What could be causing the animated webp to not work on my Webflow website when it works perfectly in Designer Mode?

If your animated WebP image works in Webflow Designer but not on your published site, the issue is usually related to how Webflow processes and displays assets during publishing.

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1. Publishing Process Optimizations

• Webflow sometimes compresses or optimizes images on publish, which can interfere with certain animation properties of animated WebP files.
• In Designer Mode, preview uses the original uploaded asset, while published sites serve an optimized/rendered version.

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2. File Export Issues

• Your animated WebP file may have been exported with settings that are not fully supported across all browsers, especially in optimized delivery.
• Designer mode is often more forgiving, displaying assets from local storage or direct CDN paths, bypassing optimization steps.

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3. Browser Compatibility

• Some browsers (especially Apple Safari on older macOS/iOS versions) have limited or no support for animated WebP.
• Use tools like Can I Use (caniuse.com) to check animated WebP support for your target audience’s browsers.

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4. Incorrect Image Embedding

• If you're setting the image as a background image in a Webflow style (e.g., using the background of a div), Webflow may convert it or not render animations properly.
• To preserve animation, use the WebP as a standard inline <img> element in an Image block rather than a background image.

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5. Image Hosting External to Webflow

• If you're linking the WebP image from an external host, CORS or caching policies could block the image from properly displaying.
• Upload the WebP file directly into the Webflow Assets panel instead of using external URLs.

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6. Lazy Loading or Interactions Conflict

• If your image uses lazy loading (automatically added by Webflow) or overlaps with scroll-based interactions, there could be a delay or prevention in the animation trigger.
• Try disabling lazy loading in the image settings or test without interactions to isolate the issue.

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7. Missing Loop or Play Settings

• Animated WebP files rely entirely on their own internal settings (looping, duration). Webflow does not provide controls for this.
• Re-export the animation using tools like Photoshop or ezgif.com ensuring that:
• Looping is enabled during export.
• No unsupported features are included (like advanced transparency effects).

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Summary

If your animated WebP works in Designer but not on the live site, it’s likely due to Webflow's image optimization or how the file is embedded (e.g., background vs. img). Ensure the WebP is uploaded directly, used in an Image block, and not affected by background or compression logic. Also verify browser support and export settings to ensure animation integrity.