Has anyone successfully used GIFs as thumbnails for "Made in Webflow" showcase projects? It used to work but now my GIF thumbnails won't play; instead, it selects the first still image frame as the thumbnail.

GIF thumbnails for "Made in Webflow" showcase projects previously played as animated previews, but as of recent updates, they default to displaying only the first static frame of the GIF.

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1. Webflow's Recent Change to Showcase Thumbnails

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• Webflow appears to have disabled GIF animation in showcase thumbnails to improve performance and standardize how projects are presented.
• GIF files can still be uploaded as thumbnails, but only the first frame is shown.
• There has been no official Webflow announcement, but community feedback (as of mid-2024) confirms that animated GIF previews no longer work.

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2. Current Thumbnail Behavior

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• Regardless of file format (.gif, .jpg, .png), the thumbnail preview is static.
• Uploading a GIF results in only the first frame being displayed—animation does not play on hover or in the project grid.
• This applies across all user accounts, not just individual cases.

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3. Possible Workarounds (None Reliable)

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• Video thumbnails (e.g., MP4 or WebM) are not supported as showcase thumbnails.
• Embedding animation within the project itself (on the live site) still works, but not for the showcase thumbnail.
• No known workaround restores animated preview functionality for GIF thumbnails.

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4. Recommended Alternatives

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• Use a high-quality static image that communicates motion—e.g., add motion blur or motion indicators.
• Include a short animated preview within the live project or link to an external video (like YouTube or Loom) in your project description or body.

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Summary

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Webflow no longer supports animated GIFs as showcase thumbnails for Made in Webflow projects. GIFs will display as static images using the first frame, and there’s currently no workaround to restore animation functionality in thumbnails.