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How can I implement HTML5 videos as a background video on mobile using Webflow?

TL;DR
  • Use an Embed element with a custom HTML5
  • Host the video externally as a direct .mp4 link and style it with absolute positioning and object-fit: cover.
  • Add a fallback background image for unsupported devices.

Webflow’s Background Video element doesn’t autoplay on mobile due to browser restrictions, but you can still implement HTML5 videos as mobile-friendly backgrounds by using custom code with specific attributes.

1. Understand Mobile Video Limitations

  • Most mobile browsers (Safari, Chrome on Android) block autoplay with sound.
  • Webflow’s Background Video block does not load on mobile to prevent issues.

2. Use a Custom Embed for HTML5 Video

  • Add an Embed element from the Add Panel (hit A to open).

  • Within the embed, insert a custom HTML5 video element like:

    <video autoplay muted playsinline loop width="100%" height="100%">
    <source src="your-video-url.mp4" type="video/mp4">
    </video>

  • The keys here are:

  • autoplay: Starts playing automatically.

  • muted: Required for autoplay on mobile.

  • playsinline: Avoids fullscreen takeover on mobile devices.

  • loop: Repeats the video.

3. Host Your Video Externally

  • Webflow has a 30 MB upload limit and doesn’t allow direct video file hosting for custom embeds.
  • Upload your video to a reliable hosting platform like Dropbox, AWS S3, Bunny.net, Cloudinary, or similar.
  • Ensure the video URL is a direct .mp4 link (must not lead to a file preview page).

4. Style the Embed to Cover the Background

  • Set the parent container to position: relative.
  • Set the Embed element (video) to:
  • position: absolute
  • top/right/bottom/left: 0
  • z-index: -1 (so it goes behind content)
  • width/height: 100%
  • object-fit: cover

5. Add Fallback for Unsupported Devices

  • In the same container, add a background image as a fallback.
  • Mobile browsers that still block video autoplay will show the image instead.

Summary

To add an HTML5 background video on mobile in Webflow, use an Embed element with a custom <video> tag, ensuring it includes autoplay, muted, loop, and playsinline attributes. Host the video externally with a direct .mp4 link and use CSS positioning to make it behave like a background. Add a fallback image for better compatibility.

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