After designing pages, creating content, and configuring settings, publishing pushes your project from the Framer editor to a live website that can be accessed online.

Framer simplifies the publishing process by combining hosting, deployment, and website management into a single workflow. Once published, visitors can access your website through a Framer domain or a connected custom domain.

This guide explains how publishing works, how to publish your website, and what to review before making your site live.

What Does Publishing Mean?

Publishing is the process of making your website publicly accessible on the internet.

Before publishing:

• Your website exists only inside the editor

• Changes remain in draft mode

• Visitors cannot access updates

After publishing:

• Your website becomes live

• Pages become accessible online

• Visitors can view the latest version

Publishing acts as the bridge between development and production.

How Publishing Works

The publishing workflow typically follows this process:

Design Website
↓
Review Content
↓
Preview Changes
↓
Publish
↓
Live Website

Design Website
↓
Review Content
↓
Preview Changes
↓
Publish
↓
Live Website

Design Website
↓
Review Content
↓
Preview Changes
↓
Publish
↓
Live Website

Any future edits remain in draft mode until you publish again.

This gives you full control over when updates appear on the live site.

Before You Publish

Before launching your website, it’s important to perform a final review.

Check:

• Content accuracy

• Spelling and grammar

• Responsive layouts

• Navigation links

• Images

• Forms

• SEO settings

Taking a few minutes to review your site can help prevent common launch issues.

Step 1: Open Your Project

Start by opening the website project you want to publish.

Review all pages and confirm that your content is ready for visitors.

If you’re launching a new website, this is a good time to perform a final walkthrough.

Step 2: Preview Your Website

Previewing allows you to test your website before publishing.

Review:

• Page layouts

• Responsive behavior

• Navigation menus

• Buttons and links

• Interactive elements

• Forms and submissions

Always test both desktop and mobile experiences.

Step 3: Review SEO Settings

Before publishing, verify that important SEO elements are configured.

Review:

• Page titles

• Meta descriptions

• URLs and slugs

• Social sharing settings

• Heading structure

Proper SEO setup helps search engines understand your content.

Step 4: Check Responsive Layouts

Responsive testing is one of the most important parts of the publishing process.

Review:

• Desktop layouts

• Tablet layouts

• Mobile layouts

Look for:

• Text overflow

• Overlapping elements

• Broken spacing

• Misaligned content

Small responsive issues are easier to fix before publishing.

Step 5: Publish Your Website

Once you’re satisfied with the website, click:

Publish

Publish

Publish

Framer will generate the latest version of your website and make it available online.

Depending on your setup, your website may be accessible through:

• A Framer subdomain

• A connected custom domain

Understanding Draft vs Live Versions

Framer separates editing from publishing.

Draft Version

The draft version contains:

• Unpublished changes

• Ongoing edits

• New content

Only project editors can see draft changes.

Live Version

The live version is the published website visible to visitors.

Only changes that have been published appear on the live site.

This workflow helps prevent accidental updates.

Publishing Updates

Publishing isn’t only for launching a new website.

You’ll also publish whenever you:

• Add new pages

• Update content

• Modify layouts

• Update CMS content

• Improve SEO settings

• Fix bugs

Every new publish replaces the previous live version.

Publishing CMS Content

If your website uses the CMS, publishing may include:

• New blog posts

• Updated articles

• New case studies

• Portfolio projects

• Resource pages

Always verify that dynamic pages display correctly after publishing.

Publishing With a Custom Domain

Many websites are launched using a custom domain.

Examples:

yourwebsite.com

yourwebsite.com

yourwebsite.com

instead of:

yourwebsite.framer.website

yourwebsite.framer.website

yourwebsite.framer.website

Before publishing to a custom domain, verify that:

• DNS records are configured correctly

• Domain settings are connected

• SSL is active

This helps ensure a smooth launch experience.

Post-Publish Checklist

After publishing, review the live website directly.

Verify:

• Pages load correctly

• Navigation works

• Images display properly

• Forms submit successfully

• Mobile layouts remain responsive

• CMS content appears correctly

Testing the live version helps identify issues that may not appear in preview mode.

Common Publishing Problems

Website Not Updating

If changes are not appearing live:

• Verify that publishing completed successfully

• Refresh the browser

• Clear cache if necessary

• Confirm you published the latest version

Broken Links

Links should always be tested before and after publishing.

Broken navigation can negatively impact:

• User experience

• SEO

• Conversion rates

Responsive Issues

Layouts may appear differently on live devices than in the editor.

Always test:

• Mobile phones

• Tablets

• Desktop browsers

after publishing.

Missing SEO Metadata

Publishing a website without reviewing metadata can limit search visibility.

Verify:

• Page titles

• Meta descriptions

• Open Graph settings

before launch.

Best Practices

• Preview every page before publishing

• Test desktop, tablet, and mobile layouts

• Verify navigation and links

• Review SEO settings

• Check forms and integrations

• Publish regularly rather than making massive updates

• Review the live website after publishing

• Keep content updated over time

Final Thoughts

Publishing transforms your website from a project inside the editor into a live experience that visitors can access from anywhere.

By reviewing content, testing responsiveness, verifying SEO settings, and following a consistent publishing workflow, you can launch updates confidently and maintain a professional website experience over time.

Publishing should be treated as a quality-control checkpoint, ensuring that every version of your website is accurate, functional, and ready for visitors.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I edit my website after publishing?

Yes. You can continue making changes at any time. Updates remain in draft mode until you publish again.

Do I need to republish after making changes?

Yes. Changes made inside the editor will not appear on the live website until a new publish occurs.

Can I preview my website before publishing?

Yes. Previewing allows you to test layouts, navigation, and interactions before pushing changes live.

Does publishing affect SEO?

Publishing itself does not affect SEO, but newly published pages, content updates, metadata changes, and URL updates can influence search visibility.

Should I test my site after publishing?

Absolutely. Always review the live version to ensure layouts, links, forms, and content are working correctly.