How can I implement HTML5 videos as a background video on mobile using Webflow?
- Host an optimized MP4 video externally with a public direct link.
- Embed a custom
<video>tag with autoplay, muted, playsinline, and loop attributes via an Embed element in Webflow. - Style the video with absolute positioning, full dimensions, object-fit cover, and negative z-index to act as a background.
- Use Webflow visibility settings to display the native background video on desktop and the custom HTML5 embed on mobile.
Webflow's native Background Video element doesn't autoplay on mobile due to browser restrictions, but you can work around this. Here's how to implement HTML5 video backgrounds on mobile in Webflow using custom embeds.
1. Upload Your Video Files
- Convert your video to MP4, optimized for web (under 5MB if possible).
- Host the video externally (e.g., AWS S3, Cloudinary, Vimeo Pro direct link, or Dropbox with raw link). Webflow doesn't support direct video file hosting.
- Ensure the URL is publicly accessible and ends in .mp4.
2. Add an Embed Element
Drag the Embed component into your layout where you want the background video.
Paste in the following custom HTML5 video tag:
<video autoplay muted playsinline loop preload="auto" loading="lazy"><source src="YOUR_VIDEO_URL.mp4" type="video/mp4"></video>Replace YOUR_VIDEO_URL.mp4 with your direct video URL.
3. Style the Video as a Background
- Give the video element a class, e.g.,
.video-bg. - In the Style panel, apply the following:
- Position: Absolute
- Top/Left/Right/Bottom: 0
- Width/Height: 100%
- Z-index: -1 (or behind content)
- Object Fit: Cover
- Place all overlay content (text, buttons, etc.) in a parent container with relative positioning.
4. Optional: Create Two Views (Desktop and Mobile)
- Use Webflow’s visibility settings to show the native Background Video on desktop only.
- Show the HTML5 video embed only on mobile breakpoints.
- This avoids autoplay issues typical with mobile browsers for non-muted or non-inline videos.
Summary
To use HTML5 background videos on mobile in Webflow, embed a custom <video> tag with autoplay, muted, playsinline, and loop attributes, style it as a background, and ensure your video is externally hosted and optimized. Use Webflow’s visibility settings to display different video elements for desktop and mobile.