How to edit the plain text version of an HTML email

Estimated 3 minute read
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Updated Aug 29, 2024, 7:19 PM EST
You will learn

You will learn

Learn how to customize the plain-text version of HTML emails (i.e., emails built with Klaviyo's drag-and-drop editor). 

This article teaches you how to customize the automatically generated plain-text MIME type that accompanies emails built in Klaviyo’s drag-and-drop editor. If you’d like to send a simple text email, learn how to use Klaviyo’s text-only email editor

When you send an HTML email, Klaviyo automatically includes a plain-text version. This is because not all inboxes accept HTML emails and plain-text emails can help differentiate you from spammers, so it’s important to include an alternative option. These versions of your email are called MIME (Multipurpose Internet Mail Extension) types. Klaviyo supports 3 MIME types for emails: HTML, plain-text, and AMP (an advanced message type supported by some inboxes). 

As a sender, you can’t detect which MIME type your recipient is able (or chooses) to view. An inbox may only support plain-text emails for security reasons or for accessibility. 

Klaviyo automatically generates plain-text versions of all emails built with our drag-and-drop editor.

Create a plain text version of a campaign email

Create a plain text version of a campaign email

To adjust the plain text for a campaign:

  1. Click Campaigns in the Klaviyo sidebar.
  2. Click on any unsent email campaign.
  3. Navigate to step 2 of the campaign editor, Content.
  4. Open the Edit Email menu.
  5. Click Edit Plain Text Version.
    The option to edit the plain text version of an email campaign
  6. Make any desired edits to the auto-generated email.
  7. Click Save Plain Text.
Create a plain text version of a flow email

Create a plain text version of a flow email

To adjust the plain text for a flow email:

  1. Click Flows in the Klaviyo sidebar.
  2. Open a flow.
  3. Click the email you'd like to edit.
  4. Open the Edit Email menu.
  5. Click Edit Plain Text Version.
    The option to edit the plain text version of a flow email
  6. Make any desired edits to the auto-generated email.
  7. Click Save Plain Text.

If you make any edits to the plain text version of your template, keep in mind that Klaviyo will no longer keep this version in sync with your HTML template. This means if you make changes to your content in the future, you will need to update it in two locations — within the drag-and-drop editor, and then also within the editor for your email's plain text version.

plain text editor content

If you manually edit the plain text version of an HTML email and then wish to revert back to a state where Klaviyo will automatically keep these two versions in sync, you can click the option to Auto-Generate Plain Text.

Above a link that says Auto-Generate Plain Text, tooltip text displays the message Revert back to auto-generated Plain Text based on your HTML version

If you choose to have Klaviyo automatically generate plain text from your HTML template, and you had made any manual edits historically, these edits will be discarded. 

Emoji and plain text emails

Emoji and plain text emails

As of February 2024, all emoji are supported in all Klaviyo email editors (i.e., the drag-and-drop editor, hybrid editor, text-only editor and custom HTML editor).
Additional resources

Additional resources

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