How can you maximize your Webflow site performance and improve speed and load times?
TL;DR
- Compress and lazy-load images, use WebP/SVG formats, and minimize fonts and scripts.
- Enable Webflow's minify settings, clean up unused styles, limit CMS items per page, and audit with Lighthouse for optimal performance.
Improving your Webflow site’s performance is essential for faster load times, better SEO, and user experience. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you optimize your Webflow project.
1. Optimize Image Assets
- Compress all images before uploading using tools like TinyPNG or Squoosh.
- Use WebP format for images where possible for smaller file sizes.
- Enable lazy loading for all images and video embeds by setting
loading="lazy". - Use SVGs for icons and simple graphics instead of PNGs or JPEGs.
2. Use Global Swatches and Utility Classes
- Reduce redundant CSS by using global color swatches and consistent utility classes.
- This minimizes CSS generation and improves render performance.
3. Limit Fonts and Font Variants
- Stick to 1–2 font families and include only the necessary weights (e.g., 400 and 700).
- Remove unused fonts in Project Settings > Fonts.
4. Minimize Custom Code and Third-Party Scripts
- Remove or defer unnecessary custom code snippets and third-party integrations.
- Use async or defer attributes on any external scripts added via Embed elements.
5. Enable Webflow’s Built-In Minify Options
- Go to Project Settings > Hosting and enable:
- Minify HTML
- Minify CSS
- Minify JS
- Use secure frame headers
6. Clean Up Unused Styles and Components
- Manually delete unused classes, interactions, and symbols.
- Use the Style Manager panel to clean up unused definitions.
7. Use Page Load Interactions Carefully
- Avoid overly complex Page Load animations, especially those relying on continuous loops or blocking content visibility.
- Keep animations lightweight and ideally non-blocking.
8. Audit Site with Lighthouse Tools
- Use Chrome DevTools > Lighthouse Audit to analyze performance.
- Address recommendations such as avoiding large layout shifts and reducing unused JavaScript.
9. Use Webflow’s CMS Efficiently
- Limit the number of Collection list items loaded per page.
- Use pagination or filtering to reduce DOM load.
Summary
To maximize your Webflow site's performance: optimize all assets (especially images), minimize fonts and scripts, use built-in minification, and keep interactions lean. Regularly auditing with Lighthouse ensures you’re proactively catching performance bottlenecks.