Anti-flicker prevention in Optimize

Learn how Optimize prevents page flicker and how to adjust the anti-flicker timeout for your site.

Page flicker is that quick flash where a visitor sees the original version of a page before a variation loads in. Optimize has built-in anti-flicker protection, so your visitors get a smooth, seamless experience without ever noticing the switch.

How Optimize prevents flicker

When a page starts loading, Optimize identifies the elements that will be changed by a variation and temporarily hides them. The page is revealed when one of the following occurs:

• Optimize loads successfully — the variation is ready and the page is displayed
• An error occurs — the page is displayed even if Optimize can't load
• The timeout expires — the page is displayed as a failsafe if loading takes longer than expected

The default timeout is 4,000 milliseconds (four seconds), which works well for most sites. In most cases, visitors see the page well before the timeout expires — the timeout is a failsafe, not the typical experience.

Change the anti-flicker timeout

Site managers on Enterprise plans can change the timeout value from 0 to 30,000 milliseconds.

To change the anti-flicker timeout:

1. Open your site in Webflow
2. Go to the Insights tab
3. Go to Settings > Tracking
4. Click Advanced settings
5. Type in a value between 0 and 30,000 in the Anti-flicker timeout field
6. Click Save
7. Publish your site for the changes to take effect

Restore the default timeout

Site managers on Enterprise plans can reset the timeout value back to the default value of 4,000 milliseconds.

To reset the timeout value:

1. Open your site in Webflow
2. Go to the Insights tab
3. Go to Settings > Tracking
4. Click Advanced settings
5. Clear the Anti-flicker timeout field
6. Click Save
7. Publish your site for the changes to take effect