Gmail Clipping of Emails
Why is my email being clipped?
Gmail “clipping” happens when an email exceeds Gmail’s size limit and part of the message is hidden behind a “[Message clipped] View entire message” link.
Clipped emails can negatively affect marketing performance, and in some cases, prevent tracking pixels from firing—leading to inaccurate open rate data.
This guide explains how clipping works, how to check your email’s size, and practical ways to reduce it.
When Gmail clips an email:
The recipient only sees part of the message unless they click “View entire message”.
The tracking pixel (used for measuring opens) may be hidden, causing underreported open rates.
The clipping threshold varies by device:Desktop Gmail: ~102 KBMobile Gmail:iOS Gmail app: as low as ~20 KB (inconsistently applied)Other mobile devices: ~75 KB
Note: Large image file sizes don’t cause clipping—clipping is based on the HTML code size (including text, links, and styles).
How to Check Your Email’s Size
How to Reduce Email Size
How to Reduce Email Size
You can reduce HTML size without removing valuable content:
Minimize desktop- or mobile-only blocks: These add extra code even if hidden. Use blocks that show on both desktop and mobile when possible.
Avoid header/link bar blocks: Replace with a simple logo image + text links to reduce heavy responsive styling.
Remove section background images: Use solid colors or patterns instead.
Clean up unnecessary styles: Pasting from Google Docs or Word can add hidden formatting. Use Ctrl+Shift+V (Windows) or Cmd+Shift+V (Mac) to paste plain text.
Consolidate blocks and sections: Merge similar sections into fewer blocks.Combine multiple columns or text blocks with the same styling.
Test block impact: Clone your email, delete one block at a time, and preview to see which changes reduce size most.
