How can I connect the template I purchased in Webflow to my hosted website project, and how can I work on modifying the template without it being visible to the public?
TL;DR
- Duplicate the purchased template from your Webflow Dashboard to create a working copy for editing.
- Customize the site privately by publishing only to the Webflow.io staging domain and optionally apply password protection.
- When ready to go live, connect your custom domain in Project Settings, update DNS records, and publish from the edited project.
- Unlink the domain from any old project to avoid conflicts.
To connect a purchased Webflow template to your hosted project and customize it privately, follow these steps to duplicate, edit, and publish strategically.
1. Duplicate the Purchased Template (Clone It)
- After purchasing the template, it will appear in your Dashboard as a separate project.
- Open the template project, then click the three dots (…) next to the project name in the Dashboard.
- Select “Duplicate” to create a working copy.
- The duplicated site becomes your editable version—this keeps the original template intact as a backup.
2. Customize the Template Privately
- Webflow projects are only public if published to Webflow's default subdomain (e.g., yoursite.webflow.io) or to a custom domain.
- As you edit in the Designer, avoid publishing to the live domain.
- Instead, only publish to the Webflow.io staging domain during development:
- Click the arrow next to the “Publish” button, uncheck your custom domain, and publish only to the
.webflow.iodomain. - This acts as a private development link unless explicitly shared.
3. Set Up the Final Custom Domain
- When you’re ready to go live with your edited version:
- Go to the modified template project → Project Settings → Hosting.
- Add your custom domain under “Custom Domains.”
- Update your domain DNS settings to point to Webflow’s IPs: (a) 75.2.70.75, (b) 99.83.190.102 (A records).
- After DNS propagates, publish your site to the custom domain.
4. Unpublish the Old Project (If Needed)
- If you previously used an older Webflow project for that custom domain:
- Go to that old project → Hosting, and remove the domain from its list.
- Uncheck the domain from its publish settings to prevent conflicts.
5. Optional: Use Password Protection During Development
- To add another layer of privacy, apply site-wide password protection:
- Go to Project Settings → Hosting.
- Scroll to “Advanced Publishing Options” and enable the “Password Protect” option.
- Set a temporary password, so only people with the password can view the staging site.
Summary
Make a duplicate of your purchased template, modify it using the .webflow.io preview, and only connect your custom domain once the edits are finished. Use staging environments and password protection to keep changes private before going live.