Image to Background (Zoom)

Documentation
Webflow
Code
Setup: External Scripts
External Scripts in Webflow
Make sure to always put the External Scripts before the Javascript step of the resource.
In this video you learn where to put these in your Webflow project? Or how to include a paid GSAP Club plugin in your project?
HTML
<script src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/gsap@3.14.1/dist/gsap.min.js"></script>
<script src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/gsap@3.14.1/dist/Flip.min.js"></script>
<script src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/gsap@3.14.1/dist/ScrollTrigger.min.js"></script>Step 1: Copy structure to Webflow
Copy structure to Webflow
In the video below we described how you can copy + paste the structure of this resource to your Webflow project.
Copy to Webflow
Webflow structure is not required for this resource.
Step 1: Add HTML
HTML
<section data-bg-zoom-init="" class="background-zoom">
<div class="background-zoom__title">
<h1 class="background-zoom__h">Image to Background<span class="background-zoom__h1-span"> (Zoom)</span></h1>
</div>
<div data-bg-zoom-start="" class="background-zoom__start">
<div data-bg-zoom-content="" class="background-zoom__content">
<img width="1440" data-bg-zoom-img="" alt="Futuristic Pod Vehicle name Podrick" src="https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6943c8b7a3a82b904e7497bd/6943c8e062a0c0a68d04e6c1_futuristic-pod-vehicle.avif" loading="lazy" class="background-zoom__img">
<p class="background-zoom__pod">PØDRICK</p>
<div class="background-zoom__play">
<svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="100%" viewbox="0 0 66 66" fill="none" class="background-zoom__play-svg"><circle cx="33" cy="33" r="33" fill="#F4F4F4"></circle><path d="M25.5 33V26.0785C25.5 24.1544 27.5826 22.9515 29.2493 23.9131L35.25 27.375L41.2465 30.8345C42.9141 31.7966 42.9141 34.2034 41.2465 35.1655L35.25 38.625L29.2493 42.0869C27.5826 43.0485 25.5 41.8456 25.5 39.9215V33Z" fill="#201D1D"></path></svg>
</div>
<div data-bg-zoom-dark="" class="background-zoom__dark"></div>
</div>
</div>
<div data-bg-zoom-end="" class="background-zoom__end"></div>
<div class="background-zoom__text">
<h2 class="background-zoom__h">This is the after phase of the <br><span class="background-zoom__h1-span">(Zoom)</span></h2>
<h2 class="background-zoom__h is--margin-top">more...</h2>
<h2 class="background-zoom__h is--margin-top">and more!</h2>
</div>
</section>
<section class="background-zoom-after">
<p class="background-zoom-after__pod">PØDRICK</p>
<h2 class="background-zoom__h">And we reached the end!</h2>
</section>HTML structure is not required for this resource.
Step 2: Add CSS
CSS
.background-zoom {
color: #f4f4f4;
background-color: #353d35;
flex-flow: column;
justify-content: center;
align-items: center;
min-height: 100svh;
padding-top: calc(50dvh - 15em);
padding-left: 1em;
padding-right: 1em;
display: flex;
overflow: clip;
}
.background-zoom__h {
text-align: center;
letter-spacing: -.04em;
max-width: 7em;
margin-top: 0;
margin-bottom: -.375em;
font-family: Haffer XH, Arial, sans-serif;
font-size: 7.5em;
font-weight: 400;
line-height: .95;
}
.background-zoom__h.is--margin-top {
margin-top: 33dvh;
}
.background-zoom__h1-span {
color: #aba994;
}
.background-zoom__start {
aspect-ratio: 1;
border-radius: 16em;
width: 16em;
position: relative;
}
.background-zoom__content {
border-radius: inherit;
will-change: width, height, transform;
background-color: #aba994;
width: 100%;
height: 100%;
position: absolute;
top: 0%;
left: 0%;
overflow: hidden;
}
.background-zoom__img {
object-fit: cover;
width: 100%;
height: 100%;
position: absolute;
}
.background-zoom__pod {
color: #ff4800;
text-align: center;
letter-spacing: -.02em;
width: 100%;
font-size: 1.25em;
font-weight: 900;
line-height: 1;
position: absolute;
top: 1.25em;
}
.background-zoom__play {
width: 4em;
height: 4em;
position: absolute;
top: 50%;
left: 50%;
transform: translate(-50%, -50%);
}
.background-zoom__play-svg {
width: 100%;
}
.background-zoom__dark {
opacity: 0;
background-color: #0d0f0d;
width: 100%;
height: 100%;
position: absolute;
top: 0;
left: 0;
}
.background-zoom__end {
width: 100vw;
height: 100dvh;
}
.background-zoom__text {
grid-column-gap: 2em;
grid-row-gap: 2em;
flex-flow: column;
align-items: center;
width: 100%;
padding-bottom: calc(50dvh - 12em);
display: flex;
position: relative;
}
.background-zoom-after {
color: #353d35;
font-size: var(--size-font);
background-color: #f4f4f4;
justify-content: center;
align-items: center;
width: 100%;
min-height: 100dvh;
padding-left: 1em;
padding-right: 1em;
display: flex;
position: relative;
}
.background-zoom-after__pod {
color: #ff4800;
text-align: center;
letter-spacing: -.02em;
width: 100%;
font-size: 1.25em;
font-weight: 900;
line-height: 1;
position: absolute;
bottom: 1.25em;
}
@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {
.background-zoom__h {
font-size: 3.75em;
}
}Step 2: Add custom Javascript
Custom Javascript in Webflow
In this video, Ilja gives you some guidance about using JavaScript in Webflow:
Step 2: Add Javascript
Step 3: Add Javascript
Javascript
gsap.registerPlugin(ScrollTrigger, Flip);
function initBackgroundZoom() {
const containers = document.querySelectorAll("[data-bg-zoom-init]");
if (!containers.length) return;
let masterTimeline;
const getScrollRange = ({ trigger, start, endTrigger, end }) => {
const st = ScrollTrigger.create({ trigger, start, endTrigger, end });
const range = Math.max(1, st.end - st.start);
st.kill();
return range;
};
const bgZoomTimeline = () => {
if (masterTimeline) masterTimeline.kill();
masterTimeline = gsap.timeline({
defaults: { ease: "none" },
scrollTrigger: {
trigger: containers[0].querySelector("[data-bg-zoom-start]") || containers[0],
start: "clamp(top bottom)", // Change to "center center" to start from center of [data-bg-zoom-start]
endTrigger: containers[containers.length - 1],
end: "bottom top",
scrub: true,
invalidateOnRefresh: true
}
});
containers.forEach((container) => {
const startEl = container.querySelector("[data-bg-zoom-start]");
const endEl = container.querySelector("[data-bg-zoom-end]");
const contentEl = container.querySelector("[data-bg-zoom-content]");
const darkEl = container.querySelector("[data-bg-zoom-dark]");
const imgEl = container.querySelector("[data-bg-zoom-img]");
if (!startEl || !endEl || !contentEl) return;
const startRadius = getComputedStyle(startEl).borderRadius;
const endRadius = getComputedStyle(endEl).borderRadius;
const hasRadius = startRadius !== "0px" || endRadius !== "0px";
contentEl.style.overflow = hasRadius ? "hidden" : "";
if (hasRadius) gsap.set(contentEl, { borderRadius: startRadius });
Flip.fit(contentEl, startEl, { scale: false });
// Part 1 - Move from Start to End position
const zoomScrollRange = getScrollRange({
trigger: startEl,
start: "clamp(top bottom)", // Change to "center center" to start from center of [data-bg-zoom-start]
endTrigger: endEl,
end: "center center"
});
// Part 2 - End position to out of view
const afterScrollRange = getScrollRange({
trigger: endEl,
start: "center center",
endTrigger: container,
end: "bottom top"
});
// Master Timeline
masterTimeline.add(
Flip.fit(contentEl, endEl, {
duration: zoomScrollRange,
ease: "none",
scale: false,
})
);
// Border Radius
if (hasRadius) {
masterTimeline.to(contentEl, {
borderRadius: endRadius,
duration: zoomScrollRange
}, "<");
}
// Content Y Position
masterTimeline.to(contentEl, {
y: `+=${afterScrollRange}`,
duration: afterScrollRange
});
// Dark Overlay
if (darkEl) {
gsap.set(darkEl, { opacity: 0 });
masterTimeline.to(darkEl, {
opacity: 0.75,
duration: afterScrollRange * 0.25,
}, "<");
}
// Image scale
if (imgEl) {
gsap.set(imgEl, { scale: 1, transformOrigin: "50% 50%" });
masterTimeline.to(imgEl, {
scale: 1.25,
yPercent: -10,
duration: afterScrollRange
}, "<");
}
});
ScrollTrigger.refresh();
};
bgZoomTimeline();
let resizeTimer;
window.addEventListener("resize", () => {
clearTimeout(resizeTimer);
resizeTimer = setTimeout(bgZoomTimeline, 100);
});
}
// Initialize Image to Background (Zoom)
document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', function() {
initBackgroundZoom();
});Step 3: Add custom CSS
Step 2: Add custom CSS
Custom CSS in Webflow
Curious about where to put custom CSS in Webflow? Ilja explains it in the below video:
CSS
Implementation
This script uses GSAP together with the Flip and ScrollTrigger plugins to create a smooth scroll-based zoom effect. Flip handles the layout transition between the start and end elements, while ScrollTrigger links the animation progress directly to scroll position so everything stays in sync.
Container
Use [data-bg-zoom-init] to define a single background zoom section that participates in the scroll-driven zoom sequence.
Start
Use [data-bg-zoom-start] as the initial visual state that the content element matches before the zoom animation begins.
End
Use [data-bg-zoom-end] as the final visual state that the content element transitions into during the zoom phase.
Content
Use [data-bg-zoom-content] as the element that morphs in size and position from the start state to the end state using Flip.
Dark overlay
Use [data-bg-zoom-dark] to fade in a dark overlay after the zoom has completed while the section scrolls out of view.
Image
Use [data-bg-zoom-img] to scale and slightly translate the image during the after phase once the zoom is finished.
Scroll start behavior
In the GSAP Timeline use start: "clamp(top bottom)" to begin the zoom as soon as the start element enters the viewport, or change it to start: "center center" to delay the zoom until the start element is centered (make sure to change it at both timelines).
Resource details
Last updated
January 2, 2026
Category
Scroll Animations
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