When your email arrives in a recipient’s inbox, they see three things in the list of messages:
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From Name – Who sent the email
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Subject Line – The headline of your email
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Preview Text – A short snippet that appears under or next to the subject
Preview Text is not a button or an action. It’s the text that shows in the inbox before the email is opened. Think of it as your email’s second headline.
Note: If you do not define preview text, many email clients will default to showing the beginning text of your email.
Why Preview Text Matters
Preview Text is prime real estate in the inbox. It helps your email stand out and encourages readers to open it. By default, it’s around the first 250 characters of your email body, but you can customize it for maximum impact.
What Preview Text Is NOT
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It’s not a way to preview your email before sending.
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It’s not an action or a clickable link.
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It’s not the subject line, though it should complement it.
Best Practices for Preview Text
Keep it short and clear – Aim for 40–90 characters for best display across devices.
Add value – Highlight what’s inside the email or create curiosity.
Avoid repetition – Don’t copy the subject line; make it complementary.
Front-load important words – Mobile inboxes may truncate text.
Examples of Effective Preview Text
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Subject Line - Your December Newsletter
Preview Text - Tips to boost productivity + a sneak peek at 2026 trends
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Subject Line - Limited-Time Offer
Preview Text - Save 20% today—exclusive deal ends at midnight
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Subject Line - Welcome to Our Community
Preview Text - Here’s what you can do next to get started
How to Customize Preview Text
Enter preview text on the Email details tab when creating or editing emails.
You can preview the text on the Confirmation tab, in a scheduled Email summary, or in a Test Email.
Tip: Send yourself a Test email to ensure your preview text displays as intended. Preview text formatting (such as character length, font size and color, and placement) is controlled by the recipient's email client. View messages in several clients such as Gmail, Outlook, and Apple Mail.
Note: Emails converted to the Classic Email Campaigns display preview text in the recipient's inbox, but not in Luminate Online previews or confirmations.