How can I autoplay a muted video on loop in Webflow, with responsive behavior on all screen sizes including mobile, and hiding the player controls?
- Use a custom Embed with a self-hosted MP4 video and the
- Style for responsiveness inside a Div block and test across Webflow breakpoints and real devices to ensure compatibility and control-free playback.
To autoplay a muted video on loop in Webflow across all screen sizes (including mobile), while hiding the player controls and ensuring responsive behavior, follow these steps using the Webflow-native video element and custom embed when necessary.
1. Use a Custom Embed Instead of the Default Video Element
- Webflow's native Video element (under "Add → Components → Video") uses YouTube/Vimeo, which doesn't allow autoplay on mobile without controls or with sound.
- Instead, use a custom Embed component and host your video via Webflow’s CMS/file manager or a service like Amazon S3.
2. Prepare the Video File
- Export the video in modern web-friendly formats: at least MP4 (H.264).
- Compress the file to reduce load time while balancing quality.
- Upload the video to Webflow’s Assets panel and copy its URL.
3. Add the Custom Embed with Autoplay, Loop, and Muted
Drag an Embed element into your layout.
Use this embed code (replace VIDEO-URL with your hosted file URL):
<video src="VIDEO-URL" autoplay muted loop playsinline style="width: 100%; height: auto; display: block;" preload="auto"></video>autoplay: starts the video automatically
muted: required for autoplay to work on mobile
loop: restarts the video automatically
playsinline: prevents fullscreen on iOS
style="width: 100%; height: auto;": makes the video responsive
controls not included: hides player controls
4. Make Sure It’s Responsive Across Breakpoints
- Set the Embed inside a Div block, and apply responsive styling to the parent container:
- Set width: 100%
- Height: auto or use aspect ratio techniques (e.g., maintain 16:9 using padding-top)
- Use Webflow Designer’s breakpoints to adjust spacing/margins for different devices (Tablet, Mobile Landscape, Mobile Portrait).
5. Test Responsiveness and Playback on Devices
- Use the Webflow preview mode for quick testing, but also:
- Publish the site and test on real devices (including iOS)
- Ensure video plays muted and loops correctly
Summary
To autoplay a muted looping video without controls in Webflow, use a custom Embed with a direct MP4 file and the <video> tag. This ensures mobile compatibility, responsive behavior, and hidden controls. Avoid YouTube/Vimeo embeds, as they restrict autoplay and control visibility on mobile.