-your-application/styling/css-modules). This will allow you to import the stylesheet and scope the styles to a specific component.

#### Example

Consider the stylesheet named [`styles.css`](/docs/pages/building-your-application/styling/css-modules)

```css filename="styles.css"
body {
  font-family: 'SF Pro Text', 'SF Pro Icons', 'Helvetica Neue', 'Helvetica',
    'Arial', sans-serif;
  padding: 20px 20px 60px;
  max-width: 680px;
  margin: 0 auto;
}
```

**Global CSS**:

Create a [`pages/_app.js` file](/docs/pages/building-your-application/routing/custom-app) if not already present. Then import the `styles.css` file:

```jsx filename="pages/_app.js"
import '../styles.css'

export default function MyApp({ Component, pageProps }) {
  return <Component {...pageProps} />
}
```

**CSS Modules**:

Rename the `styles.css` file to `styles.module.css`. Then import the file in the component or page where you want to use the styles.

```jsx filename="pages/index.js"
import styles from '../../styles.module.css'

export default function Home() {
  return <div className={styles.container}>Hello World</div>
}
```
