How can I create a dropdown menu from a tab component in Webflow that improves user experience and reduces scrolling on mobile views?
TL;DR
- Convert tab links into a vertical dropdown on mobile by hiding the default Tab Menu and adding a Dropdown element.
- Use Webflow interactions to link each dropdown item to its corresponding tab, and toggle visibility of Tabs and Dropdowns based on screen size.
To transform a Tab component into a dropdown menu in Webflow—especially to improve UX and reduce scrolling on mobile—you'll need to modify its layout and interactions. Here's how to achieve that.
1. Set the Tab Component to Display Vertically on Mobile
- Select the Tabs Wrapper and go to the mobile breakpoint in the Webflow Designer.
- Change the Tabs Menu (the tab links) to a vertical stack using Flexbox Column.
- Hide tab content that’s not active by default (Webflow does this automatically).
2. Style the Tabs Menu to Look Like a Dropdown
- On mobile, hide the default tab links using display:none on smaller breakpoints.
- Add a new Dropdown element (from the Add panel) above the Tabs component.
- Inside the Dropdown Toggle, add text like "Select an Option" or dynamically show the active tab’s label (manual method).
- Inside the Dropdown List, link each item to a corresponding tab using interactions.
3. Add Interactions to Connect Dropdown to Tabs
- Assign a unique ID or data attribute to each tab link (e.g.,
tab-1,tab-2). - Add a click interaction to each dropdown item that triggers a click event on its corresponding tab (using a Webflow interaction of type “Mouse click (tap) > Trigger click on another element”).
- Make sure JavaScript is not required—you can do this using Webflow's native Interactions 2.0.
4. Hide/Show Tab Menu and Dropdown Based on Screen Size
- On Desktop and Tablet:
- Show the original Tab Menu (set to Flex or Block).
- Hide the Dropdown.
- On Mobile:
- Show the Dropdown (set to Block).
- Hide the Tab Menu.
5. Optimize UX for Mobile Scrolling
- Ensure the selected tab content adjusts height dynamically by setting
height: autoand avoiding fixed heights on tab panes. - Add scroll snapping or sticky headers if the tab content is tall.
- Provide clear visual feedback (e.g., highlight selected dropdown item or show the selected item in the toggle).
Summary
To convert a Webflow Tab component into a dropdown menu on mobile, restyle and hide the tab links, use the Dropdown element for mobile UX, and connect each dropdown item to its matching tab pane using click interactions. This approach enhances usability and minimizes vertical scrolling on smaller screens.