Bitelio
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Email preview
& render tester

Paste your email HTML, preview it live at desktop and mobile widths, and run a compatibility linter that catches the markup and CSS that Gmail, Outlook and Apple Mail are known to strip or break — before you hit send.

Email HTML tester

Heads up: this is a readiness linter and a local preview, not a real render. It scans your HTML for the patterns known to break in each client and shows it in a sandboxed browser frame — it does not open your message in actual Gmail, Outlook or Apple Mail. Treat it as a fast pre-flight, not a substitute for a real inbox test.

Live preview
Compatibility findings

Paste some email HTML above to run the compatibility linter.

§ 01Why it breaks

Every inbox is a different browser.

Email clients render with wildly different engines — what looks perfect in one can fall apart in the next.

Outlook runs on Word

Outlook on Windows renders HTML with Microsoft Word's engine. Flexbox, grid, float, background images and modern CSS are ignored — table-based layouts are the only reliable option.

Gmail strips CSS

Gmail removes external stylesheets, restricts <style> in some contexts, and clips messages over ~102 KB. Inline styles and lean markup keep your email intact.

Apple Mail is the friendly one

Apple Mail and iOS use WebKit and support the most modern CSS. It is the easiest target — but building only for it guarantees breakage elsewhere.

Images off by default

Many clients block images until the reader opts in. Alt text, solid background colors and a bulletproof structure keep the message readable without a single image loading.

Design once, render everywhere.

Bitelio's editor outputs bulletproof, tested HTML — table-based layouts, inline styles and Outlook-safe structure by default, so you spend less time fighting inboxes. Free to start, no credit card required.

Frequently asked questions

Does this show me a real Gmail or Outlook screenshot?

No. This tool does two things entirely in your browser: it renders your HTML in a sandboxed preview frame, and it runs a static compatibility linter that flags patterns known to break in specific clients. It never sends your email to Gmail, Outlook or Apple Mail, so it cannot capture a true screenshot from those clients. For pixel-accurate proofs across dozens of real clients, use a dedicated screenshot service like Litmus or Email on Acid — this is a fast, free pre-flight check to catch issues before you get there.

How accurate is the compatibility linter?

The linter checks for well-documented, high-signal issues — head/external CSS that Gmail strips, flexbox and grid that Outlook ignores, missing alt text and image widths, oversized HTML, scripts and forms, and more. A clean report means you have avoided the most common failure modes, not that the email is guaranteed pixel-perfect everywhere. Rendering quirks are endless; treat a pass as "no obvious red flags," then confirm with a real inbox test for high-stakes sends.

Is my email HTML uploaded anywhere?

No. Both the preview and the linter run 100% client-side in your browser. Your HTML is never sent to Bitelio's servers or any third party, so you can safely paste unreleased campaigns and templates.

Why does my email look fine here but broken in Outlook?

The live preview uses your browser's modern rendering engine, which is far more capable than Outlook's Word-based engine. That is exactly why the linter exists alongside the preview: something can look perfect in the frame yet still use flexbox, grid or background images that Outlook silently drops. Always read the findings, not just the preview.

What is the ~102 KB Gmail limit about?

Gmail clips messages whose HTML exceeds roughly 102 KB, hiding everything past that point behind a "View entire message" link — which can bury your call-to-action and, critically, your unsubscribe link. The linter reports your HTML size so you can trim and minify before it becomes a deliverability and compliance problem.