How can I upload a Dropbox video and set it as the background on my webpage using Webflow? My browser is Safari 9, and I have been struggling with the code.
- Upload an H.264-encoded .mp4 video to Dropbox and convert its share link to a direct download URL.
- Use a Webflow Embed element with a
<video>tag to simulate a background video, ensuring it's autoplay, muted, and formatted for Safari 9 compatibility.
To set a Dropbox video as a background in Webflow, you must first ensure the video is in a browser-compatible format and accessible via direct URL. Safari 9 has limited support for HTML5 video, so additional compatibility steps may be required.
1. Convert and Upload the Video to Dropbox
- Ensure the video format is .mp4. Safari prefers H.264-encoded MP4 for background video playback.
- Upload the MP4 file to your Dropbox account.
- Once uploaded, click Share > Create link if it doesn’t already exist.
- Copy the share link (e.g.,
https://www.dropbox.com/s/filename/video.mp4?dl=0).
2. Modify the Dropbox Link to Get a Direct Download URL
- Replace
www.dropbox.comwithdl.dropboxusercontent.com. - Remove
?dl=0at the end. - Final URL should look like:
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/s/filename/video.mp4
This makes the video directly accessible by Webflow as a file source.
3. Add the Video as a Background in Webflow
Webflow allows background videos only via the Background Video component, which uploads video files directly. Since Webflow does not support external video URLs for this component, you'll need to simulate the background using an Embed element.
4. Use Embed Element to Simulate a Background Video
Drag a "Section" or "Div Block" into the Webflow Designer.
Give it a class like
video-background, and set:Position: Relative
Overflow: Hidden
Inside the section/div, add an Embed element and paste the following code:
<video autoplay muted loop playsinline preload="auto" style="position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; object-fit: cover; z-index: -1;"> <source src="YOUR_DIRECT_DROPBOX_URL" type="video/mp4"> </video>Replace
YOUR_DIRECT_DROPBOX_URLwith the converted Dropbox link from step 2.Avoid adding controls since it’s a background element.
5. Test in Safari 9
- Safari 9 has limited support for newer video features.
- Ensure the file plays by:
- Muting the video (required for autoplay).
- Using only MP4 (H.264) format.
- Also, test by uploading the same video to a modern browser (e.g., Chrome) to isolate Safari-specific issues.
Summary
To use a Dropbox-hosted video as a background in Webflow using Safari 9:
- Upload an H.264-encoded .mp4 to Dropbox.
- Convert the Dropbox share link to a direct file link.
- Use a Webflow Embed element with
<video>to simulate a background. - Ensure autoplay is muted and file format is optimized for Safari 9 compatibility.