Optimizing Header and Footer Images for Desktop and Mobile

Header and footer images that look perfect on a desktop computer may appear small and unreadable on a mobile device. To ensure your email looks professional on any screen, the best practice is to use two separate images: one designed for desktop and one for mobile.

This guide will show you how to set up this "double header" technique in the Email Builder. The same steps can be applied to footers or any other image in your email.

Step 1: Understand Your Email's Content Width

Before creating your images, you need to know the width of your email's content area. This ensures your desktop header fits perfectly without stretching or distortion.

1. In the Email Builder, click the Settings tab in the right-hand sidebar
2. Look for the Content area width value. The default is typically 800px.
3. Keep this number in mind for your desktop image. For example, if your content width is 800px, your desktop header image should also be 800px wide.

Step 2: Create Your Images

Design two versions of your header image:

• Desktop Header: Create an image with a width that matches the value you entered in the Content area width field. The height is flexible and should be adjusted based on your design needs. Experiment with different height dimensions until you achieve the visual impact you want, but keep the overall file size small to ensure fast loading times.
• Mobile Header: Create a narrower, mobile-friendly version of the image. A width between 400px and 800px is often effective. You may need to increase the font size or rearrange elements to ensure legibility on a small screen.

More information on best practices for images can be found here.

Step 3: Build the Responsive Header in the Email Builder

Now, you'll add both images to your email and configure them to display on the correct devices.

1. Drag a new row into your email for the desktop header
2. Drag an Image block into that row and upload your desktop header image
3. Click on the row to highlight it (not the image itself). In the right-hand sidebar, scroll down to the Layout section
4. Beside Hide on, select the mobile icon

5. Next, drag a second row into your template just below the first one. This will be for your mobile header.
6. Drag an Image block into this new row and upload your mobile header image
7. Highlight the row and select the desktop icon beside Hide on
8. Use the desktop/mobile preview toggle at the top left to see how your headers will appear on different devices

By following these steps, your recipients will automatically see the correctly formatted header for the device they are using, creating a seamless and professional experience.