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Is it possible to have a custom domain name for downloading .pdf files in Webflow?

TL;DR
  • Webflow hosts PDFs on its own domain, not your custom domain.
  • To serve PDFs via your custom domain, host files externally and set up 301 redirects in Webflow to point to those URLs.

Yes, you can serve downloadable PDF files through your custom domain in Webflow, but only under certain conditions.

1. Hosting PDF Files in Webflow

  • Webflow supports hosting static files, including PDFs, through its CMS and asset manager.
  • When you upload a PDF to Webflow (via the Assets panel or directly in a CMS field), it is stored on Webflow's CDN (powered by AWS).
  • The URL for the PDF is hosted on Webflow’s domain (e.g., https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/...) — not your custom domain.

2. Limitations of File URLs in Webflow

  • It is not possible to use your custom domain (like https://example.com/myfile.pdf) for file downloads stored on Webflow.
  • File links always resolve to the uploads subdomain, which cannot be masked or customized.

3. Workaround: Use an External File Host with Redirects

  • You can host PDFs externally (e.g., AWS S3, Google Cloud Storage, Dropbox with direct links, or your own server).
  • Then, create 301 redirects in Webflow’s Site Settings > Hosting > 301 Redirects to make a user-friendly custom domain URL.
  • Example:
    • From: /brochure.pdf
    • To: https://external-file-host.com/brochure.pdf
  • This allows users to access https://yourdomain.com/brochure.pdf, which redirects to the actual file location.

4. Use Webflow CMS as an Alternative (Not Ideal for Direct Downloads)

  • You can create a CMS item with a custom slug (e.g., downloads/company-brochure) and link to a hosted PDF in the rich text or URL field.
  • This keeps the user on your domain, but clicking the file will still download from Webflow's uploads domain.

Summary

Webflow does not natively allow PDF files to be served from your custom domain. However, you can use 301 redirects to externally hosted files to simulate a custom-domain file download path. This is the only workaround if a clean, branded URL is essential for file access.

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