How to create a “read more” toggle in Webflow that expands or collapses text content?

Creating a “Read More” Toggle in Webflow

Adding a "read more" toggle to your Webflow website is an effective way to manage long pieces of text. It allows you to initially hide portions of text and reveal them with a toggle click, ensuring your web design remains clean and user-friendly. This step-by-step guide will help you accomplish this task in Webflow.

Prerequisites

• A Webflow account with an active project.
• Basic understanding of Webflow Designer and Interactions.
• Familiarity with HTML, CSS, and a bit of JavaScript for custom code (optional, if needed beyond Webflow capabilities).
• Content ready to be added as text that needs the "read more" toggle feature.

Designing the Initial Layout in Webflow

• Open Webflow and navigate to the project where you want to add the "read more" functionality.
• Add a new section for your content if necessary and insert a Div Block. This div will contain the text and button elements.
• Inside the Div Block, add a Text Block or Rich Text Block for your content where only a few lines will be visible initially.
• Add a Button or Link Block below the text block, and label it as “Read More.”

Setting Up the Text Block for Interaction

• Define unique class names for both the text block (e.g., `text-content`) and the button (e.g., `read-more-btn`) to manage styles and interactions.
• Set a fixed height for the `text-content` block that displays the initial lines of text. Use CSS properties to handle overflow (e.g., `overflow: hidden;`).

Implementing the Interactions

• Go to the Interactions panel in Webflow.
• Select the read-more-btn and click on the “+” icon to create a new interaction.
• Name the interaction (e.g., `Toggle Read More`).
• Create a new Interaction and choose On Click. Here you will set up the toggle function.
• Add an animation and configure the action to affect the `text-content` by setting Height of the text block. Use 'Auto' to fully expand or specify heights for direct measurement.
• Add another step to reverse the `On Click` event if needed, so it can toggle back (“Read Less”).

Styling for User Experience

• Apply CSS styles in the Style panel to smoothly animate your text content using transition properties (e.g., `height 0.3s ease-in-out;`).
• Optionally, change the button text dynamically using a custom code snippet within the Webflow custom code area, if complete toggle functionality is desired beyond basic CSS.

Preview and Test the Functionality

• Preview your site using the Webflow preview mode and test the "read more" toggle to ensure the interactions work smoothly.
• Check responsiveness across different device views to ensure functionality and appearance are consistent.

Publishing Your Webflow Site with the Read More Toggle

• Once you are satisfied with the interactions and design, publish your site directly through Webflow.
• Test the published site for the “read more” toggle functionality in various browsers to ensure consistency and compatibility.

By following this comprehensive guide, you can successfully implement a “read more” toggle in Webflow, enhancing the interactivity and readability of your content. This feature is beneficial for maintaining a clean layout while allowing users access to additional information as needed.