Framer now has an official HTML to Framer browser extension. It is the quickest way to bring a selected element or section from a live page into Framer as editable layers. That is more useful than pasting a screenshot, but it is not a whole-site converter.
Start with Framer's official HTML to Framer announcement and import lesson. If you need the reverse workflow, use the Framer to HTML exporter.
What the official extension does
- Install Framer's HTML to Framer extension in a supported desktop browser.
- Open the live webpage you are allowed to reuse.
- Select the element or section you want to copy.
- Copy it with the extension, open your Framer project, and paste.
- Review the imported layers before treating the section as complete.
The result is a starting point inside Framer, not a new project that automatically reproduces every page and behavior.
| Usually transferred | Still needs review or rebuilding |
|---|---|
| Visible text and basic hierarchy | CMS collections and dynamic routes |
| Images available to the browser | Form submission and validation logic |
| Common colors and typography | Custom scripts, analytics, and consent tools |
| Basic flex or stack layouts | Complex grids, breakpoints, and min/max sizing |
| Some visual styles | Hover, scroll, and application interactions |
The reliable HTML-to-Framer workflow
1. Audit the source
List every page, reusable section, font, image, breakpoint, form, script, CMS collection, and third-party integration. Confirm you own or have permission to reuse the design and assets.
2. Import one representative section
Test a header, hero, or content block before importing the rest. Check the layer names, layout mode, fixed dimensions, image source, and text styles. A small test reveals how much cleanup the source site will require.
3. Build the Framer system first
Create Framer color and text styles, shared components, and intended breakpoints. Convert repeating imported sections into components instead of keeping many disconnected copies.
4. Recreate behavior intentionally
- Connect buttons and navigation to the correct Framer routes.
- Replace source forms with Framer forms or a tested external form service.
- Rebuild CMS fields and collection pages in Framer CMS.
- Reimplement required scripts, embeds, analytics, and consent controls.
- Recreate hover and scroll effects rather than assuming copied code will run.
5. Clean responsive layout
Inspect desktop, tablet, and mobile widths. Remove unnecessary wrappers, replace fixed widths with stacks or constraints, check overflow, and verify font wrapping. Imported desktop styling does not prove the section is responsive.
Import limitations to plan for
Whole sites: repeat the process page by page or section by section. The extension does not create a complete editable project with routes and site settings.
CMS: visible CMS content may copy as ordinary text, but the collection, fields, filters, and dynamic page relationship do not become Framer CMS automatically.
Forms: appearance and submission are separate. Reconnect the form, validation, success states, spam protection, and data destination.
Scripts and embeds: custom JavaScript is not converted into native Framer behavior. Review every integration for security, privacy, and loading impact.
Assets and fonts: confirm that images are stored where you control them and that font licenses allow the new use. Do not rely on the original site's URLs remaining available.
Accessibility and SEO: restore headings in order, alternative text, labels, keyboard focus, page titles, descriptions, canonicals, redirects, and social metadata.
When to embed or rebuild instead
Use an embed for a contained widget that must keep its original code and does not need native Framer editing. Rebuild manually when the page depends on complex layout logic, application state, or CMS behavior. Keep the existing HTML site when portability and exact code ownership matter more than visual editing.
Pre-launch checklist
- Every intended page and redirect exists
- Navigation, buttons, forms, and embeds work
- CMS content has been rebuilt, not merely copied as text
- Desktop, tablet, and mobile layouts are checked
- Images and fonts load from controlled locations
- Titles, descriptions, canonicals, and social cards are set
- Accessibility and performance are tested on the finished project
The official extension makes HTML to Framer faster for selected visual sections. Treat the import as raw migration material, then rebuild the systems that a browser snapshot cannot carry.
