What Causes Broken Layouts in Email HTML?
Understanding causes of broken email layouts and how to fix them
Table of Contents
What Causes Broken Layouts in Email HTML?
Broken layouts in email HTML are caused by invalid HTML structure, CSS compatibility issues, email client differences, layout method issues, HTML stripping, and platform differences. Invalid HTML structure (missing closing tags, malformed attributes) causes rendering errors. CSS compatibility issues (unsupported CSS features, external stylesheets) cause styling problems. Layout method issues (CSS-based layouts instead of table-based layouts) cause layout failures.
Use table-based layouts, inline styles, and email client-compatible HTML to prevent broken layouts. Validate HTML using our HTML validator and test in multiple clients to identify and fix layout issues.
Understanding broken layout causes helps prevent layout issues and ensures emails render correctly across email clients.
HTML Structure Issues
Missing Closing Tags
Missing closing tags create invalid HTML structure that email clients cannot parse correctly, causing broken layouts.
Malformed Attributes
Invalid attribute syntax, missing quotes, or malformed attributes cause parsing errors and broken layouts.
Invalid Nesting
Improperly nested tags or invalid nesting structures cause email clients to render HTML incorrectly.
Syntax Errors
HTML syntax errors, typos, or malformed code prevent email clients from parsing and rendering emails correctly.
Validation
Use our HTML validator to identify HTML structure issues before sending emails.
CSS Compatibility Issues
Unsupported CSS Features
Unsupported CSS features (flexbox, grid, CSS3 animations) cause styling problems and broken layouts in email clients.
External Stylesheets
External stylesheets are stripped by email clients, causing missing styles and broken layouts. Use inline styles instead.
Advanced CSS
Advanced CSS features (advanced selectors, CSS3 properties) are not supported in many email clients, causing styling issues.
CSS-Based Layouts
CSS-based layouts (flexbox, grid) are not supported in email clients. Use table-based layouts instead.
Best Practice
Use inline styles and table-based layouts for maximum email client compatibility.
Layout Method Issues
CSS-Based Layouts
CSS-based layouts (flexbox, grid, float-based layouts) are not supported in email clients and cause broken layouts.
Table-Based Layouts
Table-based layouts are widely supported in email clients and provide consistent rendering across clients.
Layout Compatibility
Use table-based layouts instead of CSS-based layouts to ensure email client compatibility and prevent broken layouts.
Simple Layouts
Keep layouts simple and compatible with email clients to minimize layout issues.
How to Fix Broken Layouts
1. Validate HTML
Use our HTML validator to identify HTML structure issues and fix them.
2. Fix HTML Structure
Fix missing closing tags, malformed attributes, and invalid nesting to ensure valid HTML structure.
3. Use Table-Based Layouts
Convert CSS-based layouts to table-based layouts for email client compatibility.
4. Use Inline Styles
Convert external stylesheets and style tags to inline styles for consistent rendering.
5. Test in Multiple Clients
Test emails in multiple email clients to identify and fix layout issues across clients.
6. Follow Best Practices
Follow email HTML best practices: use table-based layouts, inline styles, and email client-compatible HTML.
