Easy HTML guide: Testing & previewing
Learn how to effectively test and preview your Recurly email templates before going live. Discover step-by-step instructions for cross-client QA, troubleshooting broken HTML, fixing merge tag errors, and ensuring high deliverability.
Launch · Easy HTML guideTesting & previewing
Check every email before subscribers see it.
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Testing & previewingTest before you go live
Preview shows your changes in real time. A test email shows how a real inbox renders them. Do both.
Open the template
Go to Configuration → Email Templates. Click Customize, then Edit on the template, or open the Email Header or Footer default template.
Preview your changes
Click Preview while you edit. Confirm no placeholder text is left, the logo loads, and the layout works on desktop and mobile.
Send a test email
Click Send Test Email, next to Preview. Send it to yourself and one colleague. If it does not arrive, check spam or junk.
Check Gmail and Outlook
Open the test in both. Confirm fonts, colors, and the logo look right.
Click every link
Include your Subscription Terms and Privacy Policy links. Broken legal links can cause compliance issues.
Make it live and ready
Click Update Email Template. Then check the template on the Email Templates page, click Edit next to Settings, and confirm its status is on. If you use plan-level settings, confirm it is active for each plan under Customization → Plans.
Subscribers who meet the criteria for that email receive the updated version. Test first.
Fix common issues
| What you see | What to do |
|---|---|
| Layout breaks or raw code shows | A quote or angle bracket was probably deleted. Re-copy the block and replace only the placeholders. |
| Logo is missing | Confirm the logo URL is public, then preview again. |
| Font differs in Gmail or Outlook | Expected. Those clients use your fallback font. |
| Tag shows as text or blank | Copy the tag from Recurly Docs and send another test. |
| Currency symbol is wrong | Switch the tag to three braces. |
| Test email never arrives | Check spam or junk, and confirm Sender Authentication is complete. |
Click Edit in the Plain-text Body or HTML Body section, scroll down, and click Reset Template. It only appears once you have customized the template.
Updated about 1 hour ago