What could be causing my lottie animation not to appear when I drag and drop the file into the Webflow canvas? I have installed the Bodymovin plugin and set up my After Effects preferences correctly, but still no luck. Additionally, I have set up the After Effects file with a RGB + Alpha for a transparent background. Could this be the issue?

If your Lottie animation is not appearing in Webflow after dragging it into the canvas, several common issues could be preventing it from displaying correctly.

1. Check JSON File Validity

• Ensure the exported JSON file is valid and not corrupted. Try previewing it on LottieFiles Preview to make sure it renders correctly.
• If it doesn’t display on LottieFiles, the issue is likely with the Bodymovin export settings or your After Effects composition.

2. Verify Lottie Export Settings in Bodymovin

• Re-export the animation using Bodymovin and ensure:
• Demo or Assets box is unchecked.
• Include in JSON is checked for your composition.
• Glyphs and image assets can cause problems — stick to Shape Layers, Solids, or Trim Paths if possible.
• If your animation uses image assets (e.g., .png), Bodymovin may export separate image files that Webflow doesn't support. Use vector-based animation instead.

3. RGB + Alpha Channel Isn’t Supported in Lottie JSON

• Lottie JSON does not support true "Alpha Channels" like traditional video formats do.
• Transparency is handled through vector-based opacity settings and shapes in After Effects; exporting with RGB + Alpha format *only matters for video or image sequences, not Lottie JSON.
• So no, your RGB + Alpha setting is not the issue, but expecting that kind of transparency to translate may be.

4. Confirm Webflow File Drop Is Successful

• When you drag and drop the .json file into Webflow, ensure you’re dropping it into the Assets panel, not directly on the canvas.
• Once uploaded, drag the animation from the Assets panel onto the canvas into an appropriate container.

5. Use Lottie Element, Not Other Embeds

• Use Webflow’s Lottie Element (Add panel > Media > Lottie) and connect your uploaded JSON file to it.
• Do not use HTML embeds or image blocks for Lottie files.

6. Watch for Hidden Layers or Display Settings

• If the Lottie animation appears in the Navigator but not visually, check:
• Display settings (make sure it’s not set to display: none).
• Z-index order (it might be layered beneath other content).
• Size constraints (zero width or height containers will make it appear invisible).

Summary

If your Lottie animation isn’t appearing in Webflow, it’s likely due to an invalid JSON export, use of unsupported features like image assets, or incorrect setup in Webflow. Double-check the export via LottieFiles, use shape/vector-only animation in After Effects, and always insert it using Webflow’s Lottie element from the Add panel.