Microsoft Outlook remains one of the most challenging platforms for email marketing. Even a beautifully coded email can break in it. But you don't always need to call in a coder — some issues can be fixed quickly and without code.

In this article, we'll show you how to make your email display reliably in Outlook using a few simple steps.

Why is Outlook problematic?

Outlook uses:

  • the Word engine (yes, Microsoft Word itself!) to render emails,
  • poor support for modern CSS,
  • specific bugs with buttons, images, and columns.

If you use a drag-and-drop editor like Letteros, some of these problems are already solved for you. But there are life hacks that can help you fine-tune the email yourself.

Step 1. Avoid complex effects

❌ Don't use:

  • gradients,
  • shadows on text and buttons,
  • SVG images,
  • flexbox and grid.

✅ Replace them with simple alternatives:

  • solid background colors instead of gradients,
  • PNG or JPEG instead of SVG,
  • tables instead of complex layouts.

Step 2. Use built-in fonts

Outlook doesn't support Google Fonts or third-party fonts.It's best to use standard fonts right away:

  • Arial,
  • Times New Roman,
  • Verdana,
  • Tahoma.

If you want a nicer font, set up a fallback: font-family: «Custom», Arial, sans-serif;

Step 3. Check the email width

The optimal email width for Outlook is 600–650 pixels.This is already built into the Letteros editor, but if you're inserting something manually, keep an eye on the width of tables and images.

Step 4. Check your images

Outlook often:

  • blocks image loading,
  • breaks large images.

Tips:

  • add alt text,
  • use images no wider than 600 px,
  • don't insert images as a background style (background-image) — use the <img> tag instead.

Step 5. Check your buttons

Buttons created with a styled <a> tag can break.Letteros has a dedicated component called «Button for Outlook» — use it if it's important that the button looks the same everywhere.

If you're coding manually:

  • build buttons using a <table> with a nested link.

Step 6. Test the email

Letteros has a «Email Testing» tool, where you can see how the email looks in Outlook.If the test shows errors, fix them in the editor or choose ready-made, safe blocks.

Conclusion

To quickly adapt an email for Outlook:✔ avoid complex effects,✔ use standard fonts,✔ watch your dimensions,✔ verify with testing.

And most importantly: use an editor that's built with Outlook compatibility in mind from the start — like Letteros!