Framer Branching & Publishing: A Safer Workflow for Website Changes

Your Framer website will continue to change after launch.

You may need to update homepage copy, publish a campaign page, revise product messaging, or add CMS items.

Small edits can often be made directly. For higher-risk changes, we recommend using a clearer publishing process.

Framer’s branching feature gives you a separate workspace for making and reviewing changes before they are merged into the main project.

For most B2B marketing teams, this is a simple enough workflow:

Create a branch → Make changes → Review the branch in a browser → Merge to main → Publish main

Quick Glossary

When You May Not Need a Branch

Not every change needs the full process.

A branch may be unnecessary for:

• fixing a small typo

• publishing a routine CMS article

• replacing one approved image

• making a minor copy update

• updating a team member’s details

Use a branch when the change is large enough to benefit from separate work and review.

For changes that affect forms, integrations, tracking, or important layouts, we recommend using a branch and testing the published branch carefully before merging.

How to Use Branching in Framer

Use a branch when an update needs more work or review before it becomes part of the main project.

This is useful for:

• a new campaign page

• homepage messaging changes

• a pricing page update

• a redesign

• changes across several pages

• updates made by a Framer Agent

• work that needs stakeholder approval

1. Create a Branch

Open your Framer project and select main in the top bar.

Choose New Branch, then give it a clear name.

For example:

• q3-campaign-page

• homepage-copy-update

• pricing-page-refresh

• accessibility-fixes

Name the branch after the work being completed, rather than the person doing it. This makes it easier for the team to understand what each branch contains.

Creating a branch makes a separate copy of the project. Changes made there will not affect the main project or live website

Example: Create a new branch and rename it june-case-study.

2. Make the Changes

Make your changes inside the branch as you normally would in Framer.

You can update pages, copy, CMS content, components, or styles without changing the main project.

3. Review in live

When the work is ready for review, publish the branch to create a preview link.

Share this link with teammates, clients, or other stakeholders. They can review the update in a browser without changing the live website.

Example: Select Publish in the top-right corner, then select “Update june-case-study”. This publishes the current branch only. Open the link below to review the branch in a browser.

This does not update the live website.

4. Merge the Branch

Once the changes are approved, select Merge to move them into the main project.

Merging a branch does not make the changes live. It only adds them to main.

Example: Merge the june-case-study branch into main. The changes are now part of the main project, but visitors cannot see them yet.

5. Publish to live site

After merging, you will automatically switch back to the main branch.

Publish main to make the approved changes live.

We recommend checking the live site again after publishing, especially on mobile and for any forms, integrations, or tracking affected by the update.

A Simple Workflow for Marketing Teams

For meaningful website updates, we recommend this process:

Create a branch → Make changes → Review the branch in a browser → Merge to main → Publish main

1. Create a Clearly Named Branch

Keep the new work separate from the main project while it is being created.

2. Edit and Preview the Branch

Make the changes, then publish the branch to create a preview link.

Share this with the relevant people to review the design, messaging, content, or functionality. The live website remains unchanged.

3. Merge the Approved Branch into Main

Once the update is approved, merge the branch into main.

4. Publish Main

Publish the main branch to make the changes live.

5. Check the Live Website

Review the updated pages on desktop and mobile, and test any affected forms, integrations, links, or tracking.

Use the Framer Publishing Workflow Templates

We created two simple Notion templates to help you follow this process after handoff.

• Framer Publishing Workflow for Teams — for teams where website changes need to be reviewed or approved before publishing.

• Framer Publishing Workflow for Solo Marketers — for one-person marketing teams managing changes, testing, and publishing themselves.

Both follow the same core process:

Create a branch → Make changes → Review the branch in a browser → Merge to main → Publish main

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Assuming a Branch Is Visible to Website Visitors

A branch is a separate workspace. Visitors will not see it unless the branch is published as a preview and someone shares the link with them.

Merging a Branch and Assuming the Change Is Live

Merging a branch moves the approved work into main. You still need to publish main before visitors can see the changes.

Testing Only in the Framer Editor

Forms, embeds, scripts, redirects, and mobile layouts may behave differently after publishing. Always test important changes in a browser.

Keeping Branches Open for Too Long

The main project may continue changing while an old branch remains unfinished. This can make the final review more difficult.

Keep each branch focused and merge or remove it once the work is complete.

Making the Same Change in Several Branches

If two branches edit the same page or content, the team may need to choose which version to keep.

Agree on who is changing what before several people begin working in parallel.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Is a Branch in Framer?

A branch is a separate copy of the project where you can make changes without affecting main or the live website.

What Is Main in Framer?

Main is the central version of the Framer project.

Approved branch changes are merged into main before they are published.

What Is Production in Framer?

Production is the public version of the website that visitors see on your custom domain.

What Is the Difference Between Branching and Staging?

Branching is used while work is being created and reviewed.

Staging is used for final testing before deploying a version to production.

Does Publishing a Branch Update the Live Website?

No. Publishing a branch creates a preview link for that branch.

The live website remains unchanged.

Does Merging a Branch Publish the Changes?

No. Merging a branch moves its changes into the main project.

You still need to publish main before the changes become live.

Do We Need a Branch for Every Update?

No. Routine CMS publishing, typo corrections, and minor approved changes may not need a separate branch.

Use branches for larger or higher-risk updates that benefit from separate review.

Can We Go Back to an Earlier Version?

Yes. Framer saves a version each time the website is published.

You can view previous published versions under: Site Settings → Staging & Versions

If a problem appears after launch, you can select an earlier working version and deploy it again.

Framer also offers staging for teams that want an additional testing step between main and the live website. We cover that workflow separately in our guide to using staging in Framer.

Need Help Setting Up a Framer Publishing Workflow?

As more people contribute to a website, a clear review and publishing process becomes increasingly useful.

At New Lemon Studio, we help B2B marketing teams organise Framer projects around practical ownership, permissions, staging, QA, and post-launch updates.

Planning a handoff or improving an existing Framer workflow? Tell us how your team currently manages website changes, and we’ll help you set up a process that is easy to follow.