How can a CMS site in Webflow be exported as a static site?
TL;DR
- Manually place CMS content into Collection Lists on static pages and recreate CMS template pages as individual static pages.
- Export the site via Project Settings > Export Code, or use third-party tools to automate static generation.
Exporting a CMS site in Webflow as a static site requires converting dynamic CMS content into static HTML manually, since Webflow does not export CMS collections natively. Here's how to do it:
1. Understand CMS Export Limitations
- Webflow’s Export Tool only exports static content—dynamic CMS pages and collection lists are not included.
- Any content populated through the CMS will not be part of the exported site unless rendered on a static page at the time of export.
2. Use Collection Lists on Static Pages
- To manually include CMS items, insert Collection Lists on static pages (e.g., Home, Blog Overview, etc.).
- On export, Webflow includes the rendered output of those CMS items that appear in these lists.
- This method only exports visible entries—pagination or filters won’t load extra content because they rely on Webflow’s CMS backend.
3. Convert CMS Template Pages to Static Pages
- CMS Template Pages (like
/blog/my-post) cannot be exported. - To export blog posts or CMS items:
- Duplicate each CMS item manually into a new static page.
- Copy content into individual static pages using the Designer.
- Link manually between these static pages to reflect relationships (e.g., categories or related articles).
4. Export the Static Site
- Go to Project Settings > Export Code.
- Click Prepare ZIP to export the site’s HTML, CSS, JS, and assets.
- You’ll get a ZIP file of the static site you can host elsewhere.
5. Optional: Automate with Third-Party Tools
If you have a large CMS and need automation:
- Use tools like Udesly Adapter, Wized + Airtable, or headless solutions to pre-render dynamic content.
- Or use a crawler (e.g., HTTrack, Site Sucker) to generate a static version by visiting and storing all live CMS pages.
Summary
To export a CMS site as a static site in Webflow, you must manually render CMS content on static pages, recreate template pages statically if needed, then export the static code via Project Settings. CMS data is not included natively, so generating static versions requires preparation or third-party tools.