Adjust vertical alignment & padding alignment-and-padding

On this page: Learn how to adjust the vertical alignment and padding of columns and structures in the Email Designer, including how to fix residual fragment padding for correct mobile rendering.

In this example, we will adjust padding and vertical alignment inside a structure component composed of three columns.

  1. Select the structure component directly in the email or using the Navigation tree available in the left-hand menu.

  2. From the toolbar, click Select a column and choose the one that you want to edit. You can also select it from the structure tree.

    The editable parameters for that column are displayed in the Styles tab.

  3. Under Alignment, select Top, Middle or Bottom.

  4. Under Padding, define the padding for all side.

    Select Different padding for each side if you want to fine tune the padding. Click the lock icon to break synchronization.

  5. Proceed similarly to adjust the other columns’ alignment and padding.

  6. Save your changes.

TIP
When designing email content for Gmail on Android devices, ensure that images and dividers use column padding rather than large, fixed margins. Gmail on Android often renders oversized images and margins incorrectly, causing layout overflow or reduced divider lines. Use a smaller image width or rely on column-based padding for consistent display.

Manage fragment padding with breadcrumb navigation fragment-padding-breadcrumb

When working with fragments in the Email Designer, you may encounter hidden or residual padding that affects mobile rendering differently than desktop. This is particularly common when fragments have been unlocked or when inheritance has been broken, as leftover styling can remain in the underlying column or text components.

To identify and edit leftover padding in fragments:

  1. Use the Navigation tree or click directly on elements in the editor to select each parent structure or column within your fragment. This helps you locate hidden padding or margin that may be specific to mobile devices.

  2. After selecting the element in the breadcrumb, navigate to the Styles tab on the right.

  3. Review the Padding settings and remove or readjust the padding as needed to achieve correct mobile alignment.

  4. If alignment issues persist when reusing fragments, repeat this process for other columns or text components within the fragment.

NOTE
This behavior is expected when fragments are repeatedly inserted and removed, as styling rules can accumulate. Always verify padding values using the breadcrumb navigation, especially when targeting mobile devices.
AI Knowledge Reference

This section contains structured knowledge intended to support interpretation, retrieval, and question answering related to this topic.

For complete understanding, this information should be combined with the documentation on this page. Neither source is intended to stand alone; the page describes the feature, while this section provides additional context that helps disambiguate terminology, intent, applicability, and constraints.

  • TL;DR: This page explains how to adjust the vertical alignment and padding of columns in a structure component in the Email Designer, and how to locate and fix residual fragment padding for correct mobile rendering using breadcrumb navigation.

Intents:

  • Adjust vertical alignment (Top, Middle, Bottom) of a column in a structure component
  • Set padding for all sides, or different padding per side, of a column
  • Fine-tune padding by breaking synchronization with the lock icon
  • Identify and remove hidden or residual fragment padding affecting mobile rendering

Glossary:

  • Alignment: A Styles-tab setting for a column, with options Top, Middle, or Bottom (product-specific)
  • Padding: A Styles-tab setting defining padding for all sides of a column, with an option for Different padding for each side (product-specific)
  • Navigation tree: The left-hand menu used to select a structure component or column (product-specific)
  • Breadcrumb navigation: Used to select each parent structure or column within a fragment to locate hidden padding or margin specific to mobile devices (product-specific)

Guardrails:

  • Residual or hidden fragment padding is particularly common when fragments have been unlocked or when inheritance has been broken, as leftover styling can remain in the underlying column or text components.
  • Accumulated styling from repeatedly inserting and removing fragments is expected behavior; verify padding values using breadcrumb navigation, especially when targeting mobile devices.
  • For Gmail on Android, use column padding rather than large fixed margins, and use a smaller image width, because Gmail on Android often renders oversized images and margins incorrectly.

Terminology:

  • Canonical name: Vertical alignment and padding — Acronym: n/a — variants: alignment and padding, column padding
  • Synonyms: “Different padding for each side” = “fine tune the padding”
  • Do not confuse: “Alignment” (Top/Middle/Bottom vertical positioning) ≠ “Padding” (space on the sides of a column)

FAQ:

  • Q: What vertical alignment options are available for a column? — Top, Middle, or Bottom.
  • Q: How do I set different padding on each side of a column? — Select Different padding for each side and click the lock icon to break synchronization.
  • Q: Why does my fragment have extra padding on mobile but not desktop? — Leftover styling can remain when fragments are unlocked or inheritance is broken; use the Navigation tree or breadcrumb to select parent structures/columns and remove or readjust the padding.
  • Q: How should I handle images and dividers for Gmail on Android? — Use column padding rather than large fixed margins and a smaller image width, since Gmail on Android often renders oversized images and margins incorrectly.
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