Exporting Webflow code so CMS pages don't disappear
Webflow static export (HTML/CSS/JS)
Webflow's native code export is close to ideal input: clean HTML, one CSS bundle and organised assets.
Quick answer
Use Webflow's Export Code option (paid plan) to download the static site ZIP and upload it unpacked — Webflow exports convert almost pixel-perfect.
Where do I find the ZIP?
- Open the Webflow Designer and publish the site
- Click the export icon (</>) in the top toolbar
- Choose Prepare ZIP, then Download ZIP
- Upload the ZIP directly; do not unpack or rename folders
What your upload should contain
index.htmlcss/ folderjs/ folderimages/ folderPage HTML files
Webflow troubleshooting
CMS collection pages are missing
Webflow does not export CMS items. Convert the live URL instead so collection pages are crawled.
Interactions do not run
webflow.js must stay in the ZIP; it drives Webflow interactions inside WordPress too.
Forms do nothing
Webflow forms post to Webflow servers. They are re-mapped to Contact Form 7 during conversion.
Best practices before exporting
- Publish before exporting so the export matches the live site
- Use clean, lowercase page slugs
- Set SEO title and description in each page's settings
- Export CMS collection pages you want to keep as static pages
How to export
Method 1 — Webflow code export (best result)
- Open Project Settings → Export Code
- Click Prepare ZIP and download it
- Upload the ZIP unmodified
- index.html must be at the root of the ZIP
Method 2 — Published site URL
- Copy your published webflow.io or custom-domain URL
- Use the live website input
- The crawler follows navigation and sitemap.xml
Method 3 — Manual static archive
- Save the published pages including css/, js/ and images/
- Preserve the folder structure
- Zip the root folder and upload
Accepted input
- ZIP archive
- GitHub repository
- Static export
- Source project
- Build output
Not recommended
- Old build folders from a previous version of the project
- Incomplete exports that are missing package.json or index.html
- Screenshots, Figma files, PSD files or design mockups
- node_modules — always exclude it, it makes uploads slow and adds nothing
Supported features
- All static pages
- Webflow interactions built on CSS
- Images, fonts and icons
- Navigation
- SEO meta and Open Graph
Unsupported features
- Webflow CMS as live content
- Webflow Ecommerce
- Webflow native forms backend
- Members / user accounts
Common mistakes
- Exporting without publishing first
- Expecting CMS collections to become WordPress post types automatically
- Renaming folders inside the export
Conversion tips
- Export CMS templates as individual pages first if you need their content
- Keep custom code embeds minimal — they carry over verbatim
Readiness checklist
- Navigation — Use real anchor links with readable labels. Menus built purely from JavaScript state are harder to map to WordPress menu locations.
- Images — Reference images from your project folder (imports or /public). Images loaded from a temporary preview host may not be reachable at conversion time.
- Assets — Fonts, icons and CSS should live inside the project. Locally hosted assets are copied into the theme automatically.
- Forms — Standard form markup is converted to Contact Form 7 or WPForms. Custom JavaScript submit handlers are replaced by the WordPress form handler.
- Routing — Every route you want as a WordPress page must be reachable from the navigation, a sitemap or a route manifest.
- Animations — CSS animations and common libraries survive. Heavy scroll-timeline or canvas effects may render differently in WordPress.
- SEO — Titles, meta descriptions and canonical tags are extracted per page and mapped into the theme and your SEO plugin.
- Responsive — Breakpoints are preserved as-is. Check mobile before exporting — the converter never fixes a layout that was already broken.
Webflow FAQ
Where do I find the ZIP?
Project Settings → Export Code → Prepare ZIP. Code export requires a paid Webflow plan.
Do Webflow forms work after conversion?
The markup is converted to Contact Form 7 or WPForms; the WordPress plugin handles submissions.
Do I need a paid Webflow plan to export?
Yes, code export requires a paid site plan. Otherwise convert the published URL.
Is Webflow fidelity high?
Very high — the export is plain HTML and CSS, so the theme is close to pixel-perfect.
What about Webflow Ecommerce?
Product pages export as static HTML; checkout must be rebuilt with WooCommerce.
Do I need to install anything to convert a Webflow project?
No. Everything runs server-side. You upload a ZIP or paste a repository URL and receive a WordPress theme ZIP plus a live preview in the browser.
Should I remove node_modules before uploading?
Yes, always. node_modules is reinstalled during conversion, so including it only makes the upload slow and can push you over the size limit.
Can I preview the result before paying?
Yes. The WordPress preview is free for every conversion. Payment is only required when you download the theme ZIP.
What happens to my forms?
Standard HTML form markup is mapped to Contact Form 7 or WPForms shortcodes. Custom JavaScript submit handlers are replaced by the WordPress form handler.
Will my SEO titles and meta descriptions survive?
Yes. Titles, meta descriptions and canonical tags are extracted per page and written into the theme templates so your SEO plugin can take over.