Overview
You can use both left-to-right (LTR) and right-to-left (RTL) text direction in Knak. This supports languages such as English, French, Arabic, and Hebrew.
Microsoft Outlook Classic for Windows has a known limitation. It does not reliably render content that switches text direction multiple times within the same block. This can cause formatting issues in your emails.
To help prevent this, Knak includes an Optimize warning called Nested Text Direction.
What Is Nested Text Direction?
Nested Text Direction occurs when text direction changes more than once within the same section of content.
Example
You start writing in LTR.
You insert a phrase in RTL.
Inside that RTL phrase, you insert another LTR phrase.
This creates a double-nested structure (LTR → RTL → LTR). Outlook may not render this correctly.
Why This Matters
When nested text direction is present, Outlook may display your email incorrectly.
Common issues include:
Words appearing in the wrong order.
Punctuation appearing in the wrong place.
Broken spacing or alignment.
Mixed-language sentences that are hard to read.
These issues are caused by Outlook rendering limitations. They are not caused by Knak.
When You See the Nested Text Direction Warning
You may see the Nested Text Direction warning in the Optimize tab when:
You apply LTR or RTL settings at the block level using the editor sidebar.
You also apply text direction formatting to content inside the editor.
If Knak detects more than one direction change in the same content block, it displays a warning. This indicates that Outlook may not render the content correctly.
How to Adjust Text Direction in Knak
You can change text direction for an entire content block or for selected text.
Change Text Direction for an Entire Block
Use this option when most of the content uses the same direction.
Select the text block or module.
Open the editor settings on the right side.
Scroll to the Text Direction setting.
Select Left-to-Right (LTR) arrow or Right-to-Left (RTL) arrow.
This applies one direction to the full block.
Change Text Direction for Selected Text
Use this option when only part of a sentence needs a different direction.
Highlight the specific text.
Click the T icon in the inline editor toolbar.
Select the paragraph icon with the arrow.
Choose the direction the text should flow.
This applies direction only to the selected text.
Note: If you need to remove inline text edits, you can highlight the text and select the "remove formatting" option in the popup text editor:
Best Practices to Avoid Outlook Issues
Keep Direction Changes Simple
Avoid switching text direction more than once within the same paragraph.
Best practice
Use one text direction per paragraph.
Separate LTR and RTL content into different paragraphs or blocks.
Avoid Nested Direction Formatting
You can include a short RTL phrase inside LTR text, or the reverse. Keep this to one direction change only.
Safe example
English sentence → Arabic phrase → continue English sentence.
Risky example
English sentence → Arabic phrase → English phrase inside the Arabic section.
Use Separate Content Blocks for Different Languages
If your email includes larger sections in different languages:
Place LTR content in one paragraph or module.
Place RTL content in a separate paragraph or module.
This is the most reliable way to ensure Outlook renders your email correctly.
Test in Outlook Before Sending
Outlook rendering can vary by version. Always test your email in Outlook if your audience relies on it heavily. Use test sends and use our Email Testing Feature before launch.
Need more help? Contact support via live chat using the chat bubble in the bottom right corner or email support@knak.com.