How can I ensure that the poster of a hidden video will still be viewable when shown in a modal in Webflow?

To ensure the poster image of a hidden video appears correctly when shown in a modal in Webflow, you need to manage how the video is initially loaded and displayed.

1. Use an Image as the Trigger Preview

• Do not rely on the video tag’s poster attribute if the video is hidden via display: none; hidden elements don’t trigger image resource loading.
• Instead, place a separate image element that mimics the video poster and acts as the video launch trigger.
• Style this image to match the expected look of the video's poster.

2. Avoid Hiding with display: none

• Do not use display: none for the video container if it should show the poster frame later.
• Use visibility: hidden, opacity: 0, or position it off-screen until it appears in the modal. This allows assets like the poster image (or thumbnail) to potentially load in the background.

3. Load Video Dynamically on Modal Open

• If you're embedding the video using an HTML Embed (e.g., YouTube or Vimeo), consider only injecting the embed code after the modal opens.
• This ensures the video is always loaded fresh with the poster or thumbnail visible.

4. Use Inline Background Image for Custom Styling

• If you're building a custom video modal experience, replicate the poster look by using a div with a background image matching the video poster.
• Only inject or reveal the actual video iframe or HTML5 video player once the user clicks.

5. Set the Poster Attribute on HTML5 Video

• If you're using a native HTML5 video component and not hiding it with display: none, set the poster field in Webflow's Video settings.
• Ensure the image used in the poster field is optimized and hosted correctly.

6. Use Webflow Interactions to Handle Visibility

• Use Webflow Interactions (IX2) to set opacity and display styles when the modal is opened.
• This helps prevent flickering or load issues, especially with YouTube or Vimeo iframes.

Summary

To preserve the poster image of a hidden video shown later in a modal:

• Use a separate image element as the poster preview.
• Avoid display: none on the video element.
• Load the video dynamically when the modal opens.
• Use the poster field properly for HTML5 videos and manage modal visibility with Webflow Interactions.