Is it possible to add an automatic PDF download link within Webflow for my client? If so, how can it be done? Thank you.
TL;DR
- Upload the PDF to Webflow and copy the hosted URL.
- Link a button or element to the PDF and add a
downloadcustom attribute. - To trigger download on page load, create a separate page and add a redirect script to the PDF URL.
Yes, it’s possible to create an automatic PDF download link in Webflow, but Webflow doesn’t support timed or auto-triggered file downloads natively. However, you can simulate an automatic download when a user clicks a link or lands on a page.
1. Upload the PDF to Webflow
- Go to the Webflow Designer and open any page.
- Drag in a Link Block or use a Button.
- With the Link selected, go to the Settings panel, then click + Upload next to the URL field.
- Upload your desired PDF file.
- Once uploaded, Webflow assigns a hosted URL to that file (e.g.,
https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/.../filename.pdf).
2. Create a Direct Download Link
- After uploading, copy the hosted URL.
- Paste it into a Button’s or Link’s URL field.
- Add
downloadas a custom attribute: - Select the element.
- Go to the Element Settings tab (gear icon).
- Under "Custom Attributes", add:
- Name:
download - Value: (Leave it blank or specify a filename)
- Name:
This tells browsers to trigger a download instead of opening the PDF.
3. Simulate Automatic Download on Page Load (Optional)
If your client needs the file to download immediately when the user visits the page, use a bit of custom code:
Create a new Page (e.g.,
/download-pdf)Add a Redirect Link with auto-download functionality:
Go to the Page Settings.
Scroll to Before