Overview
The advanced editor is built on three core components:
Email Settings
Structure
Content
Each component controls a different part of your email. Together, they define how your email looks and behaves.
Email Settings
Control global styles that apply to your entire email.
What Email Settings Do
Email settings define default styles for your email. These settings apply across all sections and content blocks unless you override them.
How to Use Email Settings
Open the Email Settings panel
Adjust global styles like width and background
Email Layout
Choose where your email sits on the screen. This setting also controls the spacing around your email on mobile.
Layout Options
The Email layout setting has three options. Each one works a little differently on desktop and mobile.
Option | Desktop editor | Mobile editor |
Left | The email moves to the left side. | An even margin is added around the email body. |
Center | The email stays in the middle. | No margin is added. The email fills the screen from edge to edge. |
Right | The email moves to the right side. | An even margin is added around the email body. |
A margin is the empty space between your email and the edge of the screen.
Why the Mobile Margin Matters
Some email apps show emails edge to edge. This means your content touches the sides of the screen. Apple Mail on iOS is one example.
The Left and Right options add a margin on mobile. This keeps your text and images away from the screen edges. Your email is easier to read.
The Center option does not add a margin. Your email looks the same as it always has.
Tip: Send a test email to an iPhone before you launch. This lets you see the margin in Apple Mail on iOS.
Set the Email Layout
Open the Email Settings panel.
Find the Email layout setting.
Choose Left, Center, or Right.
When to Use Each Option
Center: Use this for most designed emails.
Left: Use this for plain text style emails in left-to-right languages, like English. Learn more in Plain Text Style Emails in Knak.
Right: Use this for plain text style emails in right-to-left languages, like Arabic or Hebrew.
Structure
Define the layout of your email using sections and columns.
What Structure Does
Structure controls how your email is organized. It determines how content is arranged horizontally.
Sections and Columns
Sections are the main layout blocks
Columns let you place content side by side
Add a Section
Open the Structure panel
Drag a section layout into your email
Choose your preferred column layout
Resize Columns
Adjust column widths within a section
Create custom layouts for your design
Section Settings
Each section has its own settings. This gives you more design flexibility.
You can customize:
Section background color
Content area background
Individual column backgrounds
Content
Add and customize content inside your sections.
What Content Does
Content blocks hold the actual elements in your email. Each block has its own settings.
Common Content Types
Text
Images
Buttons
Spacers
Dividers
Social Icons
Nested Sections
Add Content to a Section
Open the Content panel
Drag a content block into a section
Customize the block settings
Stack Content Blocks
Add multiple content blocks inside a single section
Stack them vertically within a column
How It All Works Together
Email Settings control global styles
Structure defines layout using sections and columns
Content fills each section with elements
You can override settings at the section or content level for more control.
Best Practices
Use the default 600px width for better compatibility
Keep layouts simple with 1–2 columns when possible
Use section settings for background styling
Stack content blocks to create clear sections
Check out Knak Academy! It walks you through how to build emails and landing pages faster, with best practices from our team.
Need more help? Contact support via live chat within Knak using the chat bubble in the bottom right corner or email support@knak.com