Are you one of those Gmail users pining for the days when creating HTML emails within Gmail was a breeze? You’re a small bunch, but you’re not alone.
The Gmail HTML email editor was great for creating beautiful and interactive HTML emails right from your Gmail account. Unfortunately, Google removed the HTML editor from Gmail to streamline the user experience and prioritize simplicity and security.
Thankfully, there’s a way around it, and in just a few steps, we’ll show you how to create HTML emails in Gmail. Ready to customize your emails? Let’s begin!
Can you send HTML emails in Gmail?
Sending HTML in Gmail is possible. However, not in the same way it was earlier. Now, Gmail has the WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) editor. This means that if you directly insert HTML code into the new message window and click send, your recipients will just receive lines of code.
Gmail doesn’t render HTML anymore, which is why you need to add just a few additional steps.
How to compose an HTML email in Gmail
Step 1: Save HTML code as .html file
We’ve created our HTML email in Notepad. Once you’ve finished creating your email in HTML, click “File” and then “Save.”
A new window will pop up. Select the destination where you want to save your file. Next, name your file appropriately and ensure you follow it with a “.html” extension.
This is the most critical part! If the .html extension isn’t added, the file will not be saved as an HTML file. You can also check to see that the standard UTF-8 encoding is selected.
Now click “Save.”
Step 2: Open the file in browser
Now open the file from its saved destination folder in a web browser. If you’ve saved the file correctly, your OS will automatically open the file in your default web browser.
Check to see if all the elements of your email appear as you want them to. If you need to make changes, add the required code and save your file again.
Step 3: Copy the entire page
In the browser, select and copy the entire page (Ctrl + A, then Ctrl + C).
Step 4: Paste into Compose window in Gmail
Open your Gmail and click the “Compose” button. Now, simply paste (Ctrl + V) the contents of your clipboard onto the new message window.
Add an appropriate subject and hit “Send.” You’re done, you’ve created an HTML email in Gmail!
Important notes about sending HTML emails in Gmail
Images must be publicly available
When including images in an HTML email, ensure they’re publicly hosted online. This is because email clients don't directly display images from your computer or personal storage. Instead, they fetch images from publicly accessible web servers.
One way of storing images and including them in your HTML email is to download and save them on your Google Drive. You can even keep them on a private server if you have one.
You can’t use web fonts
One limitation to be aware of when creating HTML emails in Gmail is that you can't use web fonts. Unlike websites where you can import and utilize a wide range of web fonts to achieve desired typographic styles, Gmail doesn’t support using web fonts in emails.
This means that you’re limited to the fonts available within Gmail's selection. You can choose from a list of fonts provided by Gmail, such as Arial, Verdana, Times New Roman, and others. While this might restrict your font choices, it ensures consistent rendering across different email clients and devices.
Google Workspace users can use Gmail Layouts
If you’re a Google Workspace user, you can create stunning and personalized emails using Gmail Layouts. With this feature, you no longer need HTML coding to design beautiful emails.
Once you’ve enabled email templates, you can choose from various pre-designed templates or create your own from scratch. Customizing your email is a breeze. Simply drag and drop elements within each section.
You can add images, format text, and adjust colors to match your branding. With Gmail Layouts, you can save time and effort by creating visually appealing emails without needing HTML coding.
In fact, if you’re not a Google Workspace user, you can still create beautiful and engaging emails with Google Docs!
Send HTML email in Gmail easily following these steps
Even though Gmail no longer supports the HTML editor, this workaround makes it possible to create custom HTML emails still!
If you’re a regular user of Gmail, as many are, you may be wondering about all the things Gmail can do and how to work around its restrictions. If this is you, you should check out the YAMM blog! We have tons of Gmail tips, tricks, and hacks like this one!