Skip to main content

Email Testing

Preview your email across devices, email clients, and light or dark mode before you send.

What Is Email Testing?

Email Testing lets you see exactly how your email will render across platforms. This helps you catch layout issues early. It also ensures your design looks consistent everywhere.

Email Testing shows how your email appears across:

  • Mobile devices

  • Desktop devices

  • Operating systems

  • Browsers

  • Email clients

  • Light Mode and Dark Mode


Demo Video


What Counts as a Test?

Each email client preview counts as one test.

Example:

  • You have 10 email clients configured.

  • You click Email Testing once.

  • 10 previews generate.

  • 10 tests are used.

Each preview:

  • Is rendered separately

  • Has its own loading status

  • Is tracked independently

If you want to know how many tests remain in your contract, contact your Customer Success Manager.


How to Access Email Testing

There are two ways to open Email Testing.

Option 1: From the Actions Menu (Top Right)

Use this method if you want to quickly run previews directly from the builder.

  1. Open your email in the builder.

  2. Click the Actions menu in the top right corner.

  3. Click Email Testing.

Email preview role permissions

Option 2: From Preview Mode (Bottom Right)

Use this method if you want to review your email first.

  1. Open your email in the builder.

  2. Click Preview in the bottom right corner.

  3. Click the Email Testing icon tab (device icon).

Email preview icon

Review Your Email Previews

  1. Wait for previews to load.

  2. Click any thumbnail to open a full preview.

    Different email previews

  3. Click Refresh Previews

  4. Filter by Device

  5. Filter by Light Mode or Dark Mode

Preview in light or dark mode on both devices

Navigate Between Tests

  • Select another thumbnail from the right panel.

  • Click the blue X to exit the email client and return to grid view.

  • Click the Back to Editor button in the top-left corner to return to the builder.

Navigating between different email test

Role Permissions

You can control who can generate previews. This helps manage test usage.

Allow Non-Admins to Generate Previews

  1. Go to Admin.

  2. Click Roles.

  3. Select the role you want to update.

  4. Enable Can generate email client previews.

  5. Click Save.

Email Preview role permissions

Customize Email Clients (Admins Only)

You can control which clients are available for testing.

Add or Remove Email Clients

  1. Go to Admin.

  2. Click Settings.

  3. Scroll to Email Testing.

  4. Click Customize Email Clients.

    navigating email testing under settings

  5. Click the + icon to add a client.

  6. Click the X to remove a client.

  7. Click Save.

Clients Available

Client

Operating System

Apple Mail 16

macOS 13

Apple Mail 16

macOS 13 (Dark Mode)

Outlook Microsoft 365

macOS 13

Outlook Microsoft 365

macOS 13 (Dark Mode)

Outlook 2019

Windows 2022

Outlook 2019

Windows 2022 (120 dpi)

Outlook 2021

Windows 2022

Outlook 2021

Windows 2022 (Dark Mode)

Outlook 2021

Windows 2022 (120 dpi)

Outlook 365

Windows 2022

Outlook 365

Windows 2022 (Dark Mode)

Outlook 365

Windows 2022 (120 dpi)

Outlook 365

Windows 2022 (Dark Mode, 120 dpi)

Gmail App (Pixel 7)

Android 14

Gmail App (Pixel 7)

Android 14 (Dark Mode)

Gmail App (Pixel 8)

Android 14

Gmail App (Pixel 8)

Android 14 (Dark Mode)

Gmail App (Pixel 8 Pro)

Android 14

Gmail App (Pixel 8 Pro)

Android 14 (Dark Mode)

Gmail App (Galaxy S24 Ultra)

Android 15

Gmail App (Galaxy S24 Ultra)

Android 15 (Dark Mode)

Gmail App (Galaxy S25 Ultra)

Android 15

Outlook App (Pixel 7)

Android 14

Outlook App (Pixel 7)

Android 14 (Dark Mode)

Outlook App (Pixel 8)

Android 14

Outlook App (Pixel 8)

Android 14 (Dark Mode)

Outlook App (Pixel 8 Pro)

Android 14

Outlook App (Pixel 8 Pro)

Android 14 (Dark Mode)

Outlook App (Galaxy S24 Ultra)

Android 15

Outlook App (Galaxy S24 Ultra)

Android 15 (Dark Mode)

Outlook App (Galaxy S25 Ultra)

Android 15

Outlook App (Galaxy S25 Ultra)

Android 15 (Dark Mode)

Apple Mail

iPhone 11 (iOS 18)

Apple Mail

iPhone 11 (iOS 18, Dark Mode)

Apple Mail

iPhone 11 Pro (iOS 18)

Apple Mail

iPhone 11 Pro (iOS 18, Dark Mode)

Apple Mail

iPhone 11 Pro Max (iOS 18)

Apple Mail

iPhone 12 (iOS 18)

Apple Mail

iPhone 12 (iOS 18, Dark Mode)

Apple Mail

iPhone 12 Mini (iOS 18)

Apple Mail

iPhone 12 Mini (iOS 18, Dark Mode)

Apple Mail

iPhone 12 Pro (iOS 18)

Apple Mail

iPhone 12 Pro Max (iOS 18)

Apple Mail

iPhone 12 Pro Max (iOS 18, Dark Mode)

Apple Mail

iPhone 13 (iOS 18)

Apple Mail

iPhone 13 (iOS 18, Dark Mode)

Apple Mail

iPhone 13 Mini (iOS 18)

Apple Mail

iPhone 13 Pro (iOS 18)

Apple Mail

iPhone 13 Pro Max (iOS 18)

Apple Mail

iPhone 13 Pro Max (iOS 18, Dark Mode)

Apple Mail

iPhone 14 (iOS 18)

Apple Mail

iPhone 14 (iOS 18, Dark Mode)

Apple Mail

iPhone 14 Pro (iOS 18)

Apple Mail

iPhone 14 Pro Max (iOS 18)

Apple Mail

iPhone 14 Pro Max (iOS 18, Dark Mode)

Apple Mail

iPhone 14 Plus (iOS 18)

Apple Mail

iPhone 15 (iOS 18)

Apple Mail

iPhone 15 (iOS 18, Dark Mode)

Apple Mail

iPhone 15 Plus (iOS 18)

Apple Mail

iPhone 15 Pro (iOS 18)

Apple Mail

iPhone 15 Pro Max (iOS 18)

Apple Mail

iPhone 15 Pro Max (iOS 18, Dark Mode)

Apple Mail

iPhone 16 (iOS 18)

Apple Mail

iPhone 16 (iOS 18, Dark Mode)

Apple Mail

iPhone 16 Pro (iOS 18)

Apple Mail

iPhone 16 Pro Max (iOS 18)

Apple Mail

iPhone 16 Pro Max (iOS 18, Dark Mode)

Apple Mail

iPhone SE (2nd Gen) (iOS 18)

Apple Mail

iPhone SE (3rd Gen) (iOS 18)

Apple Mail

iPhone XR (iOS 18)

Apple Mail

iPhone XS (iOS 18)

Apple Mail

iPhone XS Max (iOS 18)

Outlook App

iPhone 14 (iOS 17)

Outlook App

iPhone 14 (iOS 17, Dark Mode)

Outlook App

iPhone 15 (iOS 17)

Outlook App

iPhone 15 (iOS 17, Dark Mode)

Outlook App

iPhone 16 (iOS 18)

Outlook App

iPhone 16 (iOS 18, Dark Mode)

Gmail App

iPhone 14 (iOS 17)

Gmail App

iPhone 14 (iOS 17, Dark Mode)

Gmail App

iPhone 15 (iOS 17)

Gmail App

iPhone 15 (iOS 17, Dark Mode)

Gmail App

iPhone 16 (iOS 18)

Gmail App

iPhone 16 (iOS 18, Dark Mode)

Apple Mail

iPad (10th Gen) (iOS 18, Dark Mode)

Apple Mail

iPad Air (5th Gen) (iOS 18)

Apple Mail

iPad Pro 11-inch (4th Gen) (iOS 18)

Apple Mail

iPad Pro 12.9-inch (6th Gen) (iOS 18)

Gmail AI

iPhone 16 (iOS 18)

Apple Mail AI

iPhone 16 (iOS 18)

AOL Webmail

macOS 13 Chrome

AOL Webmail

macOS 13 Edge

AOL Webmail

macOS 13 Firefox

Gmail Webmail

macOS 13 Chrome

Gmail Webmail

macOS 13 Edge

Gmail Webmail

macOS 13 Firefox

Outlook.com

macOS 13 Chrome

Outlook.com

macOS 13 Chrome (Dark Mode)

Outlook.com

macOS 13 Edge

Outlook.com

macOS 13 Firefox

Yahoo Webmail

macOS 13 Chrome

Yahoo Webmail

macOS 13 Edge

Yahoo Webmail

macOS 13 Firefox


Best Practices for Accurate Previews

Large images can affect preview accuracy.

The preview tool captures screenshots quickly. If an image loads slowly, it may not appear in the preview. The live email may still display correctly.

Image Guidelines

  • Keep images under 1MB

  • Export images at 2x the display width

    • Example: If image displays at 600px, export at 1200px

  • Keep GIF file sizes smaller

  • Avoid oversized GIFs in Outlook

These steps improve rendering consistency across clients.


Frequently Asked Questions

Why Don’t Token Placeholder Values Appear in Email Testing?

Email Testing uses the same HTML as Download as HTML. It does not render placeholder tokens from your Marketing Automation Platform (MAP). A Marketing Automation Platform (MAP) is the system that sends your emails and replaces tokens with real data.

To confirm your tokens work:

  1. Export the email.

  2. Preview it inside your MAP.

  3. Confirm tokens populate correctly.


Need more help? Contact support via live chat using the chat bubble in the bottom right corner or email support@knak.com.

Did this answer your question?