Chrome freeze — Fold / Flip / Skew

Product status

1 Symptoms

Affected class patterns

2 Cause

This is a CSS + Chrome interaction, not a runaway JavaScript loop in the fluid module. Older theme CSS set a pre-reveal state of clip-path: none, then transitioned to an inset(…) clip when WOW added animate__animated — often with an overshooting cubic-bezier (y outside [0, 1]). Newest Chrome's composited clip-path animations can lock the main thread on that path.

•   Unsafe: transition from clip-path: none → inset(…)
•   Unsafe: cubic-bezier with y < 0 or y > 1 on clip-path motion
•   Safe path: @keyframes only between explicit inset(…) values, with easing y in [0, 1]

3 How to fix

Choose the path that matches the product on your Jimdo site. In every case the fix is already included in the updated files — you only need to upload them.

Classic Matrix Themes (not modular Matrix One)

If your site still runs the older Matrix Themes package (the classic, non-modular build), replace the existing matrix-min.js on your site with the latest file. That single upload contains the fix for this Chrome freeze — no CSS kill-switch and no other files required.

Matrix One (modular)

If you are already on Matrix One, open the Matrix sliding admin menu → Updates, download the latest CSS and JS packages, and upload them over the files currently on your site. That update set includes the permanent Fold / Flip / Skew fix.

•   Upload every updated CSS and JS file from the Updates section so versions stay in sync
•   No emergency Custom CSS is required once the new files are live
•   Hard-refresh the published page and re-test Fold / Flip / Skew in newest Chrome desktop

Plugin Toolkit

Plugin Toolkit is fixed as well. Download the newest Toolkit package that includes this bug fix and upload the updated files over the ones currently linked from your site Head / Footer (same filenames and paths). After a hard refresh, Fold / Flip / Skew should no longer freeze Chrome.

•   Use the latest Toolkit release that advertises this Chrome Fold / Flip / Skew fix
•   Replace the previous JS (and CSS, if the package includes updated styles) completely — avoid mixing old and new files
•   If the editor itself freezes before you can upload, use the recovery options in Can't open the editor first

Matrix Framework

This bug does not affect Matrix Framework. Framework does not use WOW.js for scroll animations — it uses the modern Motion One library (motion-foldLeft, motion-flipLeftRight, and related classes). No action is needed.

4 Can't open the editor

Sometimes Fold / Flip / Skew is placed near the top of the homepage. In that case Chrome can freeze as soon as the editor loads the page — before you can reach Updates, Head settings, or file uploads. Use one of the recovery paths below, then apply the product fix from How to fix.

1. Jimdo Safe Mode (preferred)

Jimdo’s editor Safe Mode keeps site-wide Head / Footer code running, but shows HTML / Widget modules as inert source so their scripts (and these fold reveals) cannot choke the editor. That lets you open the page, upload the fixed files, and exit Safe Mode when you’re done.

•   Open the editor URL and add &safemode=1 while keeping cmsEdit=1 — for example ?cmsEdit=1&safemode=1
•   Matrix Framework also adds an optional Safe mode shortcut in the sliding admin menu (v1.7.6+). You may need the manual URL today if that menu item is not enabled yet — it’s new, and worth turning on for future recovery
•   Exit with Jimdo’s own Exit safe mode banner when the fixed files are uploaded

Full details: Safe Mode docs · matrix-framework.com/support/framework/safe-mode/

2. Switch to a default Jimdo template

Applying a default Jimdo template temporarily disables custom layout / custom code. With Matrix unloaded, the editor stays usable so you can upload the bug-fix files. When the new files are in place, activate your custom layout again.

3. Jimdo Creator app (last resort)

If Safe Mode and switching template in the browser editor are not available, open the Jimdo Creator app, apply any default template from the app, then upload the fixed files from your desktop. Once the update is done, activate the custom layout again. Use this only when the other options are not possible.

Next steps