How can I create different types of "Parallax" effects in Webflow without using custom code?
TL;DR
- Use Webflow's "While Scrolling in View" or "While Page is Scrolling" interactions to animate elements with Move, Opacity, or Fixed Background effects.
- Stack layers with varying scroll speeds for depth, and combine vertical, horizontal, or fade-in motion to build custom parallax effects without code.
You can build several types of parallax effects in Webflow using its built-in Interactions and Scroll-based animations. Below are the most common ones you can create without custom code.
1. Basic Scroll-based Parallax
- Select the element (image, background div, etc.) you want to animate.
- Go to the Interactions Panel and click + under "Element Trigger" > "While Scrolling in View".
- Choose "Scroll Animation", then add a new timeline.
- Use "Move" animation and set different translateY values for 0% and 100% scroll (e.g., 0px at 0%, -50px at 100%) to create vertical movement.
- Adjust Smoothing for a more natural flow.
2. Multi-layer Parallax Effect
- Stack multiple elements (e.g., background, middleground, foreground) in the same section.
- For each layer, apply a different level of movement in the scroll animation timeline.
- Example:
- Foreground: move -100px
- Middleground: move -50px
- Background: move -20px
- This creates a depth illusion as layers scroll at different speeds.
3. Parallax Background Image (Fixed Background)
- Select your section or div block element.
- In the Style panel, set the background image.
- Set "Background Attachment" to Fixed.
- This causes the background image to stay fixed in place as other content scrolls over it, simulating the parallax effect.
4. Fade + Move Parallax on Scroll
- Select the element and add a "While Scrolling in View" interaction.
- In the timeline, combine Opacity and Move animations:
- At 0%: opacity 0%, move Y +50px
- At 100%: opacity 100%, move Y 0px
- This creates a smooth fade-in + rise effect as the element scrolls into view.
5. Horizontal Parallax Scroll
- Place your elements horizontally using a flex container or grid.
- Set up a "While Page is Scrolling" interaction.
- Apply Move animations in the X-direction (e.g., move X -200px to 0px).
- Adjust timing and direction based on scroll percentage to simulate horizontal movement.
Summary
You can create various parallax effects in Webflow using the native "While Scrolling in View" or "While Page is Scrolling" interactions. Use combinations of Move, Opacity, and Fixed Background settings across multiple layers to simulate depth and motion—no custom code needed.