Summary
Blank emails are a multifaceted issue stemming from rendering problems, HTML/CSS incompatibilities, client-specific settings, spam filtering, and authentication failures. Troubleshooting involves confirming if the email is truly blank, identifying the client, testing across platforms, simplifying code, ensuring accessibility, implementing proper authentication, and optimizing for mobile.
Key findings
- Rendering Variations: Emails may appear blank in specific email clients due to rendering issues, complex HTML/CSS, or client-specific settings like Outlook add-ins.
- HTML/CSS Complexity: Complex or malformed HTML/CSS code can cause rendering failures, particularly in certain email clients.
- Spam Filters: Overly aggressive spam filters might block legitimate email content, causing emails to appear blank.
- Authentication: Emails failing SPF, DKIM, or DMARC checks can be flagged and may not render correctly.
- Accessibility Issues: Poor color contrast or missing alt text for images can create the perception of blank emails, especially when images are blocked.
- Mobile Incompatibility: Emails not optimized for mobile devices might load slowly or render incorrectly, appearing blank to mobile users.
Key considerations
- Verify 'Blankness': Check the email's source code to confirm if it's truly blank or if the content exists but is not rendering.
- Identify the Client: Determine which email client is causing the issue (e.g., Thunderbird, Apple Mail, Outlook) to tailor troubleshooting steps.
- Cross-Platform Testing: Use email testing tools (e.g., Litmus) to preview emails across various clients and devices before sending.
- Simplify Code: Use simple HTML and avoid excessive CSS to enhance compatibility and reduce rendering errors.
- Implement Accessibility: Ensure proper color contrast and use alt text for all images to support users with disabilities and those who have images blocked.
- Setup Email Authentication: Configure SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records to improve email deliverability and prevent authentication failures.
- Optimize for Mobile: Design emails to be mobile-responsive, and reduce image sizes for fast loading and proper display on mobile devices.
What email marketers say
11 marketer opinions
Blank emails can arise due to a variety of technical, design, and deliverability factors. Issues range from the email not truly being blank but failing to render correctly in specific clients, to coding errors, spam filtering, and problems with content delivery. Troubleshooting involves verifying email source code, testing rendering across different clients, optimizing HTML and CSS, ensuring accessibility, and checking deliverability configurations.
Key opinions
- Rendering Issues: Emails may appear blank if the content fails to render correctly in certain email clients due to HTML/CSS compatibility issues, especially with complex or malformed code.
- Image Blocking: If images are blocked by default and the email relies on images, the email might appear blank. Use alt text to provide content even when images are not displayed.
- Accessibility Issues: Poor color contrast or white text on a white background can cause emails to appear blank. Ensure sufficient contrast and adhere to accessibility guidelines.
- Spam Filtering: Aggressive spam filters might block content, leading to blank emails. Test deliverability and review spam filter rules to ensure legitimate emails are not blocked.
- Personalization Errors: Incorrectly rendered personalization tags or missing fallback values can result in blank emails. Check the syntax of personalization tags and implement fallback content.
- Mobile Optimization: Emails that are unreadable or slow to load on mobile devices can appear blank to mobile users. Optimize designs and reduce image sizes for mobile users.
Key considerations
- Verify Email Source: Check the raw source code of the email to determine if the email is truly blank or if the content is present but not rendering correctly.
- Cross-Client Testing: Test email rendering across different email clients and devices to identify compatibility issues and ensure consistent display.
- Optimize HTML/CSS: Simplify email design, use supported HTML tags, avoid excessive CSS, and validate HTML code to prevent rendering issues.
- Implement Alt Text: Use descriptive alt text for all images to convey the message even when images are blocked.
- Ensure Accessibility: Adhere to accessibility guidelines by using appropriate color contrast ratios and avoiding design choices that can obscure content.
- Review Deliverability: Monitor email deliverability, review spam filter rules, and ensure proper email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) to prevent emails from being blocked.
- Optimize for Mobile: Design emails to be mobile-responsive, reduce image sizes, and ensure fast load times on mobile devices.
Marketer view
Marketer from Email Geeks asks if the emails are really blank or if the mail applications are not showing anything, suggesting verifying the raw source of the email is 'zero'.
22 Jul 2024 - Email Geeks
Marketer view
Email marketer from Reddit suggests that the issue might be specific to certain email clients or devices. They recommend testing the email across different clients and using responsive design techniques to ensure compatibility.
1 Jul 2024 - Reddit
What the experts say
5 expert opinions
Experts suggest that blank emails can be attributed to a variety of factors related to email client compatibility, content interpretation, and HTML formatting. Troubleshooting involves identifying the email client being used, preserving the original email data for analysis, and ensuring clean HTML code and relevant content to avoid spam filters.
Key opinions
- Client-Specific Issues: Blank emails may be specific to certain email clients (e.g., Thunderbird, Apple Mail, Shaw webmail), indicating a rendering problem with that particular client.
- HTML Formatting: Complex or malformed HTML can cause rendering failures, leading to blank emails in some clients. Simple HTML is recommended.
- Spam Interpretation: Email content can be flagged as spam, preventing it from rendering. Relevant content and a clean sending reputation are crucial.
Key considerations
- Identify Email Client: Determine which email client is being used by recipients experiencing blank emails to pinpoint client-specific rendering issues.
- Preserve Original Data: Forward the problematic email as an attachment to maintain the original data and headers for analysis. Viewing the source code is also beneficial.
- Replicate the Issue: If possible, replicate the problem by accessing an account with the same email provider (e.g., Shaw) to directly observe and troubleshoot the issue.
- Simplify HTML: Use simple HTML structures to ensure compatibility across different email clients and avoid rendering errors.
- Content Relevance: Ensure email content is relevant to recipients and avoid using spam trigger words to prevent the email from being filtered out before rendering.
Expert view
Expert from Email Geeks asks which mail client people are viewing the blank emails in (Thunderbird vs Apple.Mail, vs Shaw webmail) and if the issue occurs across all mail clients.
19 Nov 2024 - Email Geeks
Expert view
Expert from Word to the Wise explains blank emails could arise if the content is interpreted as spam, causing it to be filtered out before rendering. She suggests ensuring email content is relevant, avoiding spam trigger words, and maintaining a clean sending reputation.
11 Jun 2025 - Word to the Wise
What the documentation says
4 technical articles
Documentation suggests that blank emails are often caused by rendering issues due to incompatible HTML/CSS, problems with email client configurations (like Outlook add-ins or profiles), complex email structures, or authentication failures. Resolving these issues involves simplifying email design, ensuring code compatibility, and setting up proper email authentication.
Key findings
- HTML/CSS Issues: Unsupported or complex HTML/CSS can cause rendering problems, leading to blank emails in certain email clients.
- Client Configuration: Problems with email client configurations, such as Outlook add-ins or corrupted profiles, can result in blank emails.
- Email Structure: Complex HTML structures or embedded content that some email clients cannot process may cause blank emails.
- Authentication Failures: Emails can appear blank if they fail authentication checks (SPF, DKIM, DMARC), impacting deliverability.
Key considerations
- Simplify Design: Simplify email design, use supported HTML tags, and avoid excessive CSS to ensure compatibility across different email clients.
- Check Client Settings: If the issue is specific to a client like Outlook, check add-ins and profile settings; consider creating a new profile for troubleshooting.
- Test Email Rendering: Use email testing tools to preview emails across various clients and devices to identify rendering issues before sending.
- Implement Authentication: Set up proper email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) to improve deliverability and ensure emails are displayed correctly.
Technical article
Documentation from Mailchimp answers that blank emails might result from complex HTML structures or embedded content that some email clients cannot process. They advise simplifying the email design, using supported HTML tags, and avoiding excessive use of CSS.
14 Jul 2022 - Mailchimp
Technical article
Documentation from Litmus explains that rendering issues, including blank emails, often stem from unsupported HTML or CSS. They recommend using email testing tools to preview emails across different clients and devices and ensuring code compatibility.
11 Sep 2024 - Litmus
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