How can I create a CMS slider using pagination in Webflow?

To create a CMS-powered slider with pagination controls (like dots or numbered pages) in Webflow, you need to use the CMS Collection List in combination with pagination and custom interactions, as Webflow's native Slider component doesn't support CMS content directly.

1. Set Up the CMS Collection

• Create a CMS Collection (e.g., "Slides") with fields like Image, Title, Description, etc.
• Add test items for your slides—pagination works best when you have more than 1 page of data (e.g., 6+ items depending on items per page).

2. Add and Configure the Collection List

• Drag in a Collection List and bind it to your CMS collection.
• Inside each Collection Item, add the elements you want: images, text, etc.
• In the Collection List settings panel, enable Pagination.
• Set “Items per page” to how many slides you want visible at once (usually 1 for sliders).
• This creates Previous/Next buttons and pagination dots automatically.

3. Style as a Slider Container

• Wrap the Collection List with a container (div) and give it overflow: hidden.
• Style the Collection List to be horizontal:
• Set the Collection List to Flex > Horizontal.
• Set each Collection Item to Width: 100vw (or container width) and No shrinking.
• Now you have slide elements aligned side by side.

4. Customize Pagination Elements

• Webflow adds Previous / Next and Pagination links automatically when pagination is enabled.
• Style these elements like slider navigation:
• Use flexbox to center dots.
• Hide the previous/next links if only showing dots.
• Use the combo class .w-pagination-active to style the active dot.

5. Add Scroll or Animation Effects (Optional)

• For more realistic slider-like effects (sliding transitions), you’ll need to use Webflow Interactions:
• Create a click trigger on pagination dots or next/prev buttons.
• Animate the Collection List’s horizontal scroll position or translateX value.
• Limitations: These complex effects often require custom code or workarounds, since Webflow’s native pagination reloads the page.

6. Optional: Replace Native Pagination with Custom Setup

• Hide Webflow’s default pagination buttons.
• Add your own slider controls (e.g., custom dots or arrows).
• Use JavaScript to mimic slider behavior via CMS pagination URLs (e.g., ?page=2).
• This is not native to Webflow and requires intermediate coding.

Summary

Webflow doesn't support CMS content inside the native Slider, but by using a paginated Collection List arranged horizontally, and styling it with flexbox and animations, you can mimic a CMS-driven slider. Keep in mind, to achieve seamless transitions or autoplay, you’ll likely need custom code.