How to Stop Gmail Cutting Off Your Emails & Avoid Email Clipping

If you’ve ever sent a beautifully designed email campaign only to find that Gmail chops off the bottom with a link saying [Message clipped] View entire message, you’ll know how frustrating it is.

Not only can your readers miss important information but if your unsubscribe link ends up hidden, they may mark your email as spam. That can hurt your sender reputation and future deliverability.

Why Gmail Clips Emails

The main reason is file size. If the HTML code that makes up your email is too large (usually around 102KB or more), Gmail will trim it.

Your email’s HTML size isn’t the same as the visible text and images you see. It also includes all the underlying code, tracking and formatting. Even a simple-looking email can grow in size if it has a lot of formatting or many images.

Another, less common reason is special characters (such as © or é) that aren’t encoded properly. These can also cause Gmail to clip your message.

How to Avoid Email Clipping

The good news is, you don’t need to be a coder to prevent clipping. Try these simple steps:

1. Keep content simple & concise
   Focus on your key message and keep it simple and effective. Multiple long sections, lots of images and complex formatting can quickly bloat your email.

2. Optimise your images
   Large or uncompressed images don’t directly count towards HTML size but image-heavy templates often include more code. Fewer images or a simpler layout keeps emails light.

3. Use testing tools in your email platform
   Professional email platforms like Smart Messenger let you send test emails to a Gmail account to check that the full message displays correctly. Always use this test feature before your send your campaign.

4. Check your platform's validation alerts
   Smart Messenger and other good platforms will alert you if the email you've created is too long, so you know it may risk clipping. They won’t stop you from sending but will give a clear warning so you can make adjustments beforehand.

5. Ask for help if needed
   If you’re unsure why your email is getting clipped, getting help is quick and easy with a UK email marketing agency like Smart Messenger. Their team will be happy to review your template and suggest changes to keep it under the limit. With easy access to phone support and a dedicated account manager, this guidance is included as part of your plan.

The Smart Messenger Advantage

With over 20 years in business as an email marketing agency, we know what makes a successful email campaign. Our approach includes:

• Expert email marketing support – Free training, unlimited phone support and a dedicated account manager to provide guidance whenever you need it.

• User-friendly email platform – Preset layouts and a drag-and-drop template editor let you create campaigns easily, without any coding.

• Email template design service – Professional, bespoke email templates from just £149+VAT. Templates are designed to look great and perform efficiently.

• Email campaign management – We can take care of your campaigns from start to finish if you don’t have the time. Emails are visually appealing, technically efficient, and avoid clipping problems for better deliverability.

• Problem solving & campaign review – If Gmail clipping or any other issues occur during campaign testing, we will fix them quickly. We also review emails, including automation setups, to ensure everything looks perfect and performs as it should.

Need help keeping your emails looking perfect in Gmail?

Speak to our team and we’ll help you create campaigns that look great in every inbox.

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