Why doesn't the Page Load Animation work when I click on the associated links in Webflow?

If your Page Load Animation isn't working when clicking on internal links in Webflow, it's likely due to how Webflow handles native page transitions and animations.

1. Understand Page Load Animation Scope

• Page Load Animations only trigger on full page reloads, not when navigating between pages using Webflow’s default link behavior.
• Webflow uses standard browser behavior for links, causing a quick unload/reload that may skip or interrupt animations, especially on fast connections or when transitions aren’t coordinated well.

2. Check Link Type and Navigation Behavior

• If you're using "Same Page" links (e.g., linking to a section with #section-id), the page load animation won’t trigger because the page doesn’t reload.
• If you're linking to another page, Webflow will perform a full reload, and the animation should run — but only if it's set up correctly to trigger on load and not dependent on user interaction visibility.

3. Verify Animation Trigger Settings

• Go to Page Settings of the target page.
• Open the Page Load animation trigger from the Interactions panel.
• Ensure it's set to "When Page Finishes Loading" or "When Page Starts Loading", depending on timing.
• Make sure it's not tied to visibility states like “When display is block” or other conditional triggers.

4. Avoid Conflicts with Persistent Elements

• If you’re using custom code or a persistent navigation bar using Webflow’s CMS or Symbol system, check that your nav or other global elements aren't interfering with page unload/load behavior via custom JavaScript or fixed positioning that might affect perceived animation flow.

5. Test on Live Site (Not Only Preview)

• In Preview Mode, Webflow often skips full reloads or processes interactions differently.
• Publish your site and test with actual page-to-page navigation to see if animations run properly.

6. Consider Using Custom Page Transitions

• Webflow doesn’t support native smooth page transition effects between links.
• If you want a fade-out/fade-in or smoother behavior, you'll need to implement custom JavaScript-based transitions, which pause navigation, play an exit animation, and trigger a manual page redirect (window.location.href = ...).

Summary

Page Load Animations in Webflow only trigger on full page reloads, not hash links or interactions that don't refresh the page. Review your interaction trigger settings and test on a live site to confirm behavior. For smoother transitions, custom code is required.