How can I create a customizable slider with a custom slider navigation, allowing users to switch slides by hovering over the buttons in Webflow?
TL;DR
- Add a Webflow Slider and insert custom content into each slide.
- Build custom nav buttons using divs outside the slider and style them as needed.
- Assign unique hover interactions to each button using the Interactions panel to trigger slide changes.
- Tweak styling, structure, and z-index to align with your design and ensure functionality.
- Disable auto-play in Slider Settings for full hover-based control.
You can create a customizable slider in Webflow with hover-based navigation by using Webflow’s native slider component along with custom interactions for hover triggers.
1. Set Up the Webflow Slider
- Drag a Slider component from the Add panel into your layout.
- Add your desired content (images, text, etc.) into each Slide.
- Remove or hide the default Slider Nav (it's optional if you're replacing it with custom nav).
2. Create the Custom Navigation Buttons
- Add a div block outside the slider and style it as your custom nav container.
- Inside the container, create individual buttons or div blocks for each slide.
- Name them clearly like “Nav Button 1,” “Nav Button 2,” etc.
3. Assign Interaction Triggers to Navigation Buttons
- Select the first nav button, go to the Interactions panel, and click + Add Trigger > Mouse Hover (Hover In).
- Choose "Start an Animation", create a new timed animation (e.g., “Hover Slide 1”).
- In the animation:
- Add an action to Slider > Change Slide.
- Set the Slide Index to 0 for the first slide, 1 for second, etc.
- Repeat this with unique hover interactions for each nav button, updating the slide index accordingly.
Tip: Use “Hover In” only and do nothing on “Hover Out” unless you want reset effects.
4. Customize the Navigation Button Styles
- Style each nav button to match your branding or desired look.
- Optionally, use hover states to visually indicate which slide is targeted.
5. Ensure Proper Structure and Z-Index
- Make sure your custom nav buttons are not overlapping the slider unintentionally unless it’s part of the design.
- Adjust z-index if nav buttons need to stay above the slider.
6. Optional: Disable Auto Slide
- Go to the Slider Settings panel and uncheck “Auto-play slides” if you want user-triggered navigation only.
Summary
To create a custom hover-based slider navigation in Webflow, use the default slider, build your own navigation with separate divs or buttons, then apply hover interactions that trigger Slide Change animations. This enables users to switch slides simply by hovering over the custom nav buttons.