Optimizing Performance

Optimizing performance in Framer is important, especially when building more complex sites or working with animations and CMS data. Here’s a set of best practices to help keep your Framer project fast and smooth:

Use Fewer Complex Layers

Keep your layer hierarchy clean and simple. Too many nested components or deeply nested frames can slow things down, especially on mobile.

Limit Animations

Too many auto-animations or scroll animations can hurt performance, particularly on lower-end devices. Use them selectively, and try to avoid animating large blocks or many elements at once.

Use CMS Collections Efficiently

Avoid loading large collections all at once. If possible, paginate or limit the number of items shown (e.g., only load 6 items at a time). This is especially useful for blog posts, products, etc.

Avoid Overusing Effects

Filters like blur, drop shadows, and background blurs are GPU-intensive. Try to use them sparingly or in smaller areas, especially on mobile.

Preload Key Images

For smoother transitions between pages, consider preloading key images or using Framer’s built-in Transitions between pages for better performance and visual continuity.

Keep Fonts Lean

Use only the font weights you actually need. Importing too many variations (like thin, regular, medium, bold, etc.) can increase loading time.

Lazy Load Where Possible

Framer automatically handles some lazy loading, but you can also help by structuring pages so heavy sections are not in the initial viewport.

Avoid Auto-playing Heavy Videos

Auto-playing videos (especially with sound) can slow down your site. Use lightweight GIFs or optimized video formats and only play them when necessary.

Test on Mobile and Low-Speed Connections

Use Chrome DevTools to simulate mobile devices and slow connections. This gives a more realistic view of how your users experience your site.